NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell has opened the door to major changes in NASCAR horsepower. Speaking on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, O’Donnell said NASCAR is looking at more power, tires, and the role of V8 engines as it works on the Next Gen car.
The comments came after the Bristol Night Race, where short-track racing drew attention again. NASCAR already increased Cup horsepower from 670 to 750 for road courses and ovals shorter than 1.5 miles in 2026.
O’Donnell suggested the 750-horsepower package could be a step, not the final target. He also linked the discussion to future NASCAR engines, saying a broader review is already part of the sport’s long-term planning.
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Harvick asked O’Donnell whether NASCAR needs to make more changes to improve short-track racing. He pointed to the changes surrounding the Next Gen car and the shift in manufacturer interest toward hybrid technology.
“Where do you think from the Next-Gen car itself, like when you watch Bristol, we all talk about the short track racing. Where do you think that the short track racing is, as far as do we need to change something?”
O’Donnell said NASCAR needs to keep studying the issue.
“Yeah. I think keep looking at it. What can we do around horsepower? What can you do around tires and horsepower in that mix?”
The NASCAR horsepower discussion now extends beyond the current 750-horsepower package. O’Donnell said recent talks with manufacturers also focused on the future of NASCAR V8 engines.
NASCAR V8 Engines Back in Focus
O’Donnell said Ty Norris recently visited General Motors to discuss future engines. He said manufacturers discussed returning to higher horsepower and traditional NASCAR V8 engines.
“They all talked about going back to kind of horsepower, V8, NASCAR,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell connected the NASCAR engines discussion with what fans expect from the sport.
“You’re seeing what F1 is doing, right? They’re, they’re chasing that. And we’re there. So to me, it is, we’ve got to lean in there.”
He added that NASCAR needs to set a clear target.
“We want to get to X horsepower. Here’s the tire we need.”
O’Donnell also said the goal matches what drivers and fans want.
“That’s what they associate NASCAR with. So that’s a really big area for us around the engines to continue to attack.”
He did not announce a new horsepower figure. However, he confirmed the NASCAR engines debate will continue into 2027.
“So it’s more long-term thinking, and ‘27, we got some more things we’re going to look at. I know there’s a horsepower discussion.”
NASCAR Engines Face More Changes Beyond Short Tracks
O’Donnell also discussed superspeedway racing after Daytona. He said NASCAR still needs to improve the package before Talladega.
“At Daytona, did we say, ‘Wow, that was unbelievable in terms of where we’re at?’ No, but directionally, I thought it was better.”
He said drivers had more room to move instead of remaining locked into three-wide racing.
O’Donnell also acknowledged concerns about Daytona qualifying, when a driver held an arm outside the window to find speed.
“I know we’ve talked about back in Daytona, qualifying speeds, versus a guy holding their arm out the window, which we put drivers in that position that was on us.”
He added: “But yeah, it’s not a great look for the sport.”
For now, NASCAR has not announced another horsepower increase. The NASCAR horsepower plan remains under discussion, while NASCAR V8 engines and future NASCAR engines remain part of the longer-term work on the Next Gen car.
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