Kevin Harvick believes NASCAR should fix the Next Gen Cup car before considering any changes to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series. He reasoned that the top division needs a major mechanical update, while the two lower series already offer the kind of racing fans like. Harvick seemed frustrated because NASCAR is looking at the future of the older O’Reilly Series platform, even though people keep complaining about the Cup car’s performance.
During his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick urged NASCAR to get its priorities straight. He said, “Worry about the Cup car. Don’t worry about screwing up the other two. Like, just stop worrying about trying to make that better. It is what it is, for the time being. The racing is good. Leave them alone. If you need to change the body, change the body. That’s fine, put a new body on it. Fix the Cup car. That’s what you gotta concentrate on. And there’s going to be decisions that you’re going to have to make that are going to piss some people off.”
He continued, “It’s like putting more power in the car. Just put some more power in the [expletive] car. And, they’ve slowly crept it in there. Quit [expletive] around with putting a little bit it. Put a lot in. Just make it violent and crazy to watch. Turn this thing over and look at the bottom of the race car. I heard Denny Hamlin say, ‘It’s a sportscar that’s not designed to race on an oval. I don’t want to be the jerk but those are the facts. ”
Harvick doesn’t see the point in changing two racing series that are already working well, especially since the Cup Series still has problems NASCAR hasn’t fixed after years of trying. He’s not against all changes to the lower series. New bodywork might help, but he wants officials to keep the racing style that makes them popular.
The 2014 Cup champion’s comments followed NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell’s State of the Sport address at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 6. O’Donnell discussed the future of the O’Reilly Series car, whose basic platform dates back more than 15 years, and acknowledged the challenges of maintaining its components.
NASCAR has spent about two years talking with teams about possible solutions, including a platform that makes financial sense for the future. The organization wants to update a lower-series car that still gets good reviews, while the main Next Gen car keeps getting criticized by well-known drivers.
Harvick also mentioned that the O’Reilly Series does well on TV on The CW and that Truck racing is popular. That’s why he wants NASCAR to keep the unique qualities that make each national series interesting to watch.
Kevin Harvick Wants a Gen 7.5 Car as NASCAR Defends Its Next Gen Investment
The 50-year-old former Cup driver opined that the Cup Series should get something like a Gen 7.5 car instead of a brand-new Gen 8 model. He wants officials to take another look at the Next Gen car’s underbody, structure, horsepower, and the rules on what parts teams can work on, and maybe the rear diffuser. Its aerodynamic design and mechanical grip have attracted criticism, particularly at short tracks where drivers struggle to complete passes in traffic.
Harvick assumes officials need to fix the basic parts of the car, even if that means dealing with costly parts and current supplier deals.
He backed his argument by comparing the Saturday and Sunday races at Homestead-Miami. Even though the November 8 Cup championship race had some exciting moments, Harvick thought the O’Reilly Series race one day ago was better overall.
The differences in how the races played out show there’s a problem that can’t just be blamed on the track layout.
He also agreed with Denny Hamlin’s criticism of the Next Gen car, especially its sports-car-like design. Both drivers have wondered if this design really works for NASCAR’s oval tracks.
Horsepower was another big part of his solution. NASCAR raised engine power from 670 to 750 horsepower for road courses and ovals under 1.5 miles in 2026. This change put Bristol, Darlington, Dover, Nashville, and Gateway under the short-track rules.
Officials hoped that more power would make drivers manage the throttle and tires better and give them more chances to pass. But Harvick wants NASCAR to go even further.
Not to mention, the sanctioning body has tested changes across selected tracks while monitoring their effects on engine durability, braking and competition.
O’Donnell defended this approach in his November 6 speech, saying the Next Gen car has brought in new team owners, more interest from manufacturers, and a better business environment. Dodge’s plan to return to the Cup in 2027 also shows NASCAR believes in the platform’s business value.
Replacing the car completely would cost teams and manufacturers a lot. Because of that, O’Donnell said there won’t be a Gen 8 car soon, and he’s confident they can keep improving the current one, as the sport just completed its fifth season with the Next Gen car, and its leadership continues evaluating the 2027 horsepower package without announcing a final decision.
Meanwhile, Harvick wants NASCAR to think again about how its engineering choices affect the racing. Now, NASCAR has two main development questions to answer.
One is how to keep the older cars in the lower series appealing. The other is how much officials should do to improve a Cup car that already takes a lot of money and technology.