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Toyota Testing, Going For Broke Or Cheating At Charlotte
By: Gregg A. Shultz- RaceFanVote.com
After Stewart’s ‘rocker arm’ failure pre-race, and both Denny Hamlin & Kyle Busch dropping
out of the All-Star event due to engine failures, what was Toyota’s engine development
department trying to accomplish? Was it as a test for the future as some of the on-air
commentators suggested or was it just going for broke trying to put a notch in Toyota’s
belt with an All-Star victory?
The next race is the Coca-Cola 600 and if the Toyota teams were using the non-points
event as a ‘test and tune’ then what are they testing for? Turning up the wick on a motor
for a 600 mile race is backwards. Backwards not just for engine durability, but for fuel
mileage as well which just so happens to be what won the race last year.
You can compare Lowe’s Motor Speedway to other mile-and-a-half tracks by it’s length and
that’s about it. The sustained rpm’s at Lowe’s tax the engines to their limit and add in an
extra 100 miles and you have a recipe to see a lot of engine failures from the three-quarter
mark on even with conservative set-ups. Thinking in those terms, what was Toyota hoping
to accomplish if they did indeed bring a ‘hot’ motor to the All-Star race?
Toyota has to be tinkled pink with their new team of Joe Gibbs Racing with 4 victories in the
first 11 races of 2008, but maybe they were getting greedy. Team meetings Monday are
going to offer up some interesting opinions of the direction that JGR is heading. Maybe one
could argue that whatever they have been doing to the motors so far this season is what is
allowing Kyle Busch for example to be so dominant when he keeps the fenders on the car
(and even when he doesn‘t), but at some point they are going to cross a line in the sand
between performance and durability.
Tony Stewart managed to keep his piece together and finished 5th in the All-Star race and
may have been opting out of any further engine ‘experimentation’ after having to change
motors going into the event. After his career-stifling issues with the new implementation of
Chevrolet’s RO7 motor last season, the last thing that Stewart wants to subject himself to
is another round of that. Considering that the driver of the no. 20 car is in a contract year,
JGR better be careful that the tail is not wagging the dog and that Toyota is not force-
feeding them an experimental motor in haste.
One sure way to preclude a contract extension with Tony Stewart, who has been somewhat
hesitant to jump entirely on the Toyota bandwagon, is to start making him the guinea pig
for some mid-season engine testing for the foreign car manufacturer.
The grumblings this week will probably be of Toyota trying some trick stuff with their motors
which almost seems like an obvious fact. So far the explanations have been that it was just
a rocker arm failure, but pointing out a flaw with a basic engine component doesn’t explain
why it failed and as a commentary writer it’s my job to stir the pot.
From here your vote and comments are welcome.
By: Gregg A. Shultz- RaceFanVote.com
After Stewart’s ‘rocker arm’ failure pre-race, and both Denny Hamlin & Kyle Busch dropping
out of the All-Star event due to engine failures, what was Toyota’s engine development
department trying to accomplish? Was it as a test for the future as some of the on-air
commentators suggested or was it just going for broke trying to put a notch in Toyota’s
belt with an All-Star victory?
The next race is the Coca-Cola 600 and if the Toyota teams were using the non-points
event as a ‘test and tune’ then what are they testing for? Turning up the wick on a motor
for a 600 mile race is backwards. Backwards not just for engine durability, but for fuel
mileage as well which just so happens to be what won the race last year.
You can compare Lowe’s Motor Speedway to other mile-and-a-half tracks by it’s length and
that’s about it. The sustained rpm’s at Lowe’s tax the engines to their limit and add in an
extra 100 miles and you have a recipe to see a lot of engine failures from the three-quarter
mark on even with conservative set-ups. Thinking in those terms, what was Toyota hoping
to accomplish if they did indeed bring a ‘hot’ motor to the All-Star race?
Toyota has to be tinkled pink with their new team of Joe Gibbs Racing with 4 victories in the
first 11 races of 2008, but maybe they were getting greedy. Team meetings Monday are
going to offer up some interesting opinions of the direction that JGR is heading. Maybe one
could argue that whatever they have been doing to the motors so far this season is what is
allowing Kyle Busch for example to be so dominant when he keeps the fenders on the car
(and even when he doesn‘t), but at some point they are going to cross a line in the sand
between performance and durability.
