Starting with the 2026 season, NASCAR officially increased the horsepower for the Cup Series Next-Gen cars from 670 to 750 hp for all road courses and oval tracks shorter than 1.5 miles. This change, long-requested by drivers to improve the racing product on shorter circuits, was loved by JGR driver Christopher Bell.

NASCAR’s increased engine power impresses JGR driver

“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.” Bell said when asked about the visible difference on the track and how the racing felt from behind the wheel compared to the previous setup.

“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 is able to rise to the top, so more horsepower is definitely a lot better.”

Bell really did enjoy the high output his engine produced. After all, for years now, the drivers have been struggling with the lack of power on short tracks. Accelerating to maximum performance took time, and even the smallest mistakes threw the drivers off course. For reference, it would be like using restrictor plates on such short tracks.

Moreover, drivers often felt they couldn’t fully rely on their skills because the lower horsepower limited how much difference they could make on the track. With less power, the cars became more predictable and easier to control. The slower acceleration also gave drivers more time to set up their corners, which reduced the chances of mistakes. As a result, passing became much more difficult, making the racing feel less competitive.

But when that factor is reversed, power to the wheels is delivered faster. Driver errors are likely to increase, and so does the competition on the track. Hence, it proves to be a major positive overall.

Christopher Bell was able to deliver a fantastic performance on the track, but the eventful NASCAR race did not make it any easier for him as Ryan Blaney clinched the race win, becoming only the second race winner of the season in the first four races. But Bell believes he could have been the one in victory lane if things had gone his way.

Bell comments on his winning chances

Christopher Bell remained the contender to bring home the season’s first race win for Joe Gibbs Racing throughout the length of the race. He did well on pace and navigated through the multiple wrecks without any major issues. Towards the end as well, he was closely chasing Blaney to take the race win, but as he mentioned, he didn’t get enough green-flag racing.

“I mean, ultimately. If we had more green flag laps, I think we could have made a run at him.” He told the media. “I don’t know, you win some, you lose some. This one stings, but on the positive side, I’m really proud of our entire team. The pit crew did amazing. Adam brought an amazing car. Our mechanics and engineers did really well.”

Bell dominated the early races last season with three consecutive wins. This year, however, it is Tyler Reddick who has achieved a similar fate. He won the opening three races at Daytona, EchoPark, and COTA. However, he didn’t appear to have the same speed at Phoenix, allowing Bell to stay in the fight for the win before ultimately finishing P2.