Toyota Horsepower

[ms0362]

I wanted to throw this out to the forum since I haven't caught any detail on the issue. How is it that Toyoto has apparently solved their motor problems over last year? I heared that after one of the mid-week practice sessions for Daytona, Stewart's car was dyno'd and was generating 15-30 more horsepower than the Hendricks Chevys? Also a lot of comments were made by drivers regarding the noticable amount of power the Toyota's had on track.

I wouldn't think it was just because Gibb's came into the scene and all their problems were solved? Waltrip was junk last year and Davis wasn't much better. All of a sudden they're competitive too?

Toyota threw bunch of money at it last year, are they throwing even more? Did someone new come into the overall development program? Did Nascar make some other powerplant allowances? What's the deal?

[Lee Roy]

I wouldn't think it was just because Gibb's came into the scene and all their problems were solved? Waltrip was junk last year and Davis wasn't much better. All of a sudden they're competitive too?

Toyota threw bunch of money at it last year, are they throwing even more? Did someone new come into the overall development program? Did Nascar make some other powerplant allowances? What's the deal?

I imagine it had a lot to do with Joe Gibbs Racing (a team with 3 "Cup" championships) and Toyota's money.

[harvick#1]

that 30HP was something the media made up, they were actually about 7-10 HP more than anyone else

but Toyota had great engines, but when you had bad teams last year with poor chassis, the engine ain't gonna help.

but since Gibbs came with excellent chassis, they are now showing how strong the Toyota's engine is

[Smoke]

Mark Cronquist is one of the very best in the business - that's your reason there. (Well and lots of development money!)

Add that to the fact Gibbs have a better COT chassis (More money & the development work last year) than the 2007 Toyota teams have (BDR, MWR, RBR ) there was always going to be an improvement.

If they'd put an engine from Michael Waltrips 2007 car into the 2008 JGR car, the Gibbs car would be way faster than any of last years Toyotas*.




*Probably :p

[call_me_andrew]

Toyota never had a horsepower problem last year. They had a torque problem. I suppose the extra 1,000rpm on the COT helps them a lot.

[ms0362]

Here's an article I found contrary to the initial horsepower rumor:

NASCAR tested about 10 different Sprint Cup engines following last Thursday’s Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying races. According to several officials from NASCAR, the manufacturers who race in the Sprint Cup Series and race teams, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity, all parties involved are satisfied that the engines from Toyota, General Motors, Dodge and Ford are competitive with each other in terms of horsepower.

Most of the engines tested varied by less than 10 horsepower, multiple sources told SPEEDTV.com, with all but two of the engines within 7-8 horsepower of each other. And none of the four brands tested had a consistent advantage over the others. Media reports on Saturday that Toyotas had a 30-horsepower advantage over the Chevrolets were, to say the least, erroneous. Had that actually been the case, Chevrolet teams would have been raising a ruckus with NASCAR and complaining bitterly to the media about being at a competitive disadvantage. Nothing of the sort has happened.

[SOD]

didn't Toyota develop thier Cup engines with full knowledge of the designs of the other engines out there?

[Jonesi]

didn't Toyota develop thier Cup engines with full knowledge of the designs of the other engines out there?

I think all the manufacturers know +98% of what the others have or are developing.

[Racin' Rob]

They simply put the money in the right places. R & D and some influential pockets comes to mind.