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There's a new look coming to NASCAR only you probably won't be able to see it. That's because the changes coming are likely to be under the hood of NASCAR Sprint Cup cars as early in 2015.
"We're going to make that happen," said Brian Z France, NASCAR's CEO said on SiriusXM radio earlier this week. "That's part of the overall rules packages that we design that hopefully control costs, hopefully make racing better. The engines are an integral part of that."
NASCAR is looking to reduce horsepower between 75 and 100hp.
For decades the typical motor was a 5.8 litre V8 which currently produces 850-900hp with its' version of fuel injection.
Two-time Daytona 500 winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is onboard with the reduction. “I think the reduction in power is coming whether you like it or not,” said Dale Jr. at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday.
“I chose as an individual to get on the side of being productive in that discussion instead of saying we don't need to do it and trying to fight it, let's try to make sure when it does happen we do it the right way and give ourselves something to grow into and something to engineers and something that is productive for many years to come.
“It's coming either way whether we like it or not. You can have both sides arguing against and for, for however long you want, but it's going to happen so we might as well start thinking about how we want it to happen and trying to have those discussions on making sure we make the best choice we can make for the sport.”
The issue is choosing the right way to slow down the cars. There's at least two ways to do so.
NASCAR has slowed cars down at the Daytona and Talladega superspeedways by use of a restrictor plate, which robs the engines of about 400hp. An unintended effect has been massive pack racing, which sometimes goes wrong, resulting in the Big One, an accident involving many cars. One driver called those events “a lottery,” meaning it was a matter of luck been involved in a multi-car crash.
On the other hand if NASCAR goes to smaller engines that's something Dale Jr. can get behind.
“When you can go to a smaller engine you preserve some throttle response,” said Earnhardt.
“You preserve some reaction in the gas pedal and give the driver a few more tools to be able to use out on the race track when he is driving his race car. When you take and put a plate on those cars you take tons of throttle response out of the car and setting up a pass, particularly on a track that is worn out like this is a little more challenging with a plate rather than an open engine that is smaller.”
This writer thinks Dale Jr. has the better approach, and manufacturers will like a reduction of engine displacement, as their motors will be more modern in concept and closer to look of the engines found in passenger vehicles.
"We're going to make that happen," said Brian Z France, NASCAR's CEO said on SiriusXM radio earlier this week. "That's part of the overall rules packages that we design that hopefully control costs, hopefully make racing better. The engines are an integral part of that."
NASCAR is looking to reduce horsepower between 75 and 100hp.
 |
| Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR |
For decades the typical motor was a 5.8 litre V8 which currently produces 850-900hp with its' version of fuel injection.
Two-time Daytona 500 winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is onboard with the reduction. “I think the reduction in power is coming whether you like it or not,” said Dale Jr. at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday.
“I chose as an individual to get on the side of being productive in that discussion instead of saying we don't need to do it and trying to fight it, let's try to make sure when it does happen we do it the right way and give ourselves something to grow into and something to engineers and something that is productive for many years to come.
“It's coming either way whether we like it or not. You can have both sides arguing against and for, for however long you want, but it's going to happen so we might as well start thinking about how we want it to happen and trying to have those discussions on making sure we make the best choice we can make for the sport.”
The issue is choosing the right way to slow down the cars. There's at least two ways to do so.
NASCAR has slowed cars down at the Daytona and Talladega superspeedways by use of a restrictor plate, which robs the engines of about 400hp. An unintended effect has been massive pack racing, which sometimes goes wrong, resulting in the Big One, an accident involving many cars. One driver called those events “a lottery,” meaning it was a matter of luck been involved in a multi-car crash.
 |
| Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR |
On the other hand if NASCAR goes to smaller engines that's something Dale Jr. can get behind.
“When you can go to a smaller engine you preserve some throttle response,” said Earnhardt.
“You preserve some reaction in the gas pedal and give the driver a few more tools to be able to use out on the race track when he is driving his race car. When you take and put a plate on those cars you take tons of throttle response out of the car and setting up a pass, particularly on a track that is worn out like this is a little more challenging with a plate rather than an open engine that is smaller.”
This writer thinks Dale Jr. has the better approach, and manufacturers will like a reduction of engine displacement, as their motors will be more modern in concept and closer to look of the engines found in passenger vehicles.