Down to 3....ok....4
Three real teams that is. With Dodge pulling out and Penske going with Roush/Yates engines, who is we left as engine suppliers. RCR, RYR, HMS oh and let's not forget TRD....Ford is behind the Roush and Yates merger, TRD controls all Toyota engines so that leaves only RCR and HMS running the same manufactuer that are still building their own engines.
When I look in to my magical christal ball I can see RCR and HMS collaborating on engine programs, Chevy will demand it as a cost saving excercise, why wouldn't they ? We will see the birth of HCMS or CHMS sooner than later.
Then, the next step will be Nascar issuing crate engines that will be built by an independant. Don't say no...It's already started in the Nascar Toyota series and The Canadian Tire series, Nascar will be IROC in no time flat.
Now that Nascar has THEIR very own patened race car ( COT) all they need is their own engines and voila....Presto...IROC is reborn.
Now don't go off running scared..The racing will not be affected, just take a look at the Toyota and Canadian Tire series, the racing is quite awesome, nothing really changed except the cost of running the cars got cheaper.
Keep an open mind to the future changes that Nascar will be proposing over the next five to ten years, they are in the business of making money so they will not destroy Nascar and go under, they will make the racing better and cheaper for the teams and in turn for us fans attending the races.