NASCAR has been making efforts to attract additional car manufacturers to the sport for a long time. Currently, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota are the only Original Engine manufacturers involved in NASCAR. Despite Toyota’s entry in 2004, no other manufacturers have joined the sport. The technical regulations often hinder these efforts, but the introduction of the Next-Gen cars in 2022 is starting to yield positive results.
There have been reports of potential new manufacturers like Honda and Hyundai showing interest in NASCAR. However, no concrete negotiations have taken place yet. Recently, NASCAR’s Senior VP discussed the future of the sport with hybrid cars and the reasons why some brands are hesitant to join.
According to him, the Next-Gen car presents a great opportunity for most manufacturers. However, they find it unsustainable to produce a V8 pushrod engine specifically for NASCAR, which becomes a dealbreaker. To address this concern, NASCAR is exploring alternative platforms to accommodate the manufacturers’ engine demands.
Elton Sawyer, while discussing the challenges, highlighted Toyota’s entry into the sport and the efforts they made. He emphasized that Toyota Racing Development (TRD) went as far as creating engines specifically for NASCAR, which deserves recognition considering the reluctance of new manufacturers to do the same.
When new manufacturers enter NASCAR, both the sport and the existing OEMs must devise new development plans to enhance the overall experience. It is crucial to ensure that these plans do not undermine the investments made by current OEMs in NASCAR.