Why does Nascar give Toyota a break?

Question

Toyota came in the first year and could not be as competative as they would have liked so the following year Nascar gave them 40HP more and I have also heard they are using a chevy block. I don't have the facts on this but would like to know the truth. If this is the case then how is this fair?

Answer 1

Chevy, Ford, and Dodge are forced by NASCAR rules to use a production based engine block/parts that are available to the public either in a vehicle or over the counter at a dealership.

Toyota does not make a pushrod engine so they were allowed to make an engine that is between the highest and lowest specs for all the critical areas of the other 3 engines.  Their engine was designed from the ground up to be a NASCAR racing engine which took the best features of the Chevy, Ford, and Toyota engines.

Answer 2

It's not fair if Toyota has more horsepower. The rules are so all manufacturers run equal and all cars are equal. If it's true then that goes against all that NASCAR is. The new cars are supposed to help keep costs down and even the field more so it would go against that too. If Toyota can't be competitive as equals they shouldn't be in NASCAR or should think about trying to get more teams like Gibbs to make the jump.

Answer 3

Toyotas do seem to have alot more horsepower and it's not fair. I have heard that they do have more horsepower, and I don't know why nascar would allow that. Maybe that's there way of keeping a foreign car maker in nascar? It seems like now all they care about is making it more of an international sport. It's sad when no other car manufacturers have a chance! They are making the sport completely boring in the process and sooner or later if something doesn't change no one will want to watch it. Yesterdays race was the most boring race I have ever seen.

Answer 4

???

Toyota has simply found a way to make more HP with the same   packages as everyone else.  Maybe the big 3 should put more $$$ into R & D, and maybe they'd be on the same level as Toyota.  To just sit back and say its unfair while Chevy, Ford, and Dodge can do the same thing is ridiculous.

Answer 5

If Toyota is making more horsepower because of something they figured out, then that's fine.  It's not unfair. It's competitive. BUT if it's because NASCAR allowed them to develop their engines within different parameters than the other manufacturers, then it is not fair. Anyway, nothing has been confirmed, but it wouldn't surprise me if NASCAR did this. Toyota brings exposure and money into the sport, and NASCAR is the most money hungry sport on the face of the earth, IMHO.

Answer 6

Is this 30hp or 40 hp a rumored thing or a certified thing?  Because I would like to know where you got your information from because it is illegal to just give a manufacturer 30 or 40 more hp than anyone else.  So Is it a rumor or a fact?

Answer 7

there's no rule saying they all have to have the same horsepower...  they may have to make decisions between greater horsepower or greater durability.  we see what opting for greater horsepower got toyota and gibbs at the all-star race.

and dave despain put it best last night when a caller said that he thought that nascar was in toyota's back pocket.  when asked how many races each manufacturer had won this year, toyota had the most, but not the majority (toyota 5, chevy 3, ford 3, and dodge 2).

THEN, despain asked if the caller knew how many races chevy won last year (and remember, toyota was running then too).  the caller had no idea.  the answer, according to despain, was that chevy won 2 1/2 times more races than all other manufacturer's combined.  heck, hms alone won half the races, and they were in chevys. (chevy 26, ford 7, dodge 3, toyota 0).

now, why weren't you complaining last year about nascar giving chevy a break?  xenophobia, mayhaps?

Answer 8

Toyota does NOT have 40 more hp than the rest of the manufacturers that is hype and rumor that got started by Jack Roush who just simply can't live with the fact that Toyota is in Nascar now I listen to Nascar on Sirius everyday and they have people from Toyota on all the time that say unequivocally that they have the same amount as all the others.

Answer 9

As for Nascar giving the Toyota's an advantage, Nascar does not play favoritism in my opinion..

Could it be that Gibbs figured out the complete package for the COT??

If so, then the other teams need to step it and quickly, the sooner the better, just my opinion..do not hate me..lol

I am a JR Fan as well as many other  drivers, Ford, Chevy, and the Toyota's and pull for all of them.

Edwards, Harvick, Newman, Biffle, Khane, Kurt and Kyle and all the HMS drivers....does that make me a less FAN?? I think NOT!

WTG Great answer #18..you nailed it thumbs UP for you!!!!

Answer 10

i dont know but i do know Toyota suck

Go! Ford,Chevy and Dodge

Answer 11

I don't know but.....I drive a Corolla and it would be nice to have 40 more hp. GO TOYOTA !!!!

Answer 12

Thanks, this explains why Michael Waltrip Racing is having such a great season.

Answer 13

The other day on "Trackside Live" Biffle tried to say that Nascar had allowed Toyota 30 or 40 more HP than Ford, Chevy, & Dodge but he was quickly shot down & was told by Jeff Hammond that when Nascar tested the manufacturers engines that they found that one Toyota engine had between 6 to 8 HP more than the rest (all manufacturers put together) engines.

Look, I'm not thrilled that Toyota is in the game either - it's just weird having a foreign manufacturer in Nascar.  But they have taken over the Truck Series & are well on their way to taking over Nationwide & Cup.  All it took was for a decent team (JGR) to get on board & away they went.  Might as well move on now - it's done & they're powerful.

Answer 14

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