NASCAR and V8 Supercars are two different series, but which is the faster? We will discuss the primary distinctions between the two and whether or not they are faster. In addition, we will discover whether NASCAR uses V8 engines like their Supercar equivalents, and whether NASCAR cars or V8s are faster.
Differences Between NASCAR And V8 Supercars
The types of race tracks
The first striking distinction between NASCAR and V8 Supercars will be the types of racetracks they compete on. Historically, NASCAR has competed on oval tracks, typically in the Southeastern United States. In 2022, these oval tracks will continue to dominate the NASCAR landscape, despite the addition of new road courses to the schedule. Beginning in 2022, the Australian V8 Supercars will exclusively compete on road tracks. Some of these road courses, such as Sydney Motorsport Park, are closed circuits. The V8 schedule also includes street circuits, such as the Newcastle Street Circuit and the Reid Park Street Circuit.
With the addition of a street race on the streets of Chicago to NASCAR's calendar in 2023, it is possible that these discrepancies could diminish further. NASCAR's Next Generation car is also designed to make it easier for drivers to turn right, which hints at future road courses and street races.
Manufacturers' number
In 2022, Ford and Holden were the manufacturers of V8 Supercars. Only four Championship Series teams elected to use Fords. Seven companies used the Holden Commodore in 2022, and it looks like Holden is the more successful of the two companies.During the initial season of the Next-Generation car in NASCAR, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota were all active manufacturers. Since the 2012 NASCAR season, when Dodge dropped out of the series, this has been the case for NASCAR.
Both NASCAR and Supercars utilize Ford Mustangs, which is a curious fact. So, even though the two series are different in many ways, at least the Mustang brings them together!
However, by 2024, NASCAR intends to potentially transition to hybrid drivetrains. This could further reduce costs and entice additional manufacturers to join the series. If this change happens, you can expect the gap between V8 Supercars and NASCAR to get smaller. The V8 Supercars Championship plans to start using its hybrid in 2023.
Race Weekend Count
In this instance, supercars are more comparable to the NASCAR Whelen Series, which is the European arm of the sanctioning organization. Similar to Supercars, the Whelen Series races mostly on road courses, but there are significantly fewer race weekends. On consecutive weekends, the V8 Supercars rarely hold events. For instance, the series held its maiden race weekend on March 5 and 6, 2022. The next time they competed was not until the weekend of March 25-26.
There are 36 points-paying race weekends and two additional money-paying race weekends in the NASCAR Cup Series. This consists of the Clash and the All-Star Race. Between February and November, NASCAR races practically every weekend before taking December and January off. Even so, drivers continue to conduct testing and practice sessions.
In contrast to NASCAR, which can hold up to five events during various months of the year, the Supercars Championship typically holds no more than two events per month between March and December.
Race Structure
The race formats for the two series are also radically different, with NASCAR opting for a three-stage event for the Cup Series. Most NASCAR races consist of a first and second stage, each of which comprises one-fourth of the race, and a third stage for the second half of the race. NASCAR awards stage winners and drivers who finish in the top 10 with bonus points. The race winner is the driver who completes the third stage in first place. If inclement weather interrupts a NASCAR race, the event may be called after the completion of the first two stages; the winner will be whoever is in the lead during the third stage.
Although it is possible to argue that modern NASCAR races are separated into three mini-races, they are actually fractions of a larger race. And since the race winner is the driver who leads the final lap of the third stage, this format is dramatically different from that of V8 Supercars.
Supercars
As said, there are only 13 race weekends for V8 Supercars, but there are actually 34 races on the schedule. This means that some races, such as the Tasmania SuperSprint held at the end of March, include three races between Friday and Sunday. Other events, like the Melbourne 400, feature four races.
As with NASCAR, these races are typically three-day events with practice and qualifying sessions. Then, each individual race is conducted based on a fraction of the total distance in kilometers. Consequently, each of the four Melbourne 400 races is 100 kilometers long (62 miles).
The same drivers participate in each race. Therefore, it is occasionally feasible for a V8 Supercar driver to sweep an entire weekend if they win all of the races. Each driver receives a certain number of points based on their finish position in each race. A single driver may earn a maximum of 300 points in a single weekend.
Engine Specifications
The NASCAR Next Gen engine specs call for naturally aspirated V8 pushrod engines with 670 horsepower (500 kW) at the majority of tracks and 510 horsepower (380 kW) at superspeedways. These engines require fuel injection and work with a five-speed sequential transmission. The Next-Generation engine has a displacement of 358 cubic inches (5.86 liters). The Supercars have a displacement of 5 liters (305 cubic inches), and like NASCAR engines, their engines are optimized for racing. In terms of horsepower, they are likewise slightly inferior, with outputs ranging between 620 and 650 (460–485 kW). While NASCAR engines are capable of producing 10,000 rpm, supercars can only generate 7,500 rpm.
