Kenny Wallace has an alternative idea to NASCAR spec motors
Kenny Wallace, “I don’t like it.”
Related: NASCAR is testing spec engines
Kenny Wallace spoke on the topic via ‘The Late Shift’ radio show on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, “I go to the dirt track and people say to me, ‘Hey Kenny Wallace, you have all that money.’ The first thing I want to say to them is, ‘How do you know I have money?’ ”
“Because they see me on TV, they just assume. One in life we can’t do, we can’t assume.”
” ‘Hey Kenny, you have all that NASCAR money. Why don’t you run Super Late Models?’ I simply tell them, ‘Are you crazy?’ They’re too expensive and I’m 53 years old. I run modified. Because that’s my price point. If I don’t run modifieds, I’ll run B-Mods. If I don’t run B-Mods, I’ll run Street Stocks.”
Related: Kenny Wallace explains why he runs modifieds
Different rules – Same engine builders
Kenny Wallace has a different idea, “My point is this, figure out what you can afford to do and run that series. We need to make NASCAR much more affordable. But, I do see a point where NASCAR comes up with rules to build a motor. No matter what, they’re going to tech those motors all the time.”
“I say listen, don’t put the motor builders out of business. I just don’t like that. However, if you want to say, ‘Hey guys, you gotta build a motor and it’s gotta last 10 races.’ Something off the charts like that. That will save some money.”
F1 does this very thing.
The premier open wheel racing circuit actually takes it beyond motors. A lot of different components are checked and required to last a certain amount of races. A lot of times, teams run out of motors or transmissions at season’s end. You can’t run a blown motor, they are forced to go over the limit of 5 motors.
The penalty for that? Teams are handed a 10 position starting penalty for installing a 6th engine. If you qualify 1st, you start 10th.
Now, NASCAR races are a lot longer than F1 races. Getting a NASCAR engine to last 5-10 races won’t cut the costs of a single engine. These things will need to be built proof. It will also likely need a lower RPM limit to help the cause.
Building a bullet proof engine will certainly be more expensive. But, in the long run, if that 1 built proof engine can get you through 5 races, it’s going to save a whole lot of money for these teams.
I do see a problem where a car that only going to run 1-2 races might be able to build a faster, less solid engine. If they only need theirs to last 1 race, they can push it a lot further than a team that need’s their engine to last 5 races.
Honestly, that’s not a bad thing at all. There’s a huge gap between low funded teams and the super teams. If a car is only going to run 1 race, it’s likely they are a small team. Maybe this would simply put them further up the field and get them on an even playing field with a larger team. Until a team like Hendrick, runs 5th car or a team like Furniture Row Racing runs a 3rd car, for just 1 race.
Alternative to Kenny Wallace, I like the idea of spec motors. But, the idea Kenny has isn’t bad. It’s a nice point in the middle. It’s well worth giving it a try. Let the trucks run spec motors. For the Xfinity series, try the motor limitations idea.
The costs absolutely have to come down. It’s killing racing, everywhere.
Kenny Wallace concluded, “Motors, have a lot of people on the payroll. If you go to spec motors that’s going to put one company in business. If you go to spec motors, you’re going to take a lot of companies, out of business.”
Author: Shane Walters
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