Will this latest decision by NASCAR in the Nationwide Series to change the engine rule make a difference?

Photo Credit:
Jason Smith/Getty Images
for NASCAR)

Chicagoland marked a couple of things, first it was where for the second time in a couple of weeks, NASCAR took 10 engines from the top running cars of all four manufacturers in the Nationwide Series to dyno test to see what the horsepower numbers were, second, it marked the 14th victory for Toyota (13 wins for Joe Gibbs Racing in either the #18 and the #20 and 1 victory with Kyle Busch in the #32).

However following that Friday night race, I wrote a short-simple piece a week ago called “The monkey wins again in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland.” following the Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland where Kyle Busch won again in the #18, the monkey wins again comes from the quote “A monkey could win in that car, the drivers aren't even showing their talent." – Clint Bowyer

In the same piece, I wrote “Your turn NASCAR, I understand Toyota has an advantage and it’s the other three manufacturers (Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge) job to catch up and if that’s really the case, then where is Chevrolet’s new engine, because this isn’t working, it’s almost like if fans don’t see the #18 (if he’s in the race) or the #20 wreck, then it’s basically over and the monkey wins again…if that's not the case, until something is done, this is what the rest of the season is going to be period.” And I meant it.

With that said, I’m surprised when NASCAR issued a technical bulletin on Tuesday with a engine rule change and while I applaud NASCAR in finally noticing that there is a problem in the Nationwide Series with trying to put all of the teams on equal footing after watching the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 and #20 Toyotas basically dominate the series, this engine rule change isn’t exactly what I was thinking, I would have preferred the suggestion made by a couple of former drivers and crew chiefs, instead of penalizing what looks to be just the Toyotas from the way I understand this rule, why not just allow the other three manufacturers (Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge) to bring some new parts or even like Chevy a new engine to the series so they can step up even further.

What a handy cap for all of the Toyotas and yet even at Michigan, I would say that it will not make a big difference, Toyota has found something (and it’s not reliability,) in their cars, whether it’s in their engines, or their bodies or chassis that makes them so strong, it’s like the Joe Gibbs racing cars press a button and there gone…victory lane.

The way I see it, the other three manufacturers have to get on it to win, however in the same right, I believe NASCAR needs to go even further with a fair rule change and cost saving measure at the same time, taking a page from the NASCAR Camping World East Series, NASCAR needs to require in both the Truck Series and the Nationwide Series to run a "spec" engine and they tune it from there, what a change that would be, just don’t put it in the Cup Series, that series is completely different…comments.

Update: The monkey (#18-Kyle Busch) wins again (now 14 wins for Joe Gibbs Racing) at O'Reilly Raceway Park leading 197 laps (all, but 3 laps), while on a positive note, it was fun watching Carl Edwards coming back from 3 laps down to finish 11th, what will happen next week at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

- Racedriven