On Wednesday, NASCAR told all Toyota teams in the Nationwide Series that their engines made too much horsepower, and that they would have to ditch the extra speed, in the name of competition.
NASCAR also ruled that Toyota did not break any rules, and, according to Robin Pemberton (NASCAR's competition guru), Toyota (and I'm paraphrasing here), worked within the box given to them by NASCAR.
So let me get this straight. They broke no rules, but are having horsepower taken away because their engines are simply TOO good.
Wow.
This flies in the face of the word competition. When did being the best, and doing so within the framework of the rules, become a punishable offense? As a kid playing baseball, hockey, golf, whatever, the goal was to be the best you could be in order to win your game. Toyota has done that in all 3 of NASCAR's divisions. They have done that without breaking rules as a manufacturer. Yeah, there was Daytona last year when a member of Michael Waltrip's team put some additive in the fuel line to help Waltrip's car make the race (for which the team was hammered by NASCAR, and Toyota threatened to walk away from MWR). Toyota has done all they can to be above board since their arrival to stock cars.
NASCAR's ruling in the Nationwide Series comes after two-thirds of the races run this season have been won by drivers in Camrys. 14 of 21 checkered flags belong to the Toyota's, and most of those 14 are found at Joe Gibbs Racing (between Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano). NASCAR decided it was time to investigate what the issue was, and they found it.
These Toyota teams are making a better racing engine.
Too bad NASCAR doesn't have that competitive spirit where they allow others to try and rise to the bar. They would prefer to simply lower it.
Mike Solarte
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13 comments:
Gee NASCAR what if baseball did the same and told the pitchers they could only throw 85 miles per hour? I think NASCAR is is to worried that a All American sport is being taken over by the Japanese!! We are not sending a good message to anyone about com-peting within the rules, especially our kids. This should be a wake up call to Roush-Fenway and Hendrick. Maybe we should put restrictor plates on the cars for all the races!!! Wouldn't that be fun to watch on a short track
It's like giving the Wolfpack a lower basket than the Tarheels. Sad.
If Toyota is doing it legally then the rest have to step up OR buy a Toyota! Toyota should not be penalized for doing a good job
I do not think it's right for nascar to do this. I am not a fan of toyota's , it is time the american car company's step to the plate or they will be run into the ground. The american car company's need to take this serious or get out if they can not compete. This should be the call for all of them to step to the plate.
eric
Just another sorry example of how NASCAR is trying to manipulate the outcome of races instead of letting the teams race. Yea, that’s a great idea! Let’s punish the teams that follow the rules and excel. Hey NASCAR! How about you give the other teams a head start during the race or better yet write a script and pass it out so everyone knows who is supposed to win like they do in “pro” wrestling. Thank goodness these guys don’t work on the Olympics rule committee or they would be having Michael Phelps swim with a 5 lb weight. Good grief NASCAR!
NASCAR is not about racing stock cars anymore, it is all about who is the better driver. Since it is all about the drivers, then give them all gocarts and see who is the best driver.
Do any of you know anything about stock car racing? The idea is for the cars to be similarly powered. The edge is supposed to come from who can set their car up the best for the track they're on. -Not for one manufacturer to produce so much horsepower that the driver doesn't matter. NASCAR did the right thing.
Everyone knew that Toyota would come in, spend tons of money, and stink up the show. Yep, why don't we have just all Toyota's running and kick out the American cars. Lets have Kyle Busch win every race. Lets make it predictable. Lets call it the Toyota Racing League. All of the Toyotas I ever see in a street car are boring anyway, so lets let them turn the races into the same thing.
NASCAR leveled the playing field by lwoering the bar. Toyota broke no rules, and they are being punished. When Chevy was destroying Fords, and the Ford camps were crying about it, Darrell Waltrip told me that the Ford guys had no sympathy for them when Chevy was stuck with the Lumina. He said "Go get ya a Chevy then." Same thing. The American manufacturers should be forced to get better, not penalize a team for being better while working within the ruelbook.
Makes you wonder if Kyle Busch would really be in the lead in the Sprint Cup without a Toyota under him. Yes, a few horsepower makes a big difference and NASCAR did the right thing to equalize the competition. Wish they'd do the same in the Sprint Cup.
So much for the "evolution" of the sport and the "Car of Tomorrow." Toyota develops an engine that's too good. Chevy's got a new engine they have been begging to try out. NASCAR's solution? Say no to Chevy and put a restrictor plate on the Toyotas! This isn't auto racing.
Can anyone tell me what type of Toyota I can buy that has a Toyota V-8 in it from the dealer?
?????????????????????????????
Then why are they in NASCAR?
How can I buy a Toyota car if I can't get a V-8 in a Toyota?
"Can anyone tell me what type of Toyota I can buy that has a Toyota V-8 in it from the dealer?
?????????????????????????????
Then why are they in NASCAR?"
Uh, in the U.S. market the Toyota V8's are sold under the name "Lexus." Perhaps you haven't heard of it?
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