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The debate surrounding NASCAR’s horsepower configurations has resurfaced, with a significant portion of the Cup Series field expressing divided opinions on whether the 750 horsepower tapered spacer package, recently reintroduced for short tracks, should be implemented on intermediate circuits. While some drivers champion the potential for increased falloff and more dynamic racing, others express concerns about further widening the competitive gap and potentially diminishing the current quality of racing on these tracks.
Joey Logano, a prominent voice in the garage, articulated a clear preference for enhanced power and a greater degree of "falloff" on intermediate ovals. "I want more falloff," Logano stated with conviction. "More fall off puts on better racing, right? We all have the same cars, like for the most part. We have the same chassis, same suspension components and it’s how you put them together but we all start with the same box of parts." He elaborated that the primary differentiators currently lie in the car bodies and engines, but even those offer limited variation, leading to a homogenization of speeds, particularly in qualifying. "We have to throw in variables somewhere or we are just going to follow each other," Logano emphasized. "We have to be a tenth to two-tenths faster to make passes these days, so how are you going to find that?"
This sentiment was echoed by the recent Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, which saw the implementation of a higher horsepower, lower downforce configuration. The race reportedly experienced an increase in lead changes and green flag passes. However, the overall race quality remains a subject of discussion, with some noting that the field spread out more significantly, despite improvements in handling the "dirty air" effect. While falloff was less pronounced than anticipated, this was partly attributed to teams and drivers strategically managing their pace to optimize lap times without compromising their machinery or engaging in risky overtakes.
The argument for a 750 horsepower package on intermediates centers on introducing more variables into a discipline that, in Logano’s view, has become too predictable. However, this perspective is countered by those who believe the current intermediate package is already delivering compelling racing. Brad Keselowski, Logano’s former teammate, posited that the existing configuration is among the most effective NASCAR has produced, and questioned the necessity of altering it. "You’re right, we do have a really good package right now, and there are a handful of tracks that you could argue would benefit from it, but a handful of tracks where I could argue it would make the racing worse," Keselowski observed. "So, I guess it’s really situational to me." He cited the Brickyard 400 as a potential beneficiary of the higher horsepower package, while expressing reservations about its impact on tracks like Kansas Speedway.
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William Byron offered a candid assessment, acknowledging that increased power on intermediate tracks would likely benefit teams like his own, Hendrick Motorsports, but conceded it might not align with fan expectations for close competition. "Hendrick Motorsports would welcome it because it would give us more of an advantage over time, but I don’t think it would be the product you’d want to see in terms of closeness," Byron explained. He reasoned that a greater reliance on driver skill to manage the car’s handling, rather than pure speed, would lead to fewer cars on the lead lap and reduced passing opportunities within the top five. "It’s going to be more spread out, which would be great for racers, because we want to see who can develop the best car… so great as a driver, but I don’t know if that makes the product better."
Chase Briscoe echoed Byron’s concerns about increased field separation. "If you start going faster, it probably makes the field even more spread out, I feel like," Briscoe commented. "Just the difference in the top teams and the bottom teams are going to be even more extreme. So maybe it just is one of those things where the rich kind of get richer, where right now, like we are not underpowered, but like we’re all relatively the same speed for the most part, right?" He noted that qualifying speeds on intermediates are currently separated by only a few tenths of a second, and that additional power would amplify the importance of setup and overall car development, potentially leading to a wider disparity.
Briscoe admitted a personal inclination towards driving with unrestricted engines, which produce over 900 horsepower, but acknowledged the complexity of the issue. "You always want more but on the mile-and-a-halves, I don’t know what it would do, to be honest with you," he stated. "I think some tracks, we could definitely use it, but there’s other tracks where maybe the product’s as good as it’s get right now. So yeah, I don’t know which way it would go if I’m being honest."
The NASCAR Cup Series has navigated similar discussions in the past. In 2018, the sport faced criticism regarding the dominance of a few top teams and an intermediate package that, while reducing dirty air, led to more spread-out racing and fewer on-track battles. This led to the introduction of the NA18D rules package, often referred to as the "550 package," which aimed to keep cars bunched up and running at full throttle. However, this configuration was criticized for generating excessive dirty air, which significantly hampered passing and diminished the role of driver skill.
The current NextGen car represents a compromise, as articulated by Michael McDowell. He acknowledged that his perspective might be unpopular, but pointed to the success of underpowered spec racing, such as Mazda Miata series, in producing exciting on-track action. "We need to know what we’re asking for, right?" McDowell questioned. "So, the worst racing for the drivers was when we went to the high downforce, low horsepower package, but fans would tell you that was some of the best racing. So I think I need to know what we’re chasing."
McDowell believes the current mile-and-a-half package is delivering good racing and effective management of dirty air, though he concedes there’s always room for improvement. "Could it be better? Yeah, it could always be better. So, but we just have to be careful that we don’t ruin a good thing by chasing something that we all feel like would be more fun," he advised.
While McDowell admitted to finding the experience of racing with 900 horsepower more enjoyable than the current 670 horsepower configuration (or the previous 550 package), he cautioned about the potential consequences. "It’s going to separate the field though too. It will separate the field. You’ll have people win by 10-15 seconds. You’ll have blowouts and you’ll have big gaps between cars and I’m okay with that as a driver," he said. "I’m okay with that because the best car is going to win. The best team is going to win. The guy that earned his money that day is going to win. I’m just not sure it’s going to be as well-received as we’re painting this picture because it’s easy to go the wrong direction, which we’ve done before."
Austin Dillon shared a similar viewpoint, suggesting that increased horsepower and reduced downforce would lead to a more strung-out field. "When you start to take away downforce, and you start to add power, I don’t think the number of passes will be the same," Dillon stated. "I think it gets strung out. I will say, with the old car, that the advantage of the car was probably bigger and probably made it even worse. So with this car, a horsepower increase would not be as bad, but I still think we have a good package and don’t mess that up when it comes to our mile and a half racing right now. I don’t always think more fall off equates to better racing."
Christopher Bell, however, expressed optimism about a potential increase in horsepower. "I love where we’re headed," Bell commented. "I always think that we can use more, and I would love to get more horsepower, and hopefully this is an indication that we’re turning the right knob, and I think sky’s the limit. If we continue to add horsepower, I think we’re going to get right to where we need to be."
The ongoing discussion highlights the delicate balance NASCAR seeks to strike between providing a challenging and engaging experience for drivers and delivering an entertaining product for fans on a variety of track types. The decision on whether to expand the 750 horsepower package to intermediate tracks will undoubtedly be influenced by continued data analysis from recent events and ongoing dialogue within the industry.
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