How much horsepower do NASCAR Cup cars have?

NASCAR Cup Series cars make about 670 HP at most tracks and approximately 510 HP at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta under the superspeedway rules package. As of the 2025 season, these figures reflect NASCAR’s standardized engine regulations for the Next Gen era, balancing speed, safety, and competition. Below is a deeper look at how and why those numbers are set, along with the technical context and recent history.

Current horsepower by rules package (2025)

NASCAR uses two primary rules packages that determine horsepower based on the track type. The list below outlines where each applies and what output teams run.

• Most tracks (intermediates, short tracks, and road courses): approximately 670 HP
• Superspeedways (Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta): approximately 510 HP

The 670 HP package is the default for non-superspeedway events, while the 510 HP package is reserved for the highest-speed drafting tracks to control closing rates and enhance safety in pack racing.

Why NASCAR limits horsepower

NASCAR’s horsepower targets are intentional and tied to the sport’s priorities. The following points explain the main reasons behind the limits.

1. Safety: Lower horsepower at superspeedways reduces terminal speeds and helps manage the energy in large packs, mitigating the severity of multi-car crashes.
2. Parity and costs: Standardized tapered spacers and consistent targets discourage an engine “arms race,” keeping manufacturers and teams on a more level and sustainable playing field.
3. Quality of racing: Matching power to aero packages helps produce more off-throttle time on short tracks and road courses and promotes closer competition on intermediates.

Together, these policies aim to maintain the spectacle of high-speed stock-car racing while prioritizing driver safety, competitive balance, and manageable team budgets.

Technical context

Modern NASCAR Cup cars use naturally aspirated, pushrod 358-cubic-inch (5.86L) V8 engines with electronic fuel injection running Sunoco E15 fuel. NASCAR controls power primarily via a tapered spacer that limits airflow. The quoted 670 HP and 510 HP are approximate crankshaft outputs; rear-wheel horsepower is typically lower due to drivetrain losses. In the Next Gen era, horsepower has stayed consistent while NASCAR continues to refine aerodynamic packages—especially for short tracks and road courses—to improve racing without altering the 670 HP baseline. Superspeedway events keep the 510 HP cap to maintain safer pack dynamics at speeds that still crest 190–200 mph.

Superspeedway pack-racing package

Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta use the 510 HP package to temper acceleration and closing speeds in dense draft packs. Combined with higher-drag aero setups, the result is intense drafting battles with controlled peak speeds, reducing the likelihood and severity of high-energy incidents.

Non-superspeedway package

Everywhere else, the 670 HP package is paired with track-specific aero tweaks—especially on short tracks and road courses, where NASCAR has emphasized trimming downforce to increase braking zones and passing opportunities. The horsepower target itself remains 670 in 2025.

How we got here: a quick horsepower timeline

The horsepower levels used today were shaped by a decade of rule evolution. The timeline below highlights major shifts that led to the current standards.

• Pre-2015: Unrestricted Cup engines often exceeded 850 HP on many tracks.
• 2015–2018: Introduction of tapered spacers began bringing power down (roughly in the 725–750 HP range at many events).
• 2019–2021: Split packages—about 550 HP on most intermediates (high-downforce aero) and about 750 HP on short tracks/road courses.
• 2022–present (Next Gen): Consolidation to approximately 670 HP for non-superspeedways and 510 HP for Daytona, Talladega, and (since its 2022 reconfiguration) Atlanta.

This progression reflects NASCAR’s long-term push to tune speed, safety, and racing quality amid changing car designs and track demands.

Bottom line

As of the 2025 season, NASCAR Cup cars produce roughly 670 HP on most tracks and about 510 HP on superspeedways (Daytona, Talladega, Atlanta). Those targets, enforced via tapered spacers and paired with evolving aero packages, are central to NASCAR’s balance of speed, safety, parity, and compelling on-track action.

How much horsepower does a 426 Hemi have in NASCAR?

