[Team Yates]

Three Roush-Yates engines stolen: Thieves made a fast getaway after taking three NASCAR racing engines from a well-known race shop in Mooresville. Police say someone broke into the Roush/Yates engine shop and got away with three of the big Ford engines used by the team in the Nationwide and Truck Series. The engines are worth $50,000 each. "These are not everyday engines, these are NASCAR specific engines, you can't put them in a car, plus they are Roush Yates engines, very specific," said Mooresville Police Lt. Joseph Cooke. The engines were taken sometime Monday night from the shop off Mazeppa Road. One of the workers said he knew it was going to be a bad day when he came to work and saw a big hole in the wall. The hole is big enough for thieves to get inside, then open the door. Each of the engines weigh more than 500 pounds. They're kept on rollers and that made it easy for thieves to roll them into a cargo van they happened to steal from another race team. "They stole a Penske rental truck, like a cargo van and used the cargo van to load up the engines and take the engines away." The thieves dumped the van, but made off with the engines. Unless they are in the racing business, they may find them tough to unload. "Those are specialty items you'd have to be in NASCAR or the racing business to use them, you can't just put these engines in your car." If you can help Mooresville Police, call them at 704-664-3311, or South Iredell Crime Stoppers at 704-658-9056. If your information leads to an arrest, you be eligible for a reward.(WBTV CBS 3 site)(9-18-200

[loco4pablo]

Ask Jack Rousch and I bet he points too Toyota!

[jks812]

Loco thats the same thing I was thinking, bet he's crying that it was Toyota.

[Bry1018]

I wonder why the alarm system didn't go off, unless,
A) it's a cheap/poor alarm system
B) it wasn't armed
C) it might have been an inside job/former employee.

I just don't see them getting away with it. If somebody in NASCAR has them, it'll be easy for Jack to find. If a small, local track team has them, it should be easy to spot a Ford team that got fast out of the blue.

Maybe police should question Mikey Waltrip, remember the track-bar incident from the beginning of the year?

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bry1018

I wonder why the alarm system didn't go off, unless,
A) it's a cheap/poor alarm system
B) it wasn't armed
C) it might have been an inside job/former employee.

I just don't see them getting away with it. If somebody in NASCAR has them, it'll be easy for Jack to find. If a small, local track team has them, it should be easy to spot a Ford team that got fast out of the blue.

Maybe police should question Mikey Waltrip, remember the track-bar incident from the beginning of the year?

It could possibly be that they got away quick enough before police responded... they did say the engines were on rollers so if they pulled up got in, got out. It is possible, if planned well.

[Quality88]

On an added note... I'm willin to hunt down the sorry ☻☻☻☻☻ individuals who did this and beat the tar otu of'em

[Bry1018]

Originally Posted by Quality88

It could possibly be that they got away quick enough before police responded... they did say the engines were on rollers so if they pulled up got in, got out. It is possible, if planned well.

True. This statement led me to believe that no alarms went off and it wasn't discovered until Tuesday morning.

The engines were taken sometime Monday night from the shop off Mazeppa Road. One of the workers said he knew it was going to be a bad day when he came to work and saw a big hole in the wall.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bry1018

True. This statement led me to believe that no alarms went off and it wasn't discovered until Tuesday morning.

The engines were taken sometime Monday night from the shop off Mazeppa Road. One of the workers said he knew it was going to be a bad day when he came to work and saw a big hole in the wall.

Dually noted. I forgot about that portion, I can see how you would come about your insights.

[saltysenior]

has any body checked on e-bay???

[Racer Duck]

they may be on ebay .. soon .. in parts.

a smart thief would dismantle and sell the parts 'cause engines are traceable (people remember seeing engines being pushed around), but parts are a completely different story.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by loco4pablo

Ask Jack Rousch and I bet he points too Toyota!

And Toyota would want these so they could ..... slow down their engines ?????

[Bry1018]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

they may be on ebay .. soon .. in parts.

a smart thief would dismantle and sell the parts 'cause engines are traceable (people remember seeing engines being pushed around), but parts are a completely different story.

From what I've read, R D, you have a knowledgeable racing background.

Would it be that easy to just sell parts on e-bay?
I'm just asking, I don't know.

NASCAR engines being more of a science these days, I don't see serial numbers being engraved, but there has some kind of identification involved.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bry1018

From what I've read, R D, you have a knowledgeable racing background.

Would it be that easy to just sell parts on e-bay?
I'm just asking, I don't know.

NASCAR engines being more of a science these days, I don't see serial numbers being engraved, but there has some kind of identification involved.

there are several "stores" on eBay that sell "used" parts from NASCAR teams. the crankshaft in my SLM motor was bought from a guy in NC who bought it from Hendrick's engine shop .. supposedly used - but it looked brand new to us. we've bought many items for our racecars off eBay from these guys. besides the eBay folks, there are a dozen or more brick and mortar shops near the teams that specialize in selling used parts along with new. we bought a special racing bell housing, clutch and reverse-mount starter from one in Mooresville in the race park where Everham started his Dodge teams. the point is, if you know where to look, it's not hard to find the parts for sale. (that crankshaft was a special size and we had almost given up trying to find one thinking we were going to have to have one special made when we stumbled across it!)

once the engines are dismanteled, there's little the average "shopper" can see that would identify the parts as coming from the stolen engines. you pretty much depend on the seller's honesty and your own technical savvy. very few race parts have serial numbers so it's almost impossible without special knowledge and equipment to identify where it might have come from.

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

And Toyota would want these so they could ..... slow down their engines ?????

Ha Ha Ha Ha!!
That is sooooo funny, NOT!!



LSC- Me

[Team Yates]

Photo of similar engine that was stolen

UPDATE: NASCAR team owner Doug Yates said it appears the thieves who broke into the Roush Yates Racing Engines facility in Mooresville, N.C., recently and stole three engines “knows the facility and knows the engines.” The break-in took place Monday at the shop located on Mazeppa Road. The engines, valued at $50,000 each, were built specifically for use in the NASCAR Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series. “We have security on the building,” Yates said. “But the area where they broke in, the motion sensor didn’t pick it up. If they had gone any further in the shop [it would have].” Yates said sheetmetal had been peeled away to allow the thieves to gain access to the shop.(SceneDaily)
UPDATE 2: from the Mooresville NC Police - Case Number #2008004567 Issued: September 17, 2008 Issued by Lt. Cook: On the night of 09/15/08 suspect(s) broke into Roush Yates Engines and took three Ford 358 cubic inches Roush/Yates NASCAR racing engines valued at $50,000.00 each. If anyone has information related to the case or information leading to the recovery of the engines call Mooresville Police Department at 704-664-3311 or The Mooresville South Iredell Crime Stoppers at 704-658-9056 for a monetary reward. A photograph of a similar engine is posted below this story.(9-21-200