Is toyota now the "test vehicle" for the nationwide series?

Question

after researching and writing about how nascar's rule change adding a stricter restrictor plate to toyotas currently - and any other "new" engine as it is approved and implemented (like the R07) - was a compromise that allowed teams with money and/or newer engines to run them (but with tougher restrictor plates), while letting teams with lower budgets and/or with no new engines ready (ford and doge) to have a chance against those newer, better engines.

i got great responses, including a comment from tina that made me think. she said she thought that the R07 probably won't be approved for a couple of weeks - after toyota has had a chance to work with it a bit...

i say they'll wait until they've run a nationwide race at a big track - one where that "horsepower loss" for the toyotas should first make a noticeable difference. they'll make any "final adjustments" to that rule then and finally approve the R07.

does that mean that nascar is using toyota teams as "testers" for chevy?

Answer 1

Funny how a manufacturer like Toyota follows the rules and still gets punished by NASCAR...what a joke.

Answer 2

You just might have something there to ponder!!...I agree with you about waiting until after a nationwide race also....with Nascar..you never know until they let the cat out of the bag

Answer 3

Yes just like the #5 car at Hendrick .  They are the lab rats.

Answer 4

The reason I said  "I thought that they would wait a few  weeks" is because ***Toyota has no other engine than their current engine to fall back on***. They have to race with NASCAR rulings in mind,  which I agree will take some time to get them back up to par. Maybe not...!!! Chevy on the other hand currently has  the older SB2 engine to continue racing on. Chevy would not be at a disadvantage  provided Toyota uses the spacers NASCAR mandated until all teams in the Nationwide series can make the change. Keep in mind that the money in the Nationwide series is not as the rewarding ($) as in the cup series. Teams don't bring in enough to make these changes at the drop of a hat.

Chevy on the other hand would not be at a disadvantage also when they are allowed to slowly switch over to their new R07 teams. That way TEAMS WHO CAN NOT AFFORD to make an immediate switch now can slowly switch from the older SB2 engines to the newer RO7. But the RO7 engines would have to have the spacer too, right?

I see why you can think that they are using Toyota for testing purposes. What is getting scary is you and I are starting to think the same way. But you have to keep in mind, and you said this in the other question (excuse me if I don't word this exactly), but you said it is a "compromise" considering three teams already existed prior to Toyota coming to the nationwide series.

So to an extent, Yes, they are but it's because there could be no other way, under the circumstances.

Answer 5

Yup!