NASCAR is the ultimate level of stock car racing. It is a high performance circus of fast cars that travels all over America to entertain people with the adrenaline rush of its speed. NASCAR primarily allows three manufacturers to run their cars in its races, Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota. There are numerous teams which field one to four cars on full-time or part-time basis while being associated with one of these manufacturers. NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series are the three levels. The Cup Series is the pinnacle of stock car racing with cars that go nearly 190mph.
In recent times, internal combustion based automobiles are being kept on the backfoot in favor of electric vehicles. The ICE vehicles find it harder to comply with the existing emission norms in comparison to electric vehicles. It is said that electric vehicles are the future of transport and the ICE vehicles may very well get banned in countries.
In accordance with the recent trends, many motorsports series have been making efforts to go all-electric. A prime example of this is the Formula-E Series which is an electric spinoff of Formula-1. However, FIA has made it clear that it won’t replace their original Formula 1 series. A similar question stands tall in front of NASCAR regarding electric vehicles.
Electric Cars in NASCAR
NASCAR hasn’t raced electric vehicles in any of its lower or higher series yet. In the initial months of 2024, the organization revealed its plans regarding the electrification of sport. In spite of contrary beliefs, NASCAR stunned its fans and automotive enthusiasts by saying that they won’t be going all electric anytime soon. NASCAR doesn't plan on making any exclusive EV series either.
NASCAR manufacturers have a win on Sunday, sell on Monday policy. This new statement released by NASCAR is a show of their confidence in the market progress of electric vehicles. Toyota’s current CEO is highly determined to never go all electric and instead wants to focus on cleaner ICE. However, NASCAR also said that they will debut their first all-electric prototype at the Clash at Los Angeles Coliseum. It will be a culmination of ideas and designs from all three manufacturers will be driven and tested by ex-NASCAR driver David Ragan.
What engine do NASCAR cars use?
NASCAR cars use internal combustion engines. They are heavily regulated according to the technical mandate of NASCAR. Since, at its core NASCAR is actually stock car racing, the cars in NASCAR perform similar to their real world counterparts that aim to gain a strong hold of the market. NASCAR debuted its Next Gen Car in 2022. The car was created according to the new rules and regulations and displayed the new ambitions in the sport.
NASCAR engines of the current car produce 670 horsepower at most other tracks. On very high speed tracks like Daytona and Talladega, restrictor plates are used to cap the engine power at 550 horsepower. NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen cars from all manufacturers use V8 engines with side exhausts. The side exhausts have a tendency to make the viewers in the stands believe that the cars are running on half of its original power.
Ford has its FR9 EFI V8 Engine. Toyota’s engine is called the Toyota Camry V8 and the Chevy’s names its engine the R07.2 V8. These three engines are currently in use in NASCAR. They are 5.9 liter Electronic Fuel Injection based hearts to the blazingly fast NASCAR cars.
Read more About NASCAR races work
FAQ's On NASCAR
A. No, NASCAR is not going to run electric cars in the near future.
A. NASCAR will debut its electric car at the Busch Light Clash in Los Angeles.
A. The Dodge Charger Daytona was the first car to be banned from NASCAR.
A. NASCAR engines are designed to last one race at the maximum output they can produce.
A. NASCAR car typically gets 100 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit hot during a race.
