Was Waltrip caught using Sterno to gain horsepower for qualifying?
Quote selected text Published February 12th, 2007 in NASCAR News
With Michael Waltrip’s Toyota being impounded, Jim Hunter raised the possibility Waltrip will not be allowed to run that particular car in the 150s or the 500. “We’ll go over that car with a fine-tooth comb … and I don’t know how long we’ll keep it,” Hunter said. Sterno? That’s the horsepower trick that rivals suspect tripped up Waltrip when he was busted by NASCAR in the pre-qualifying inspection line for having some unknown “substance” in his intake manifold.
NASCAR’s Robin Pemberton, the vice president for competition, said that the manifold was being sent back the Concord R&D center for analysis. Presumably the substance could have been some type of oxidant, to provide a bit of horsepower for a short period of time.
For years, stock-car teams have at times used such illegal chemical additives at Daytona and Talladega, where NASCAR severely restricts air to the engine, to limit speeds. Ty Norris, the general manager of Waltrip’s team, insisted that it was not Sterno:
“No, no, no, no. They found some oil in the manifold and said it shouldn’t be there,” Norris said. “They thought something was amiss. So we changed manifolds, and had the same issue. We showed NASCAR we thought it was blow-by engine oil.
- Changes to the Top-35 qualifying rule analyzed
- Waltrip’s intake manifold taken by NASCAR
- Toyota has horsepower advantage at Daytona-UPDATE
- Waltrip considered getting out of No. 55 car
- Waltrip proposes changes in qualifying draws
Michael didn’t sound too convincing try to sell the oil theory on TV yesterday…
yup his ears where red lol
well i dont belive that they cheated only because that would look horrable for Yota and that there trying to do in nascar. I like to that there are some open minded people left in the world or does everyone just like to jump to there own conclusions about this. Well what ever ur “Opinion” may be I think he is inocent untill proven quilty………….
No he wasn’t very convincing about the oil. But I get Toyota had to cheat to get an
edge in this american sport they shouldn’t be racing anyway. I think it is great that
they got caught. If you can’t run with out cheating GET OUT.
What’s the big deal? All the teams cheat to some degree, Waltrip just got caught this time. Cheating has been part of NASCAR since forever, all the greats will tell you that. Petty and Waltrip were some of the more notorious. Waltrip will get a penalty and he will still suck this year, but he’s not the first to do it and he won’t be the last.
Personally i think nascar should stick to american made makes chevy
ford (ect.) becouase look what they tride to do and good job to
nascar for catchin them nascar is a american sport and thats the
way it should be all the time
thanks Smoke