The engines used in NASCAR are EFI based V8 engines running on racing fuel. NASCAR is the acronym for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It is the highest level stock car racing which a driver can race in. NASCAR is often considered the pinnacle of technology and advancements for stock cars, as the manufacturers bring in their latest cars to NASCAR races. NASCAR, as its name suggests, is a stock car racing event. Thus, the cars used in NASCAR are homologated versions of their production car counterparts. These cars are derived from the street legal vehicles produced by the manufacturers, and customised to fit oval racing.
NASCAR racing is characterised by oval racing, bump drafting, high speed overtakes and American culture. There is a myth that there are only oval tracks in NASAR. However, NASCAR events take place on ovals, short tracks and road courses. There are also tracks which are a combination of ovals and road courses. NASCAR racing is divided into three series. The Cup Series is the epitome of NASCAR racing with the most amount of money and exposure. The Xfinity Series is the second series in the NASCAR ladder. It is a proving ground for upcoming Cup Series racers and new talents in stock car racing.
NASCAR Engine Type
NASCAR uses nearly identical engines in all three series. The Cup Series uses Electronic Fuel Injection based, Naturally Aspirated pushrod V8 engines that produce nearly 600-700 HP. At tracks where high speeds can be dangerous, like Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta, engines are restricted to 510 HP using restrictor plates. The Fuel injection used in the engines is derived from McLaren Electronic Systems.
The fuel types used in Cup Series engines are: Sunoco 93 MON, 104 RON, 98 AKI 85% unleaded gasoline + Sunoco Green Ethanol E15 15%. The power-unit providers in NASCAR are Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet. The engines used by Chevy are made by ECR Engines and Hendrick Motorsports, for Ford it's provided by Roush-Yates and for Toyota the engines are made by Toyota Racing Development.
The engines used in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series output similar power to Cup Series engines, i.e. 600-700HP. However, the key difference is that these two series use Carburetor based engines which were abandoned by the Cup Series in 2012.
What engine does GM use in NASCAR?
GM uses the homologated EFI V8 engines in its Chevrolet cars in NASCAR. The engine used by Chevy is called the R07.2 engine. It is a 5.8l, two valve per cylinder engine. The engines used by Chevy are tuned by Earnhardt Childress Racing. According to ECR, these Naturally Aspirated engines have the ability to scale up to 850 HP and 10000 RPM when unrestricted. These engines are tuned for maximum performance throughout the race weekend. Any engine is expected to last for a single race and thus, it is manufactured in a way that it can last throughout the race plus some extra miles.
FAQ's On Kind of Engine
A. NASCAR Cup Series engines are all fuel-injected.
A. A NASCAR truck has nearly 650 HP when unrestricted.
A. The fuels used in the Cup Series are: Sunoco 93 MON, 104 RON, 98 AKI 85% unleaded gasoline + Sunoco Green Ethanol E15 15%.
A. NASCAR uses restrictor plates on certain tracks to stop the cars from reaching extreme speeds and preventing accidents.
A. NASCAR engines are built to last over one race distance.
