The NASCAR Next Gen car was supposed to change everything. Cut costs. Even the playing field. Bring in fresh blood. But three years in, many teams say the bills are just as high, if not higher. So much so that team owners have taken NASCAR to court over costs. Kevin Harvick has said the cars need more horsepower. In short, the Gen-7 experiment is at a crossroads. And with that uncertainty comes a bigger question — What, and rather when, does Gen-8 happen?

Recently, Kevin Harvick and veteran journalist Bob Pockrass sat down to discuss this. Right now, only Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota fill the grid. Dodge has been circling since it left in 2012. Elsewhere, Ram has already confirmed for the Truck Series in 2026. Honda has been tied to rumors, too, but the company has made clear it will only back one program, either IndyCar or NASCAR. This means that before NASCAR tears up the car blueprint again, it’ll make more sense to wait to see who’s actually coming to the table.

NASCAR Gen-8 delay could bring big names

On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick pressed Bob Pockrass on whether now is the right time to start reshaping the sport. Pockrass didn’t hesitate. “I would probably wait and see if Honda decides whether they’re coming in… I still don’t know that there’s any timeline for a decision, probably in the next year or so.” He added that NASCAR is already in conversations with Dodge and Ram. This meant that rushing ahead with Gen-8 before knowing who’s officially onboard could backfire.

Pockrass also pointed to another factor, stability. “Whoever’s working with these new manufacturers, with Dodge and Ram, (and) with Honda, if they come in, I wouldn’t want to unless I felt like they’re not doing the job to get them in. I would want to have some consistency there.”

This statement carried a sense of caution about mid-way troubles for Gen-8. If the current and future partners are not finalized, NASCAR may have to resort to changes along the way. Changing specs midstream would be costly, and costs are already the sport’s sore spot. That makes waiting not just a strategic move but a survival tactic.

Harvick, meanwhile, focused on the technical side. He called out how costs rose despite NASCAR dialing back horsepower. “Nothing went down. The engine bills did not go down,” he said. For him, the sport needs more speed, not less. Unfortunately, that also means new tires, more testing, and bigger budgets. It’s a reminder that Gen-8 isn’t just about adding shiny upgrades. It’s about fixing what Gen-7 never fully delivered.

NASCAR analysts discuss the future of the playoff format

The NASCAR Cup Series playoff format has always been a lightning rod in NASCAR. Fans argue about it. Drivers argue about it. Even broadcasters still kick it around. On Kevin Harvick’s recent podcast with Bob Pockrass, the two dug into where things could go next. And for once, both seemed to agree. The focal point was that the current one-race championship might not be the best way forward.

Pockrass admitted he once liked the old 10-race system. But this was a while ago. He said a single race deciding everything has its flaws. “The one race has been wow. Easy to understand is not the best way to crown a racing champion,” he explained. Instead, he pictured a trimmed-down playoff. Four or five races, smaller than the 10-week marathon. This would certainly be longer than a one-race decider.

Harvick took that idea further. To him, the format only works if it captures every style of racing. “You can take a superspeedway, you can take a road course, you can take a short track and you can take an intermediate and… may the best man win,” he said. A short playoff run across four track types would make the title about versatility, not luck. That challenge, he hinted, could separate the true champion from the rest.

Whether NASCAR is ready to make that leap is another question altogether. For now, the one-race finale remains in place. But with insiders like Harvick and Pockrass voicing alternatives, the idea of a multi-race showdown is not going away. If change does come, it might reshape how a whole season feels.