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