Technical Requirements
Several more distinctions exist between NASCAR cars and V8 Supercars, one of which affects the fuel utilized by each type of vehicle. Shell E85 Race Blend is the only fuel option for the V8 Supercar. This blend is composed of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.On the other hand, NASCAR uses Sunoco Green E15, which is a mixture of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline.NASCAR cars are required to weigh a minimum of 3,400 pounds (1,560 kilograms), including the driver. V8 Supercars must be under 3,100 pounds (1,410 kg).NASCAR Next Gen cars have frames made of steel tubes, but V8 Supercars need frames made of chromoly.
Before the Next Generation car was introduced, there were even more distinctions between NASCAR and V8 Supercars. But the Next Generation had aluminum wheels that were 18 inches (46 centimeters) wide and a rear suspension that was independent. Both of these features had been used by V8 Supercars.
Championship Format
NASCAR's championship structure has evolved multiple times throughout the years, but the current system consists of 16 drivers competing in the NASCAR playoffs. After three races, the Round of 12 begins with the 12 drivers with the best performance advancing. The field is then reduced to eight drivers after three more races. After the next three races are completed, the playoff field will be reduced to the Final Four. The NASCAR Cup is awarded to the driver who finishes with the highest number of points.
The championship concept of the V8 Supercars is much more basic and reminiscent of NASCAR's Winston Cup days. In summary, the Drivers' Championship will be awarded to the driver who finishes the season with the most points.
Do NASCAR cars use V8 engines?
NASCAR cars have utilized V8 engines for the vast majority of their history. NASCAR rules require V8 pushrod engines with a target horsepower package of 670, except on superspeedways and the newly redesigned Atlanta Motor Speedway, where only 510 horsepower is produced.While prior NASCAR generations utilized V8 engines, engine specifications have evolved over time. In 2022, NASCAR V8 engines will be naturally aspirated and fuel-injected. In the past, though, they utilized carburetors. In the Xfinity and Truck Series, the 2022 carburetors are still in use.
In addition, the horsepower of the engines has varied over the years. In the end, the Gen 6 car had packages that ranged from 410 horsepower (306 kW) for superspeedways to 750 horsepower (559 kW) for short tracks and road courses.
Which Is Faster: NASCAR or V8 Supercar?
NASCAR is faster than Australian V8 Supercars, with NASCAR cars achieving speeds of close to 200 mph while drafting, compared to 186 mph for V8 Supercars. Nevertheless, during the typical NASCAR race, the highest speeds are typically slower than those of V8 supercars.
There are no side-by-side comparisons.
Due to the fact that NASCAR and V8 Supercars do not compete on the same tracks, any comparison is theoretical. Even though they both compete on road courses, the average speed of a race can be deceiving due to on-track accidents such as debris avoidance, spills, and caution flags. Due to the fact that NASCAR and V8 Supercars do not compete on comparable road tracks, we cannot accurately compare their racing events. Therefore, we must consider a vehicle's anticipated top speed. For V8 supercars, the maximum speed is 186 mph (300 kph). Now that we know how quickly a V8 Supercar can go, is NASCAR's Next Gen car faster?
Next Generation Testing
In January 2022, Speedweeks began, and NASCAR Cup Series drivers participated in test sessions with their Next Gen cars. During NASCAR drafting sessions, cars reached speeds of 195 mph (314 kph). Therefore, the NASCAR Next Gen car is faster than the V8 Supercar when drafting. However, this is where things become peculiar. Outside of drafting sessions, the Next Gen car ran at a speed of 184 miles per hour (296 kilometers per hour), which was somewhat slower than the V8 Supercars. This indicates that the V8 Supercars are faster than the NASCAR Next Gen cars.
This is further supported by Daytona 500 qualifying speeds in 2022. Kyle Larson secured the pole position by averaging 181 miles per hour (291 kph). The speeds were 10 mph (16 kph) slower than those of the Gen 6 cars from the previous year, when Alex Bowman earned the pole at 191 mph (307 kph).
The next generation NASCAR car was never designed to be faster than its predecessor. Instead, the Next Generation car was meant to produce increased aerodynamics and downforce, letting the cars better adhere to the track and preventing them from flipping as frequently. In addition, they desired closer racing beginning in 2022.
The Winner Is...
While the Generation 6 cars had higher top speeds than the V8 Supercars, based on 2022 data, the V8 Supercar was faster than the NASCAR car. Under certain circumstances, NASCAR Cup Series cars can go faster than V8 Supercars under certain circumstances.
Final Thoughts
Typically, V8 supercars are slightly faster than NASCAR cars. However, speed is only one of several distinctions between the two cars and their respective series. Due to the varying race formats, number of race weekends, and tracks amongst the series, the cars must also be rather distinct.