Tony Stewart managed to keep his piece together and finished 5th in the All-Star race and
may have been opting out of any further engine ‘experimentation’ after having to change
motors going into the event. After his career-stifling issues with the new implementation of
Chevrolet’s RO7 motor last season, the last thing that Stewart wants to subject himself to
is another round of that. Considering that the driver of the no. 20 car is in a contract year,
JGR better be careful that the tail is not wagging the dog and that Toyota is not force-
feeding them an experimental motor in haste.
One sure way to preclude a contract extension with Tony Stewart, who has been somewhat
hesitant to jump entirely on the Toyota bandwagon, is to start making him the guinea pig
for some mid-season engine testing for the foreign car manufacturer.
The grumblings this week will probably be of Toyota trying some trick stuff with their motors
which almost seems like an obvious fact. So far the explanations have been that it was just
a rocker arm failure, but pointing out a flaw with a basic engine component doesn’t explain
why it failed and as a commentary writer it’s my job to stir the pot.
From here your vote and comments are welcome.
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| Submit your comments about the story or the topic. Please no rude or defamatory comments. Addressing other poster's comments will be edited if deemed to be insulting or rude. |
It's pretty obvious what Toyota is trying to
do. What they don't realize being new to
the sport is that the teams have been
fighting this battle between horsepower
and durability for years.
Go ahead and blow them suckers up. I'll
watch Dale Jr. win the championship.
Dale88ampfan
do. What they don't realize being new to
the sport is that the teams have been
fighting this battle between horsepower
and durability for years.
Go ahead and blow them suckers up. I'll
watch Dale Jr. win the championship.
Dale88ampfan
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I think that toyota is stepping over the line.
They already have 4 wins this year and
they were trying to steal the all star race.
Tony had enough sense to stay out of it. I
don't know what to say about Denny, but
Kyle knew and he paid the price. Notice
he didn't complain much after he blew up.
Sam B, USA
They already have 4 wins this year and
they were trying to steal the all star race.
Tony had enough sense to stay out of it. I
don't know what to say about Denny, but
Kyle knew and he paid the price. Notice
he didn't complain much after he blew up.
Sam B, USA
Nascar, should never had allowed Toyota
in the first place, this was an American
sport, now Toyota will throw their fortunes
in Nascar and ruin it, look at how their
season started already, I am already fed
up with how the new cars are basically an
IROC car, just put whatever brand's
stickers on it to differentiate the make its
supposed to be, I hope they wake up and
see its ruining an American tradition!!
RUSS, GREENWOOD INDIANA
in the first place, this was an American
sport, now Toyota will throw their fortunes
in Nascar and ruin it, look at how their
season started already, I am already fed
up with how the new cars are basically an
IROC car, just put whatever brand's
stickers on it to differentiate the make its
supposed to be, I hope they wake up and
see its ruining an American tradition!!
RUSS, GREENWOOD INDIANA
Maybe Toyota was trying something at
Charlotte thinking if it makes it 600 miles it
will make it anywhere else. Obviously not
realizing 3 out of 3 wouldn't even make it
100 miles (plus practice).
Bobby
Charlotte thinking if it makes it 600 miles it
will make it anywhere else. Obviously not
realizing 3 out of 3 wouldn't even make it
100 miles (plus practice).
Bobby
All of the reports today are saying that
JGR was trying their own engines and not
one from TRD. I doubt that Gibbs forgot
how to build motors nor was this their first
attempt at building Toyota engines. I think
they should all be worried because if all
three of their motors broke as a test then I
would say that they are far behind on
development.
I also heard that Evernham had their new
Dodge motor in Kasey's car and won.
JGR was trying their own engines and not
one from TRD. I doubt that Gibbs forgot
how to build motors nor was this their first
attempt at building Toyota engines. I think
they should all be worried because if all
three of their motors broke as a test then I
would say that they are far behind on
development.
I also heard that Evernham had their new
Dodge motor in Kasey's car and won.
At the beginning of the season Gibbs was
bragging about putting their own
modifications on the Toyota motors and
now they are saying that this was Gibbs
first attempt at building their own motor?
JGR must not have metric tools at their
shop and forgot to tighten a few bolts.
Rob Linquest, Delaware
bragging about putting their own
modifications on the Toyota motors and
now they are saying that this was Gibbs
first attempt at building their own motor?
JGR must not have metric tools at their
shop and forgot to tighten a few bolts.
Rob Linquest, Delaware
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