NASCAR Levels Nationwide Series Playing Field
Wednesday July 23, 2008
Toyota has dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series Victory Lanes so far in 2008. Joe Gibbs Racing has won 13 of the 21 Nationwide Series events held so far in 2008. In addition, Gibbs' driver Kyle Busch won one more Nationwide Series event driving a Toyota for Braun Racing.
NASCAR took steps to level the playing field today. They ordered the Toyota Nationwide Series teams to use a smaller spacer starting this weekend in Indianapolis. This change is expected to lower the output of the Toyota engines by about 15 horsepower.
This is a pretty dramatic change for NASCAR to make in the middle of the season. Especially when the current Nationwide point leader is Clint Bowyer in a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and the top Toyota driver is David Reutimann way back in fourth.
Comments
I don`t recall nascar doing anything to chevrolet when Hendrick was dominating last year. I have been watching the nationwide series the last couple of years. now looks like nascar is going to ruin this series too.
Why should teams be penalized for building a more efficient engine within the rules? Maybe the better idea would have been to tell the rest of the manufacturers and teams that they should apply more effort to building their engines to turn out more horses.
I have been a fan for 50 years of nascar,this is just another way they are ruining raceing,the drivers are robots they can’t show emotion,the cars don’t look like stock cars anymore,and now if you have a good motor the other makes dont have to work harder to catch up because nascar with its all knowing power will make it even,I have watched all the races this year,and this new car nascar has built well raceing wise it sucks,I don’t know who is running nascar but they have totally for got what raceing is about,or maybe they never knew to start with.
Build a better mouse trap then they change the prey. What other sport changes the rules as they go. They shouldn’t be making Toyota do anything like this at all. In two years Toyota has surpassed what it’s taken the other manufacturers in the sport decades to achieve. The “BIG 3″ should be embarassed!!
they should leave well enough alone. let toyota race their race and the others race theirs until they catch up. i’m a gm man myself but let them catch up as well as ford and dodge.
So because no other teams are willing to upgrade Toyota has to take the hit. I thought that was why NASCAR let the foreign manufacture in, to be competitive and essentially raise the bar on competition. So now that they have, they get slapped for it. How is that fair? Sure you can say that the lack of economy is greatly affecting NACSAR also. Well that’s one thing for the owners to figure out, on how they are going to upgrade. If they can’t afford it then so sorry find another sport then. I’m sorry but if Hendrick or Roush was blowing away the competition no one would say a word and we all know it.
Hey NASCAR!!! Wake up, smell the coffee, then read all the comments from your dwindling fans.
They said the Dodge had 628 Hp and the Toyota had 632 Hp at Chicago, so why didn’t they punish Dodge for doing there job as well. This looks to be more aimed at JGR since there Toyota’s have won the most races, if I was Gibb’s I would pull my Nwide cars from all events. On the good side though maybe it will stop Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer from whinning every weekend about Toyota, hopefully they will not win another race either.
What J. Pack said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Nascar would approve chevrolet new engine that they have had for sometime maybe the hp would be even.
Nascar is to blame for this but toyota was so bad last year that they new any thing they brought to nascar they would approve.Dont think toyota couldnt build an engine the first time around they were racing the truck series and dominating they new what they wer doing and so did JGR switching manufactures in the offseason.It just seems strange going with a manufacture that the year before was so bad.Just a theory could be wrong…
Yea know, I consider myself a NASCAR fan all the way and I was not pleased when Toyota came into the picture, but this is America, land of free choice and enterprise. I’m sorry that Toyota came in and is kicking everyone’s you-know-what’s, but let’s be real about it. We talk about the drivers whinning and how we don’t like it - well, doesn’t the same go for us?? I am a true Dale Jr. fan, I absolutely detest Kyle Busch, but you know what race fans - Kyle Busch gets in that car every week and drives his B—- off every week. Now the question is, would he be able to do this if he were in a Ford, Chevy, or a Dodge? I would say so. Sorry guys, We all need to sit back and relax and enjoy the sport for what it is today and stop living in the past.
Karla I see your a Dale Jr fan well his father is a legend but if he were racing today he probably wouldn`t be able to win a race much less get in the chase. He would be mired so deep in penalty`s Sorry you don`t get to see the great races we used to see.
You Go, Karla. I agree. I hear more fans whining than drivers. Not a Kyle fan, either, but, that kid can drive! anything!
The sport is changing? Which ones haven’t?
NASCAR giving a penality to Toyota for being too successful is an example of how NASCAR continues to ruin their brand of “racing”. But, we should all rememebr that as “Big Bill” France often reminded people “it’s a show”. As such, a level playing field is necessary. Putting on a show is all about rubbing,’recking and fighting, this was the truth when NASCAR first started and it is today.
If one thinks about NASCAR as racing then it is only a matter of time before a team figures out that the NASCAR Commission is not the final appeal board! Who then, the FIA! NASCAR is a member of our national club, ACCUS, the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States. ACCUS is our member club of the world governing body, the FIA, see www.fia.com for more on them.
Brian France and company would throw a fit in Daytona fans in California could hear. But, hey, NASCAR is a member of ACCUS and as such has agreed to follow their rules! Whha fit, they would have to justify their actions to first ACCUS and maybe alter to the FIA in Paris!
Get your passports ready, as NASCAR becomes more international, it is only a matter of time before a team appeals a decison to the FIA!