NASCAR set for 670hp at most tracks for 2022

During the final day of Next Gen testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR announced a horsepower change for the 2022 Cup Series.

NASCAR senior vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell said teams would likely run 670hp engines at all tracks next season except for the superspeedways of Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. It may also run at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is undergoing a reprofile and repave.

“I would say we’re more than likely going with that number across all of our tracks,” O’Donnell said Friday. “We’ve still got a few boxes to check post-test here where we get together with our (OEMs) and the teams to just confirm that’s the direction we want to go with, but everything we’ve seen so far tells us that’s the horsepower we want to target and go with.”

Cup Series teams have tested three different aero packages this week between 550 and 670 horsepower with varying configurations of the spoiler:

• 550hp with centered seven-inch spoiler

• 670hp with centered six-inch spoiler

• 670hp with a six-inch spoiler offset to the right

Some teams also tested with a shark fin on the rear window. A fourth configuration teams are expected to run Friday afternoon is 670hp with a four-inch centered spoiler.

https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1471860718634897415

Officials initially announced plans to run 550hp with an eight-inch spoiler at the intermediate tracks and 670hp with a four-inch spoiler at the road courses. Drivers have been advocating for more horsepower with the Next Gen car.

Ryan Blaney for Team Penske ran a top speed of 182.014mph during Wednesday’s test session on the Charlotte oval. Friday’s session will again be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

NASCAR plans to group cars together during portions of the day to simulate racing in traffic. There are 18 teams participating in the test.

Officials will also debrief with drivers Friday afternoon around the 2022 rules package.