Tag: TRD

TRD working through valve spring concerns after engine failures

Toyota Racing Development is taking additional measures to remedy the issues that have caused a recent rash of engine failures at Cup Series races. Tyler Gibbs, the general manager of TRD, had stated over the weekend at Richmond Raceway the company …

Toyota Racing Development is taking additional measures to remedy the issues that have caused a recent rash of engine failures at Cup Series races.

Tyler Gibbs, the general manager of TRD, had stated over the weekend at Richmond Raceway the company was as comfortable as it could be going forward. Although the issues were similar in nature, analysis of each one showed all of them were caused by different things. At the time, Gibbs did not want to go into detail.

Martin Truex Jr. then blew an engine in Sunday night’s race. It was the fifth Toyota engine in the Cup Series since June.

Gibbs followed up with RACER about the issue Thursday morning saying, “If we didn’t beforehand, we certainly now have a concern with our valve springs. The root cause seems to be some inconsistency in the quality of our valve springs. We are working closely with our suppliers to correct these issues.”

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The failure on Truex’s No. 19 engine at Richmond was similar to the No. 20 engine issue for Christopher Bell at St. Louis. Bell led 80 laps in the June 2 event but started to complain he was “blowing up” in the final laps.

A week later, on June 9, Denny Hamlin blew an engine at Sonoma Raceway. It happened after two laps.

Ty Gibbs suffered an engine failure on July 14 at Pocono Raceway. He also complained about his engine a week later, July 21, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“We sent a TRD ‘fire team’ from our Costa Mesa (Calif.) engine shop to make tuning updates to all our engines heading to Michigan this weekend,” Gibbs continued. “We are confident that this remediation step will give us the durability margin we need. Our team partners, including our drivers, remain tremendously supportive.

“Our goal and expectation each year is perfect engine reliability. We had only one failure in 2023. TRD takes full accountability for the issues we have had this year, and we have fallen far short of what is acceptable. We will not rest until we regain our form. And rest assured, we will.”

Toyota has six drivers in a playoff position in the NASCAR Cup Series with three races left in the regular season. There are three of them who are guaranteed to be competing for a championship courtesy of victories that have locked them into the postseason: Bell, Hamlin and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick.

Truex is the highest driver on the playoff grid without a victory. Gibbs and Bubba Wallace, the second 23XI Racing driver, are also sitting above the cutline.

Toyota’s Wilson confident of keeping Hamlin in the fold

Joe Gibbs Racing has two NASCAR Cup Series drivers in contract years, but Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson is confident nothing will change with Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team. “He will be back,” Wilson (pictured at right, above, …

Joe Gibbs Racing has two NASCAR Cup Series drivers in contract years, but Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson is confident nothing will change with Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team.

“He will be back,” Wilson (pictured at right, above, with Hamlin) said. “There’s no question in our mind, there is no question in Joe’s mind.”

Hamlin has driven for Gibbs in the Cup Series since 2005 and scored his 50th career victory at Pocono Raceway last weekend. Joe Gibbs Racing switched from fielding Chevrolet to Toyota entries in 2008, and 47 of Hamlin’s 50 victories have been with the manufacturer.

But taking care of Hamlin’s contract seems to just be a formality and a much different scenario from teammate Martin Truex Jr., who has been considering retirement the last few seasons. Truex has Gibbs and Toyota eagerly awaiting his decision about the 2024 racing season.

Hamlin, 42, has expressed no interest in retiring or changing teams.

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“We’re working through some details and it’s a complicated consideration because now he’s not just a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, he’s also a team owner,” Wilson said. “And given that there has to be alignment for Toyota and Denny across both those considerations, (we) just have some stuff that we’re working on, but we’ll get them sorted out.

“I know Denny has always wanted to and intends to retire as a driver from Joe Gibbs Racing and continue as a team owner with Toyota. That’s certainly our intent, and we’re working very vigorously to make sure that, in fact, happens.”

Alongside friend and NBA legend Michael Jordan, Hamlin co-owns two cars in the NASCAR Cup Series for Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace. Hamlin has also never hidden the desire to one day expand the team to more than two cars.

Hamlin has 61 wins for Toyota across all three NASCAR national series. He is the second-winningest driver for Toyota behind Kyle Busch (203).

“Denny plays a huge role in our family and I think both Tyler [Gibbs, general manager TRD] and I have really enjoyed watching his maturation,” Wilson said. “Not just as a driver, not just as a team owner, obviously, because he’s very new to that, but as a human being and as a person.

“I’m really proud of that because let’s face it, 15 years ago, it was difficult to have a conversation about the weather with Denny while you’re standing on the grid next to him. But he’s come a long way. I know he put out his goal of 60 wins in the Cup Series. From my perspective that is absolutely achievable given his level of talent and his determination.”