Toyota racing president disappointed with NASCAR decision on Nationwide engine
Toyota Racing Development President Lee White said he was “extremely disappointed” in NASCAR’s decision to alter the spacer applied to Toyota’s Nationwide Series engine, which will result in lost horsepower.
“In our opinion, there is no technical justification to penalize the Toyota engine utilized in the Nationwide Series,” White said in a statement released Wednesday evening. “The success of the Toyota Camry this year in the Nationwide Series is the result of hard work and achievement by all of our race teams ... working in conjunction with [Toyota Racing Development].”
White said the manufacturer will work with its teams to make sure they remain competitive despite the setback. He warned that NASCAR’s decision “could be more far-reaching than simply mandating Toyota adjust its Nationwide engine.”
“The real impact will be felt by the Toyota teams as they adjust to the change, work to remain competitive for the remainder of this season and attempt to line up their sponsorships for next year,” he said.
NASCAR sent a bulletin to teams on Tuesday night announcing the change, which is effective immediately. Toyota teams – mainly from Joe Gibbs Racing – have won 14 of 21 races this season.
