NASCAR officials made a big announcement Wednesday regarding the future horsepower target numbers for the Cup Series cars. Beginning in 2026, all tracks under 1.5 miles in length, plus road courses, will see a target horsepower increase to 750 horsepower.

NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell made the news official on Wednesday on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast, the “Dale Jr. Download.”

Since the inception of the “Next Gen” stock car for the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, the target horsepower number for the Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet engines has been 670 horsepower at all tracks except for Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

NEWS: The target horsepower for Cup Series events at road courses and ovals less than 1.5 miles will increase to 750 for 2026. pic.twitter.com/UOLmrlwqWs

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 8, 2025

Now in 2026, all tracks under 1.5 miles in length, as well as all the road courses, will see the target horsepower number increase to 750. That includes Darlington Raceway, Dover Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Richmond Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway, Nashville Superspeedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Bowman Gray Stadium, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International, Circuit of the Americas, the Charlotte Roval, the San Diego Street Course, and Phoenix Raceway. 

According to John Probst, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer, the 750 number is a “happy medium” number that was agreed upon by NASCAR officials, engine builders, and the race teams. 

Reaching the 750 number will be achieved by using a larger tapered spacer on top of the engine’s intake manifold, which will improve airflow into the engine and increase the horsepower. 

The first race that will see the increased horsepower number in action in 2026 will be the exhibition “Cook Out Clash” at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Sunday, February 1, 2026.