Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick turned a lot of heads in the motorsports world this week.
On a recent episode of “SPEED with Harvick and Buxton,” the retired NASCAR champion blasted manufacturers for their continuing desire to lessen horsepower in motorsports.
While the NASCAR on FOX color commentator believes they have their reasons, such as wanting to be cost efficient and develop their street cars, he does not believe it is a positive for motorsports.
Harvick said fans want to see fast race cars, and the manufacturers are trying to take that away.
Harvick on less horsepower in motorsports: ‘We’re fighting it in NASCAR’
Taking horsepower out of the race cars is what Harvick believes is wrong with today’s racing.
It is something the 60-time NASCAR Cup Series winner said they are battling in NASCAR today. While manufacturers want to take away horsepower so it “fits” in their street cars, Harvick said it is not something race fans care for.
“We’re fighting it right now in NASCAR. You knock all the horsepower out of it, you try to make it so it fits in your Honda Civic so they can build this V6 or four cylinder — nobody cares about it. Nobody cares. It’s a race car. If you want to develop your car, go sports car racing,” Harvick said.
Harvick went on to discuss the sights and sounds of IndyCar racing, and how a high level of horsepower creates both excitement and atmosphere that race fans love.
Meanwhile, Harvick said manufacturers are ruining those novelties of motorsports in an attempt to be economically friendly and help the teams. The former driver of the No. 4 car said it only hurts teams in the end.
“You listen to those IndyCars and you look at the tires and you look at just how much rubber and everything is laid on the racetrack, it’s all because of horsepower. All the nonsense about knocking power out of the car, let’s make it more economical, let’s make it so it’s friendlier for the teams — every time we try to save money, we cost the teams more money,” Harvick said.
Harvick does not hold back: ‘Screw the manufacturers’
In trying to help the teams, Harvick said the manufacturers make it difficult to find extra horsepower.
The 2014 Cup Series champion said fans want to see fast and loud race cars and resents any manufacturer that tries to work against that.
“One horsepower, two horsepower at a time is harder to find than it is when you have a more open rulebook. Screw the manufacturers and all the things they want to do to have it apply to their street cars. The fans want to see things that are out of control, go fast and loud. Please,” Harvick said.
By taking away horsepower, Harvick believes part of racing’s identity has been lost. Moving forward, he hopes to see a change for what the fans want.
“That’s what people want to see. The fans love fast and loud. That’s what racing is all about, and who’s the bravest. We’ve gotten away from that by trying to save the world, and that’s not what racing is,” Harvick said.
Harvick retired from full-time NASCAR competition after the 2023 Cup Series season. He competed from 2001-2023, winning 60 Cup races and the 2014 championship.
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