Kevin Harvick hits back against lower horsepower in NASCAR: 'Engine bills have not gone down'

In his retirement era, Kevin Harvick isn’t going to be afraid to speak his mind. That includes NASCAR‘s horsepower issues on the track. The Next Gen car was designed for a 550 horsepower package that was meant to reduce engine costs, saving teams money in the long run. However, Harvick disputes that claim.

Talking with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download, Kevin Harvick talked about the issues with the car. NASCAR has tried to cure the ills of short-track and road-course racing with aero adjustments. Tire adjustments.

NASCAR says lower horsepower leads to lower engine bills for teams. The Closer says, not so fast.

“Since we had the test of putting the 550 horsepower package on the car the cars have just become more aero-sensitive,” Harvick said. “But if they were way too fast going into the corner you had to get way out of the throttle and do all the things that you used to do in the car with the entry speed and the grip levels, I think it would be – I wish they would just try it. But I know it’s a massive undertaking for the manufacturers.”

Of course, shifting is an issue as well. Drivers can downshift after overdriving a corner and it helps them recover.

“Shifting is tough and when you added the fifth gear it made it possible because the ratios are closer together. I think with the – I don’t know if you can take it away though because could you imagine being in the corner and just no power at all? Then it would be even worse.

“So, you’re kind of caught in these weird spots with gear ratios and things like that. … I just think with the way the technology and the parts and everything that we do now, I don’t believe higher horsepower would be that big an issue for the engine manufacturers and we would take a step back on engine issues, but if a few engines blew up here and there, who cares?”

For Kevin Harvick, the issues that lower horsepower brings don’t outweigh the savings. In fact, he says there haven’t been savings. In fact, it makes it more expensive by limiting horsepower as teams look for some extra power here and there.

“The engine bills didn’t go down. Yeah, you can test for that. The engine bills have not gone down since they went to these rules because now you’re looking for one horsepower. Well, looking for one horsepower is actually more expensive than looking for 10 when you’re in the windows that you’re in. So it really isn’t cost-effective to keep taking power out because you’re looking for smaller increments to make gains.”

So, what’s stopping NASCAR from going back to a 750 or even an 850+ package?