| Big changes are taking place over NASCAR and for | | | | what we've ever had before." |
| this coming weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway | | | | When asked if the new engine produces more |
| another transformation will be taking place. While the | | | | horsepower and torque or is more fuel efficient, |
| Nextel Cup drivers are driving their old familiar cars | | | | Cronquist replied, "it's just better all over. We're finally |
| which they have been driving for years after the | | | | more even with what Dodge and Toyota have. It |
| first two races in the Car of Tomorrow, the rest of | | | | kind of got us back in the same playing field, back in |
| the Chevrolet entries are to be powered by a new | | | | what's considered NASCAR's box. We were outside |
| engine. | | | | of the box, actually below the box. We had |
| Chevrolet maker of the quality Chevrolet exhaust | | | | disadvantages and they finally let us get the same |
| system, has been developing an engine for nine | | | | advantages that other manufacturers had over us. I |
| years now and for the first time it will make its | | | | don't think that we've really gotten into much of the |
| racing debut in Samsung 500. "This engine now called | | | | performance part about it. A lot of it is that the shop |
| the R07 actually started out as R99 because we ran | | | | needs just a lot less time to work on the parts and |
| it the first time in 1999," said Mark Cronquist, chief | | | | pieces of it. There's a lot of stuff in this block that's |
| engine builder for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also added, | | | | already cast into the block that we used to have to |
| "There was an R03. There was an R05 that never | | | | make ourselves and try to fit into our blocks. That |
| got off of the chalkboard, basically. We had it all | | | | took a lot of time and effort to do. If the |
| designed, but never made it. Then there's this one, | | | | performance comes, it will come because we're going |
| R07. So really, this R07 has been worked on by GM | | | | to have a lot more time in our shop to work on it." |
| teams since 1998. I've got notes in my office from | | | | Cronquist further added, "A lot of it is that the shop |
| the very first time we talked about this engine. It | | | | needs just a lot less time to work on the parts and |
| was January 1998." | | | | pieces of it. There's a lot of stuff in this block that's |
| The process was rather frustrating but at the end it | | | | already cast into the block that we used to have to |
| was worth the wait said Cronquist and "the | | | | make ourselves and try to fit into our blocks. That |
| awesome thing is that, if you look at R09 and R07, | | | | took a lot of time and effort to do. If the |
| they don't even look alike, so I'm glad NASCAR | | | | performance comes, it will come because we're going |
| never approved it. It had some updates, but every | | | | to have a lot more time in our shop to work on it." |
| time NASCAR didn't approve it, we went back and | | | | Chevrolet's 5 of 6 |
| worked harder on it and changed more things on it." | | | | The Chevrolet team has gotten to a great start this |
| For this coming weekend it is expected that six | | | | year in Cup winning five of the six races. The reigning |
| teams will run the new engine. Gibbs Racing will place | | | | champion Jimmie Johnson has won three of the five |
| an R07 in the cars of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, | | | | races while Hendrick with teammates Kyle Busch, and |
| and J.J. Yeley Hendrick Motorsports' Casey Mears and | | | | RCR's Kevin Harvick have won the other two for |
| Kyle Busch, and Scott Wimmer, driving a fourth | | | | GM. The victory of Matt Kenneth's at California |
| Richard Childress Racing entry. | | | | Speedway in a Ford is the only blemish on |
| General Motors world's largest automaker and | | | | Chevrolet's record for this season. |
| distributor of Chevrolet exhaust is hoping to have the | | | | Out of the eight Chevy drivers that are currently in |
| engine ready for this season's upcoming race but | | | | the top 10 in Cup points, two have won at Texas. |
| unfortunately a few technical difficulties slowed the | | | | Jeff Burton won the inaugural Cup race in Fort Worth |
| progress of the project. Cronquist is very much | | | | in the year 1997 but he was a driver of Ford at that |
| excited to get the new engine into competition. He | | | | time. Stewart won on the 1.5 mile Texas track last |
| said, "With a motor we've been running, the block | | | | fall. The different drivers winning each of the 12 Cup |
| part of it was actually designed in 1955. We've made | | | | races at Texas only two others have been in |
| a few modifications to it, but it would still bolt into a | | | | Chevrolets namely Terry Labonte who won in 1999 |
| 1955 Chevy Bel Air. The new block has got a lot | | | | and Dale Earnhardt Jr. who won in 2000. |
| more technology in it. Its more updated block than | | | | |