All four drivers forced to change motors for 150s
By Mark Long
The Associated Press
February 13, 2008
06:18 PM EST

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Those powerful, seemingly unbeatable Hendrick Motorsports cars had major engine problems Wednesday during practice for the Daytona 500.

Two-time defending champion and pole-sitter Jimmie Johnson, four-time series champ Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears all were forced to change engines because of a lifter problem likely caused by a bad batch of coating.

Scott Riggs, driving for Haas CNC Racing and using Hendrick power, also swapped engines. In all, five of the nine Hendrick-powered cars had problems.

"It's a concern, naturally, because it's a widespread problem," said Jeff Andrews, head engine builder at Hendrick. "But it's early enough that we can fix it."

The engine swaps will send those five Chevrolets to the back of the field in their 150-mile qualifying races Thursday, which will help set the starting lineup for the Daytona 500.

"It wouldn't have lasted the 150s, and you don't want to risk it blowing up and starting an accident that would have taken other cars out," Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, said.

Four Toyotas had similar problems during Speedweeks, including two-time series champion Tony Stewart and three-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Jarrett.

A.J. Allmendinger and J.J. Yeley were the others. Yeley changed engines twice, including once Wednesday.

All the trouble stemmed from lifters, which connect the cam shaft to the push rods. Lifters used to be cast iron, but teams now use steel ones that need coating to slide. Since so many teams use the same coating company, one bad batch could lead to an engine epidemic.

"If the coating wears off just a little bit, it's like glass and then you have steel on steel and you have that coating going through your engine," said Richie Gilmore, who runs the joint engine program between Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Richard Childress Racing.

None of Gilmore's engines had lifter problems, but the issue had him and other teams scrambling to check their equipment following practice.

"Everybody's going to be pulling stuff apart and looking at it, and it might be a bigger issue," Gilmore said.

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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So does that mean that JJ will not be on the pole Sunday? I know he's going to the back tomorrow but wow that's crazy

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"My wiener has never been so exhausted." - Kurt Busch

hahahahahahaha it just keeps getting betterI feel bad for JR though but he likes racing back up thru the field to the front

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Just when I think you said the stupidest thing ever .....You keep talking
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I went out lookin and found this for you Kerri:

Because those cars had to change engines, it affects the starting positions in Thursday's two 150-mile qualifying races, but it will not affect Johnson's pole position for the Daytona 500.

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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I'm just glad they were pro-active and decided to take care of all of them instead of taking chances.

As for starting in the back...granted, you need to be careful about getting caught up in something....but it's much easier to come from the back at Daytona than some other places!

Ditto that!

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