Ahead of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in August, NASCAR announced a major rule change, something that's part of a new package NASCAR is trying out specifically for the Daytona International Speedway.

NASCAR reported that the change will see the height of the rear spoiler reduced from 7 inches to 4 inches, while the horsepower will also be reduced from 510hp to 465hp. 

Officials are expecting that this package will enable more passing opportunities and spread out the field instead of continuing with huge packs of cars. 

Additionally, NASCAR.com also reported that cars running alone are expected to run 3 mph faster compared to the current package, while cars in packs are expected to run at the same speed as they do now.

People online are not pleased, and most of their criticism is around the fact that the cars will run on reduced horsepower. The 465hp figure is quite close to what a road-going Ford Mustang GT Fastback produces, i.e, 480hp. 

Echoing such sentiments, one user referenced Tony Stewart’s comments from the Oil & Whiskey podcast, where he had complained of NASCAR reducing horsepower in recent years.

They said, “Well @TonyStewart was not lying, 400 hp in a NASCAR is crazy in 2026.. Take your street GT Mustang on the track, and you may have a great chance at victory lane.”

Another user added, “And you kill the speed and the horsepower. H*** may as well just call it I4 racing now if cars at the dealership can roll out with more horsepower than the top auto racing series in America.”

Even former Furniture Row Racing crew chief, Cole Pearn chimed in, completely disapproving of the rule change and also criticising the body of the Next-Gen car introduced in 2022. He demanded accountability from the sport for spoiling the design of the car.

One user added, “Weaker draft, smaller runs, can’t make moves, big air bubble, no more pushing, the horsepower number starts with a 4. What is even the purpose of plate racing if we're going back to how it was from 1990-2018?”

Another user mocked the reduced horsepower aspect and said, “I'm just an old lady with vague knowledge of horsepower but this seems a bit in the stupid range to me!  Let us race, not just go for a Sunday drive in the old station wagon of the '60s.”

Denny Hamlin’s clarification on the rule changes

The JGR driver appeared on the Inside The Race podcast with Steve Letarte and John Probst, where they discussed this.

Hamlin highlighted that the 7-inch spoiler benefits tracks like EchoPark Speedway, but since Daytona measures 1.5km in length, the smaller 4-inch spoiler will help recreate the Atlanta experience and allow more passing opportunities. 

“What we’re essentially trying to recreate is Atlanta at Daytona and Talladega. It happens organically at Atlanta, the space between the cars, because the cars themselves are grip-limited, and the fuel-mileage (racing) really doesn’t happen because you have to be on offense constantly. 

"If you watch the pack, there is no saving. Guys are dicing it up the entire race. So this is what we’re aspiring to get to at some point. And it’s going to take chunks here and there. This is our first bite of the apple at this, so what I believe is that from the numbers that I’ve seen, it’s going to be roughly a 33% gain in the right direction.”

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest! 

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason