Back in October, officials from NASCAR announced that engines on road courses and oval tracks shorter than 1.5 miles would run at 750 horsepower, up from the previous 670 HP used in the sport’s top tier starting in the 2026 season. The move was considered a bold step to make racing more competitive. So, just like most drivers, Daniel Suárez was enjoying the extra power during the race at Phoenix Raceway. But it was only until he was suddenly caught up in a wreck during the final stage. After his race came to an abrupt end, Suárez shared his thoughts on the incident and the impact of the horsepower increase.

Daniel Suarez details his Phoenix crash

“I had no idea it was happening.” Seemingly, Suárez was carrying so much speed that he didn’t have enough time to notice the wreck unfolding ahead of him.

Well, that is what spotters are for, right? But apparently, by the time he saw it, it was already too late. “By the time I saw the 22, I just got up the way I was coming. I had no idea that was happening. I was able to see it before my spotter, so it was tough to react to that one.”

The crash, involving pole sitter Joey Logano, happened so quickly that Suarez could not see it. This wasn’t very weird. The Phoenix Raceway is only 1 mile in length, and the surge in horsepower allowed him to accelerate fast enough to actually not have enough time to react to the crash ahead of him. This is what the horsepower limiter was previously used for.

On short tracks like the Phoenix Raceway, the rapid acceleration out of a corner can be quite hazardous, as it proved to be in Suarez’s case. He also mentioned that the power boost caused the tires to wear out earlier. This was an issue with many drivers during the race.

“I feel like it made a difference for sure,” he said. “I think you made the rear tires definitely wear out more, and you have to take care of them a little bit more than before.”

While NASCAR’s gamble to increase the horsepower played out well in terms of overall competitiveness, it also made the overall race a bit more dangerous, as the likes of Daniel Suarez struggled for safety. But even though that was the case, some felt that this change was needed to keep NASCAR’s competition alive.

JGR driver reflects how the horsepower increase was needed

While NASCAR decreased the overall engine power on short tracks for safety, it came with a major hindrance. The low engine output made the cars more predictable. Drivers had more time to react to situations and come out of corners, essentially destroying a large part of racing.

Hence, the races did not feel as competitive. But once it was removed, the event was more skill-based. Christopher Bell even said, “The horsepower is really, really necessary. I would love to keep bumping it up. It just really puts it in the driver’s and the team’s hands,” comparing the car to his previous setup with 600 horsepower.

“It just really puts it in the driver’s hands and the team’s hands. You saw Blaney make it back up through there after his mishap. A couple of times, I ended up back in the field, and the cream can rise to the top, so more horsepower is definitely a lot better.”

It was quite apparent that the race was far more skill-based than it had been in the past few years. Kyle Larson managed to finish in third place despite Hendrick Motorsports’ poor performance at Phoenix. Bell, who was so confident in the car, finished second (although he claimed he just needed a few more laps to take the lead). And Ryan Blaney clinched his first win of the season.