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NASCAR Not Ready For Crate Motors
3/6/08: SOZ Studios, MI - By Gregg Shultz (RaceFanVote.com)
Toyota's first full season in the Cup Series didn't really go off the way that they had planned, but it's amazing what a difference a season can make. All throughout 2007 the talk about Toyota was what a poor showing the teams were making and how much they were lacking competitively. The main reason that was given was that they had missed the mark on their engine's power band and were working hard to get their program competitive in that department.
With the recent reports that NASCAR was checking engines and some information was being given that the Toyota power was producing an extra 30 horsepower, does this equate to an unfair advantage? NASCAR is saying no.
After the engines were "dyno-tested" NASCAR stated there wasn't anything indicating an advantage "significant" enough to merit any action.
The key words in all of this are "unfair & significant". Toyota apparently did step up and build a motor that has a horsepower advantage, but isn't that the goal of developing a new power plant? What would be the purpose of engineering changes in a motor if you weren't allowed to make more power with it or couldn't run it until the others caught up to you?
It's no secret that Ford, Dodge & Chevy have also been working on new engine designs in order to make more horsepower. Part of having a major manufacturer's support is that they will always be working in the background trying to figure out how to squeeze a little extra horsepower out of a rule-legal design in addition to what your own engine shop can come up with.
It looks like Toyota and their teams might have "squeezed" a little harder than the rest, but how can that be deemed unfair when all that they are guilty of is doing their job?
Even though Toyota has been the one at the center of attention regarding this topic this week, it could be any of the other manufacturers next week that finds the winning formula with horsepower.
No matter which side you are on you have to like the fact that NASCAR seems to be staying out of it and with the additional comment that "everyone has access to all the same parts and pieces" would indicate that they are telling the others to simply step up their game if they want to level the playing field and don't count on them to do anything about it.
In the past when the governing body stepped in and regulated a manufacturer's engine design because it was making too much power, the critics said that it was the same as using crate motors and the teams needed to have more flexibility.
The fans that were calling these "IROC" cars wanted the rules eased up and seem to be getting their wish. Since engine development is the final frontier of sorts with the new style car if NASCAR didn't ease up on allowing teams to get an advantage in the motor then the above acronym wouldn't have been too far off of the mark. Apparently NASCAR is not ready to go down that road at this point.
It shows that the competition off the track is still alive and well and is just as important as the competition on the track. NASCAR allowing the teams to have some room to work in is keeping with the tradition and spirit of the sport which is what the fans across the board want.
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