The Nascar-spec 426 Hemi engine produced around 650 to over 500 horsepower in racing trim, though it was officially rated much lower for street versions. The original, detuned 426 Street Hemi was rated at 425 horsepower, but the legendary “Elephant Engine” was incredibly powerful and durable, making it a dominant force in NASCAR and a legendary engine in muscle car history.
 
This video shows a test of the 426 Hemi engine and how it performs: 58sMopar Connection MagazineYouTube · Dec 3, 2023
Street vs. Race Hemi Power

• Street Hemi: Opens in new tabThe 426 Hemi, available in Mopar muscle cars, was rated at 425 horsepower but often produced more in real-world applications. 
• Race Hemi: Opens in new tabIn NASCAR and racing trim, the 426 Hemi was much more powerful, estimated to be producing well over 500 horsepower, and potentially as much as 650 horsepower. 

Dominance on the Track 

• First NASCAR Appearance: The 426 Hemi debuted in the 1964 Daytona 500, where it powered Richard Petty to a dominant victory, showcasing its raw horsepower and durability.
• Decisive Edge: Its combination of strength and horsepower gave Chrysler teams a significant advantage on NASCAR’s fastest tracks.
• Banned from NASCAR: The overwhelming success and power of the 426 Hemi were so complete that NASCAR eventually restricted its use.

What’s faster, Formula 1 or NASCAR?

Formula 1 (F1) cars are significantly faster than NASCAR cars, both in terms of top speed and overall lap times, because F1 cars are lighter, more aerodynamically advanced, and have a higher power-to-weight ratio. F1 cars can reach top speeds over 220 mph and have superior acceleration, allowing them to corner much faster than NASCAR vehicles. 
Key Differences in Speed & Performance

• Top Speed: F1 cars reach higher top speeds than NASCAR cars, with F1s topping out above 220 mph, while NASCARs typically reach around 200 mph. 
• Acceleration: F1 cars have much quicker acceleration, achieving 0-60 mph in about 2.6 seconds compared to NASCAR’s roughly 3.4 seconds. 
• Aerodynamics & Downforce: F1 cars use advanced aerodynamics to generate significant downforce, allowing them to take corners at extremely high speeds. NASCAR’s design prioritizes different aerodynamic principles for overtaking and drafting on ovals. 
• Weight & Power: F1 cars are much lighter and have more powerful engines relative to their weight, giving them a distinct performance advantage over the heavier NASCAR stock cars. 
• Lap Times: Due to their superior acceleration and cornering ability, F1 cars can lap a circuit much faster than a NASCAR car. For example, F1 cars are significantly faster on shared road courses. 

Do all nascars have the same horsepower?

For most tracks on the NASCAR calendar, the cars are tuned to produce about 670 horsepower. But this may vary from year to year based on rules changes. On higher-speed tracks, NASCAR uses varying restrictor plates atop the fuel injection ports to reduce the amount of fuel and air entering the engine.

How many horsepower is in a NASCAR Cup car?

NASCAR Next Gen Cup Series cars are rated at 670 horsepower for most tracks and intermediate ovals, but are reduced to 510 horsepower for superspeedways using restrictor plates to control speed. These figures can change based on rules and track types, with discussions ongoing to potentially increase horsepower for better racing. 
Details on NASCAR Cup Car Horsepower

• Current Standard (670 hp): The standard horsepower for the Next Gen car is set at 670 hp for short tracks, road courses, and intermediate tracks. 
• Superspeedway (510 hp): On high-speed tracks like Daytona, a restrictor plate is used to limit airflow and reduce engine output to around 510 hp, creating closer racing and managing safety. 
• Historical Context: Horsepower levels have decreased significantly since the 2014 season, where cars had over 900 hp. A 550 hp package was used in 2019, followed by the 670 hp Next Gen package introduced in 2022. 
• Future Possibilities: There is ongoing discussion within NASCAR about potentially increasing horsepower, with drivers and teams showing support for a return to higher levels like 750 hp. However, this is a complex topic involving engineering challenges and cost considerations.