Power struggle: Nationwide teams beg for help as NASCAR takes 10 engines
By Bob Pockrass – Associate Editor
Saturday, July 12, 2008
JOLIET, Ill. – NASCAR officials took 10 engines from Nationwide Series cars amid clamor from non-Toyota teams claiming they need help engine-wise to compete with the Toyotas.
It was the third time this year that NASCAR has taken engines for evaluation. It did so at Atlanta in March and Milwaukee three weeks ago.
Toyota has won 14 races in the series this year, while Chevrolet has won four and Ford has won two.
“We’re continuing our study on our competitive analysis and trying to balance the competition in the garage, which we’re kind of tasked to do,” Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash said following the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. “There’s a lot of rumor in the garage where things are at, and that’s why we want to make sure that we get the actual data.”
Dan Deeringhoff, crew chief for series points leader Clint Bowyer of Richard Childress Racing, said he believes the non-Toyota teams need help.
“Hopefully they are trying to come with what’s fairest for the series,” Deeringhoff said. “Toyota has got a definite advantage, but they’ve got a lot newer pieces [in their newer engines] than the American manufacturers have.
“The peak number is maybe 20 [horsepower] but I think the average is quite a bit more than what we’ve got.”
Bowyer’s was one of three Chevrolet engines taken by NASCAR. The other two were JR Motorsports’ Brad Keselowski and CJM Racing’s Jason Keller.
Toyota engines were taken from the Joe Gibbs Racing cars of Kyle Busch (the race winner) and Tony Stewart and Braun Racing’s Brian Vickers.
“If you come by the garage area after happy hour, you’ll see a strong correlation between the guys that are complaining the most about horsepower and the guys that are going home earliest [after practice],” said JGR crew chief Dave Rogers, whose No. 20 team has won nine races this year. “The guys that are on TV ranting and raving about horsepower, they put a car cover over their car a half-hour after practice [ends], go home and they’re the first ones through tech.
“You’ve got to work on these race cars. Toyota definitely has a good engine package. [JGR’s] Mark Cronquist, in my opinion, has always been the best engine builder in the recent history here. But you’ve got to work on these cars.”
NASCAR also took two Ford engines – from Roush Fenway Racing’s Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle – as well as Dodge engines from Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dario Franchitti and Gillett Evernham Motorsports’ Elliott Sadler.
Among the possible things NASCAR could do is change the spacer that limits air flow in the engine. NASCAR began using the spacer this year.
Balash said it would take about three or four days for NASCAR to run all the engines on its engine dynamometers.
“We have a lot of things that are available to us,” Balash said. “Based upon where the numbers shake out is what we would select. [Changing] spacers is one of the options. There’s three or four different ways you can use spacers.
“But we have to get to the numbers first and see what’s before we would even speculate what we would do, if we would do anything.”
Popular News
-
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Which Sprint Cup star will snap his long winless streak first?
Comments (186) -
For Dale Earnhardt Jr., life as an Earnhardt is not easy, especially when you're not winning
Comments (139) -
Jeff Owens: Should RCR’s black No. 3 return to NASCAR’s Cup series?
Comments (119) -
Hendrick Motorsports’ Mark Martin more prepared mentally and physically for 2010
Comments (105) -
Dale Earnhardt Inc. plans for Jeffrey Earnhardt still in flux
Comments (96)
Recent Headlines
-
SEASON PREVIEW: Mike Skinner optimistic about 2010 prospects
Comments (1) -
SEASON PREVIEW: Camping World Truck Series top-20 rankings
Post Comment -
Josh Wise to drive in Nationwide Series for Specialty Racing
Post Comment -
HBO’s ‘24/7 Jimmie Johnson’ documentary series expected to shift into high gear tonight
Comments (11) -
SEASON PREVIEW: Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards hungry to regain place among Sprint Cup’s elite
Comments (5)
Poll PositionView All
After qualifying and the Budweiser Shootout, who is the favorite to win the Daytona 500?
Promotions
-
Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.
-
Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.
Comments
8 responses to "Power struggle: Nationwide teams beg for help as NASCAR takes 10 engines". Post a Comment.
Elizabeth Schanz said:
Jul 12, 2008 at 2:40 PMInstead of taking the engines from the 10 cars, We already know that the JGR cars have more Horsepower 20 more thats ridiculous.Thats a leveled playing field isnt that what NASCAR always preaches. I understand Toyota are using the new RO7 engines why isnt everyone else why are Ford & Chevy using the old ones?, & why doesnt NASCAR let them use the new ones.? Is NASCAR afraid everyone might catch up. Is this the only way that Toyota can compete if you want to call it that. This sounds like cheating to me NASCAR giving one car mfg more horsepower/advantage then the others, or is it ok when you do it.
Report as AbuseElizabeth Schanz
Cleveland Ohio
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportElizabeth Schanz said:
Jul 12, 2008 at 2:40 PMInstead of taking the engines from the 10 cars, We already know that the JGR cars have more Horsepower 20 more thats ridiculous.Thats a leveled playing field isnt that what NASCAR always preaches. I understand Toyota are using the new RO7 engines why isnt everyone else why are Ford & Chevy using the old ones?, & why doesnt NASCAR let them use the new ones.? Is NASCAR afraid everyone might catch up. Is this the only way that Toyota can compete if you want to call it that. This sounds like cheating to me NASCAR giving one car mfg more horsepower/advantage then the others, or is it ok when you do it.
Report as AbuseElizabeth Schanz
Cleveland Ohio
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Jul 12, 2008 at 3:23 PMEVERYTHING WAS FINE AND DANDY LAST YEAR WHEN THE CHEVYS WERE WINNING
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Jul 12, 2008 at 3:30 PMInstead of Brian Vickers engine, they should have taken Denny Hamlins.
Report as AbuseThey should do the same thing BEFORE the CUP race tonight.
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportEdward Busch said:
Jul 15, 2008 at 7:51 AMNASCAR has sold itself to Toyota, the did it in the Trucks, now in the Nationwide and the Sprint cup. I heard that NASCAR will loose Sprint and next year it will be call the Toyota Cup. How American is that?
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Jul 15, 2008 at 9:03 PMClint Boyer should stop crying and work on his stuff like the toyotas are doing. Last year when Chevolet was winning all the races you didn't hear toyota crying. They just worked on their stuff within the box. Now they are kicking butt, too bad. Dave Rogers Senior, Vt
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportRiley Maenhout said:
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:45 PMIf people think that NASCAR should punish toyota teams for doing what Chevrolet did last year by having the dominant teams, then they should do the same to Chevy. NASCAR should take away all of chevy's wins from the past because they had more horsepower than other teams. am i right? quit crying. if these toyota drivers are good only because of the equipment their in, then that means jeff gordon, jimmie johnson and dale earnhardt jr. have no talent also. boy, this all makes sense now... horsepower=talent hmm, never thought of that.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Reportpaul kennedy said:
Jul 26, 2008 at 8:13 AMJ.D. GIBBS SAID IN SCENE MAG. "It's not a welfare state. you have to work to get what you want to get out of it." The Japanese buy Joe Gibbs Racing for TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS and will spend whatever it takes to DOMINATE. The Japanese hard work($$$$) can already be seen in truck and nationwide series. Maybe NASCAR should advertise in Japan to sell tickets to replace Americans who will and have stopped going to races just to see Japan DOMINATE.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Report