“I do think it would make a really big difference for sure,” said Chase Elliott, weighing in on NASCAR’s ongoing horsepower debate. Elliott, whose family has deep roots in engine building, believes that increasing horsepower would force drivers to lift off the throttle more, making off-throttle time a critical factor for more competitive racing. This sentiment resonates strongly after the recent race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where many drivers, including Harvick, expressed frustration over qualifying speeds that left little room for skillful maneuvering.
Harvick has become one of the most vocal advocates for change, criticizing the current 670-horsepower limit as a key factor in uninspired racing. The question now is whether NASCAR will heed these calls for reform or risk losing the very essence of what makes racing thrilling. Will they take action before fans and drivers alike lose faith in the sport?
A Call for Change in Racing Dynamics
Kevin Harvick’s criticism of NASCAR’s horsepower restrictions reached a boiling point during a recent episode of his Happy Hour podcast. Reflecting on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway qualifying laps, Harvick stated. “We just went to Vegas, and they qualified wide open. The throttle time was pretty high.” For Harvick, this lack of challenge on a mile-and-a-half track epitomizes NASCAR’s broader issues with its engine setup. “It’s absolutely ridiculous that we went to an unrestricted mile-and-a-half and they qualified wide open. What in the world do we need to do to get more horsepower? This screams horsepower to me.”
The former SHR driver’s frustration is deeply rooted in NASCAR’s history. In the 1990s and early 2000s, engines regularly produced over 800 horsepower, creating thrilling battles on tracks like Atlanta and Charlotte. These races demanded immense skill from drivers, who had to manage tire wear while navigating high-speed corners. Harvick himself experienced this era firsthand, famously winning his first Cup Series race at Atlanta in 2001 in a dramatic photo finish against Jeff Gordon a moment defined by raw speed and driver precision.
Harvick just couldn’t wrap his head around why NASCAR would not listen to the outcry and demands for more power to the race car. To illustrate his frustration further, Kevin Harvick added, “If your shoes gave you blisters on your foot and they felt uncomfortable all the time, would you keep putting your same shoes on?” The Gen-6 race car had an output of 750 hp on the intermediate track, which forced drivers to lift off the gas with the risk of crashing into the wall. However, with 670 horsepower output, the results are a bit concerning.
This call for change is echoed by other prominent drivers like Joey Logano and Kyle Larson, who argue that increasing horsepower would enhance tire wear and create more overtaking opportunities. Logano stated, “We want more power. It increases tire wear. It makes the track wider. And it’s more bad—.” Despite these calls for a return to higher horsepower levels, NASCAR officials remain cautious due to concerns about costs and potential impacts on competition.
Historically, NASCAR has grappled with balancing safety and speed, often leading to decisions that have reduced engine power. For instance, in the 1970s, NASCAR implemented restrictor plates to address safety concerns after high speeds at tracks like Daytona. This was the beginning of a trend toward limiting horsepower that many believe has diminished the excitement of racing.
The impact of these horsepower reductions has become even more pronounced in recent years. In 2014, engines produced around 900 horsepower, but by 2015 this was reduced to 750 horsepower and later to 550 in 2019. While these changes aimed to create closer competition and safer racing, they often resulted in less thrilling races.
A notable example occurred during the 2020 fall race at Kansas Speedway when Joey Logano managed to hold off a faster Kevin Harvick using aerodynamic blocking instead of speed a scenario that frustrated both fans and drivers alike. Harvick’s analogy serves as a critique of these ongoing regulations, emphasizing that simply tweaking aerodynamics or tire compounds is not enough; the fundamental issue of insufficient horsepower must be addressed.
Kevin Harvick sounds like a broken record along with other NASCAR stars
While the horsepower debate rages on, it is essential to consider how these engine regulations affect driver strategy and race dynamics. The current focus on aerodynamics and lower horsepower has led to a shift in how drivers approach races. With less power available, many teams have prioritized setups that maximize downforce rather than raw speed, fundamentally changing racing strategies.
While NASCAR has argued about rising costs and problems for manufacturers, Hamlin wasn’t buying into their story. After winning the tire wear race in Bristol last year, “You just call Doug Yates (engine-builder for Ford teams) and Toyota Racing Development and say we’re going to go back to our old 750 (horsepower) plate. They’ve said it wouldn’t change any of the durability we have. It can be done with one phone call with no additional money.”
Moreover, as teams increasingly rely on aerodynamics to gain an edge, the racing experience has become more predictable. Drivers like Kyle Larson have pointed out that with less power, there is less room for error: “When you had more horsepower, you had to be smarter about how you drove into corners.” This sentiment highlights how reducing power has led to more uniform racing experiences rather than showcasing individual driver skills.
For Harvick and other advocates calling for increased horsepower, the goal is clear: restore the excitement and unpredictability that made NASCAR a beloved sport while ensuring it remains relevant in an evolving automotive landscape. But, given how NASCAR has turned a blind eye to a lot of issues surrounding the Next Gen car, its tough to see them make any real change to the engines.
The post “Fix the Damn Problem”: Frustrated Kevin Harvick Sparks Debate on NASCAR’s “Ridiculous” Horsepower Problem appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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