NASCAR finds cheating after Nationwide race


The two Joe Gibbs Racing cars that have dominated the Nationwide Series this season likely will face stiff NASCAR sanctions after team members were caught deliberately trying to mask the horsepower in their powerful engines.

NASCAR inspectors found magnets under the gas pedals of the No. 18 and No. 20 Toyota’s when the cars were sent to the chassis dyno following Saturday’s race at Michigan International Speedway. Tony Stewart finished third in the No. 20 in his final Nationwide race for JGR, and Joey Logano was seventh in the No. 18.

The two cars have combined to win 14 of Toyota’s 15 victories in 25 Nationwide races this season. To temper the domination, NASCAR last month ordered all Toyota teams to cut about 15 horsepower in their motors.
:action-smiley-049:

Nationwide teams irked by alleged Gibbs Racing team's cheating

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Reaction was predictably swift Sunday among fellow Nationwide Series team owners in the wake of NASCAR inspectors catching Joe Gibbs Racing trying to alter the result of chassis dyno tests on the cars of Tony Stewart and Joey Logano.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said inspectors preparing to run the tests discovered spacers -- in this case one-quarter inch thick magnets -- were placed on the gas-pedal stop to keep the car from running wide open and presenting a true indication of how much horsepower was reaching the rear wheels of the team's Toyotas.

"Their [rear end] needs to be kicked out of there," Richard Childress said. "They're shiftless anyway. They [NASCAR] just need to do something."

[Go Fast]

The whole think about the horsepower is crap anyway. I build a better engine within the parameters allowed, kick everyones butt, so NASCAR makes me lower myself to everyone else's level.

That's like telling Tiger Woods he has to shank every third drive so everyone else has a chance to win. Either step up your game to the level of the best player, be satisfied with second, or quit playing.

It was definitely wrong for Gibb's team to put in the magnets, but the whole thing should never have taken place to start with.

I am not Pro-Toyota. I am however in favor of people or teams using their innovation and creativity to gain an advantage within the scope of the rules.

NASCAR should just accept bids from the manufacturers on who wants to be the series engine supplier and officially make it a spec series.

[Dwight Clock]

Originally Posted by Go Fast The whole think about the horsepower is crap anyway. I build a better engine within the parameters allowed, kick everyones butt, so NASCAR makes me lower myself to everyone else's level. That's like telling Tiger Woods he has to shank every third drive so everyone else has a chance to win. Either step up your game to the level of the best player, be satisfied with second, or quit playing. It was definitely wrong for Gibb's team to put in the magnets, but the whole thing should never have taken place to start with. I am not Pro-Toyota. I am however in favor of people or teams using their innovation and creativity to gain an advantage within the scope of the rules. NASCAR should just accept bids from the manufacturers on who wants to be the series engine supplier and officially make it a spec series.

:applaud:...Somebody gets it. They really understand.:respect:

They did the same thing to MOPAR. Only MOPAR didn't have to use magnets.

NASCAR officials were quick to point out that the rule was not targeted specifically at Toyota teams, rather teams running new, larger, engine packages.“Eventually, all teams that upgrade to new engine packages will be subject to this rule modification,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. Toyota has been the only manufacturer allowed to bring a larger engine package, mostly because the manufacturer is only in its second season of competition and had to start its program from scratch.

Maybe it was not because they built a better engine. It was because they were allowed to bring a LARGER engine. Or maybe it was more money. Last year they couldn't keep up.

[illinisprintfan]

Originally Posted by Joe Kidd "Their [rear end] needs to be kicked out of there," Richard Childress said. "They're shiftless anyway. They [NASCAR] just need to do something."

Shiftless?!? Richard Childress learned a new word!!:eek:

[Go Fast]

Originally Posted by illinisprintfan Shiftless?!? Richard Childress learned a new word!!:eek:

Maybe Childress is getting the Toyota Cup program and Toyota Midget program confused.:action-smiley-049:

After I thought about this for awhile how much is this story to be believed. Anyone with any sense (and I assume JGR personell have some) would know that NASCAR would check throttle plates to make sure they were able to achieve WOT. Why would they try to put something under the pedal knowing full well they would get caught with something that stupid.

If NASCAR let Toyota have more cubic inches because they were not competitive, then shame on NASCAR. Toyota should have been told the same thing I said before in so many words. Step up, shut up or get out!

[STP]

Originally Posted by Go Fast The whole think about the horsepower is crap anyway. I build a better engine within the parameters allowed, kick everyones butt, so NASCAR makes me lower myself to everyone else's level. That's like telling Tiger Woods he has to shank every third drive so everyone else has a chance to win. Either step up your game to the level of the best player, be satisfied with second, or quit playing. It was definitely wrong for Gibb's team to put in the magnets, but the whole thing should never have taken place to start with. I am not Pro-Toyota. I am however in favor of people or teams using their innovation and creativity to gain an advantage within the scope of the rules. NASCAR should just accept bids from the manufacturers on who wants to be the series engine supplier and officially make it a spec series.

I agree completely. At that level technology should be a factor. That's what makes it the big leagues.

And was it really cheating? It wasn't against the rules.

[sceckert]

Besides the audacity of the Gibbs team personnel who attempted this nonsense--one of the most underhanded episodes of cheating in a division sick with them--the slant being tossed onto this that really steams me is the one that trumpets the headline (with photo) "Stewart Caught Cheating!"
This is the actual headline I saw earlier tonight on the Comcast Headline Page, accompanied by a picture of Stewart staring wide-eyed at the camera. Not only is this a pathetically misleading excuse for a headline, but the story itself even states that this past weekend was Tony's final "Nationwide" race for JGR. So somewhere between his swan song with the junior division, and the dyno seizure of the car, some hack with a JGR uniform clambers into the cockpit and puts a pair of magnets on the bottom of the gas pedal. I'd suggest that it stands to reason that no magnets were under the pedal while Stewart was trying to push it through the floorboard at a 2-mile superspeedway.
One of these days, when enough wrists are pink from the repeated ceremonial slaps that are applied to them, nascar needs to bring out the proverbial blackjack and cold-**** one of these teams for the remainder of the season. If they started right here, it would be deserved...