It doesn’t always happen when fans find them in a battle of words against NASCAR executives, but when it does, it happens in unison. Many recent automation-related ideas that the sport has discussed have been rejected by fans, simply because the roar of the V8s echoing through the tracks is something that describes the sport. And when NASCAR hints even a bit at moving away from that, it is met with some online slamming.

NASCAR executive plans a ‘future phase’ for NOAPS

The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has been producing some of the best racing so far this season. However, being the tier-2 series, it seems that the sanctioning body’s executives want to make it the guinea pig. As NASCAR’s executive vice president, John Probst, recently revealed his plans for the future of racing.

His idea of the ‘future of racing’ seems to move in the direction of EVs. He mentioned that the sport could, one day, use a crossover utility EV in the NOAP Series. Moreover, he also claimed that the OEMs could begin experimenting with a hydrogen combustion engine in the coming five years.

“There is certainly a needle to be threaded there along the line of entertainment and sport, and maybe you can even go beyond sport and just say pure engineering,” he said.

However, he also claimed that he wants to keep the sport just as entertaining for the fans, which is rather interesting. The fans have almost always opposed the idea of the EV market taking over the motorsport universe. Many claim that the roaring engines in the cars are part of the true identity of racing.

In fact, Formula 1 has faced major criticism from the fans this year owing to their new regulations, which power the cars only 50% via the combustion engines, and the other half comes from a battery. It seems like the sport is halfway through a massive electrification, and even the drivers, including 4-time World Champion Max Verstappen, have been against it.

NASCAR had previously introduced an EV prototype back in 2024 at the Chicago Street Course race. However, there was a massive backlash against it. Considering that, and the overall sentiment that the fans carry, it is tough to see the aim Probst carries with his future plans for the sport. Safe to say, he didn’t have the most positive reactions from the fans.

Fans slander the sport’s future approach

“Man these guys don’t have a clue. Always focused on the wrong things. Won’t be much left to “plan” for at this rate of decline,” a fan expressed their disregard and anger towards the sport and its executives.

Many were outright disappointed on social media, claiming that the sanctioning body and the executives did not have even a remote idea of what the fans actually wanted: “Nobody loves NASCAR less than its execs and leaders.”

Moreover, some also demanded an overall rework on the Next Gen Cup Series cars instead of experimenting with the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. “How about instead of changing the O’Reilly car which is actually good we change the Cup car so people can actually stand watching the racing?”

NASCAR has already been taking steps to ensure a reduction in carbon emissions. The cars currently don’t run on pure gasoline like road cars, but on a careful 15% blend of ethanol and gasoline. Supplied by Sunoco, it’s labelled the ‘Sunoco Green 15.’ Interestingly, the fans feel that if the sport wants to move towards the future, it has to be through some innovation like this and not turning it into EV racing.

Like this user wrote: “If you aren’t using ethanol, hydrogen combustion is the only way forward for nascar. No one will ever watch an EV series.”

It is quite understandable why the fans seem to be against the idea of the sport experimenting one of its national-level series. “Oh yeah, the NOAPS viewer numbers are getting too large, so NASCAR needs to do something about that. Lol,” wrote a fan. What many simply want is traditional racing, and a move towards the future via better ways, instead of altering the character and nature of the current generation of cars.

Through the years, the fans have loved the roar of the engines on the track, so it becomes quite apparent why they never want NASCAR to move away from it anytime in the near future.