NASCAR to approve new Chevy engine?

UPDATE Shane Martin, Chevrolet’s program manager for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, said at O’Reilly Raceway Park that Chevy plans to submit its next-generation R07 engine next month for approval to run in the Nationwide Series in 2009.

Martin said Chevrolet will submit the engine the second week in August, two weeks before the deadline to have it approved for next season. The R07, which is currently used in the Sprint Cup Series, would have similar internal design as the Toyota engine, which last week was hit with a ruling designed to limit horsepower.

“What we’ve been lobbying for all along was to get our R07, so we’d be on the same architecture of the engine components as what our competition is," Martin said. “All of our current architecture is based on a 1955 Chevrolet. We’re inside of a box that we really cannot get out of to be on the same level as some of other competitors." Scenedaily.com

07/06/08 Chevrolet has been pushing for NASCAR to OK its Cup-side R07 engine for Nationwide competition; NASCAR has been pushing Ford to design a new Nationwide engine, but Ford men say they can't afford to make obsolete what engine parts they're currently using.

"If they want to kill that series, go right ahead," Roush said.

In NASCAR's three national touring series this season, Toyota teams have won 24 of the 48 races, including Friday night's victory. The majority of those wins have been by Gibbs' teams, which have won six Cup races going into last night's race. Winston Salem Journal