NASCAR: Nationwide Engine Rule Change Possibly Upcoming

The last time NASCAR analyzed the engines of NASCAR Nationwide Series teams was back at Milwaukee, a race which was won by Carl Edwards' Ford.  Milwaukee was one of the six races that have not been won by a Toyota thus far this season. 

According to sources, here are the results of the last engine test by NASCAR: 

#60 Ford Carl Edwards—611 horsepower

#88 Chevrolet Brad Keselowski—612 horsepower

#40 Dodge Dario Franchitti—628 horsepower

#20 Toyota Joey Logano—632 horsepower

As you can see, Toyota had approximately 20 to 21 horsepower over the Chevrolet and Ford teams. 

Toyota, through no fault of their own, has built an impressive piece for the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series, but with a romping 14 race wins in just 20 events thus far this season, NASCAR has to do something to level the playing field some.

A frustrated Clint Bowyer told reporters "a monkey could drive that 20 car and win."

We may never know if that's quite true, but it does seem that way.

NASCAR Nationwide Series officials took the engines (after the race at Chicago) from:  

#18 Toyota Kyle Busch

#20 Toyota Tony Stewart

#10 Toyota Brian Vickers

#88 Chevrolet Brad Keselwoski

#11 Chevrolet Jason Keller

#2 Chevrolet Clint Bowyer

#16 Ford Greg Biffle

#17 Ford Matt Kenseth

#9 Dodge Elliott Sadler

#40 Dodge Dario Franchitti

NASCAR will dyno these engines this week—expect a possible rule change on the engine packages for the series soon, if the horsepower race is as lopsided or even more so since the last dyno test.