When the Next Gen car rolled out in 2022, NASCAR didn’t just bring a new look to the Cup Series—it also introduced a different approach to horsepower. Unlike in years past, where a single engine setup largely carried across the season, today’s NASCAR Cup Series relies on two primary horsepower packages depending on the track.
On most tracks, teams run with a 670-horsepower package. This applies to intermediates, short tracks, and road courses, giving drivers the balance of speed and control needed for competitive racing at a wide variety of circuits.
However, at superspeedways like Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR dials back the output to a 510-horsepower package. This reduction is intentional: by lowering horsepower, NASCAR keeps the massive packs of cars together, maintaining the thrilling draft-heavy style of racing that fans expect while also working to reduce dangerous closing speeds and multi-car wrecks.
The distinction is part of NASCAR’s ongoing effort to refine the racing product while balancing safety, competition, and entertainment. Critics argue that dialing back horsepower—particularly at non-superspeedway tracks in past experiments—has sometimes taken too much out of the driver’s hands. Supporters, meanwhile, believe the dual-package system helps keep the racing both manageable for teams and exciting for fans.
As the Next Gen era continues, the debate over horsepower is far from settled. Many fans and drivers have called for even higher horsepower across all tracks, hoping to see cars that are harder to handle and place more emphasis on driver skill. For now, though, the 670 and 510 split defines the landscape of modern NASCAR racing.
