"I am hitting the panic button on this"– Kevin Harvick blasts Toyota engines following recent NASCAR Cup failures

NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick has raised his concerns over Toyota's recent engine failures. Harvick's comments came after Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs suffered an engine failure after starting from pole in the NASCAR Cup Series race in Pocono.

Toyota's engine issues have become a significant talking point in the ongoing NASCAR Cup Series season, particularly since the Sonoma race this year. The most recent incident involved Ty Gibbs, who, after promising start, experienced engine problems and dropped to the back of the field.

Despite his efforts, his final speed was severely hindered due to the mechanical failure. The turning point came on lap 132 when Gibbs' car emitted plumes of smoke and fluid from its tailpipes. This forced the 21-year-old driver to slow down on the Long Pond Straightaway, marking the end of his race due to mechanical failure.

This incident mirrored issues faced by Denny Hamlin at Sonoma, and Christopher Bell at the World Wide Technology Raceway.

Notably, these engine troubles have not gone unnoticed. Kevin Harvick, a former NASCAR Cup Series champion, who retired last season, expressed his concerns on his "Happy Hours" podcast. He stated:

"I am hitting the panic button on this one, and that is the Toyota engines because we've seen the 11 blow up, the 20 blow up, and the 54 blow up quite a few times. We've seen a number of engine issues with the Toyotas. It seems sporadic." (20:00)

Harvick added:

"They have been in high RPM shifting racetracks where it seems like they've shown up way loud. I would be panicked, but NBC did a great job of getting those shots of the engine expiring with the water and the oil coming out of the exhaust pipes. Holy cow."

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Kevin Harvick concerned about the timing of Toyota's engine woes as NASCAR playoffs edge closer

The timing of these engine failures is of particular concern to Kevin Harvick as the NASCAR playoffs are almost upon us. The former champion emphasized the risk these sporadic failures pose during the critical playoff period. Harvick said on his podcast:

“The thing I go back to is they have speed. And you can tell that he knows he has speed with his interviews. Ty knows that they have speed, he’s not worried about that. But I am worried about their engines."

Kevin Harvick added:

“And I am worried if that sporadic blow-up comes at the wrong time in the playoffs. Been there, done that and all of a sudden you’re in a bad position.”

Despite the engine woes that have marred Toyota in recent races, six out of eight Toyota drivers currently find themselves in playoff contention. In third place, Tyler Reddick is the highest-ranked Toyota driver with 688 points to his name.