Roush accuses Toyota team of theft

Roush said the theft took place in the garage area last September and that the part was taken by a member of a Toyota team from one of Roush Fenway's toolboxes.

"The other team, the non-discreet Toyota team, went behind my toolbox, and took my bar out of my inventory and put it with their inventory and took it home with them," Roush said. "That's a fact. It has not been refuted and has been discussed with the team involved."

Roush also revealed that a vendor that manufactures parts for his team was contacted by the development manager of the unnamed Toyota team, to ask if they would fabricate the sway bar to Roush Fenway's specifications.

The vendor made Roush aware of the situation, which led the team to discover that the bar was missing from their inventory.

In January this year Roush found out, through a member of his team who formerly worked for the Toyota squad in question, that the bar was in the team's possession. Roush Fenway made a separate inquiry, which confirmed that.

"They've stolen the part, they've got access to it, they've had a opportunity to see what it does, see what its efficiency for weight and for function are," Roush said.

"We've been damaged. We've been harmed by this theft."

The Toyota team later admitted to Roush Fenway Racing that they had the part and decided to return it.

Roush has held a number of discussions with NASCAR since then, but the ruling body has yet to state whether they are going to take any action against the Toyota team. He is expecting assistance from NASCAR on the matter, but has also threatened to take legal action in a court if it is not properly dealt with on the sporting side.

"There's a lot of people ready to sweep dirt under a rug," he added. "I don't want to embarrass a sponsor, I really don't want to embarrass a team. But I also don't want to be made look either stupid or complacent as it relates to the things that have occurred within my team, as it relates to NASCAR's rules.

"For me to have to go to the courts and the rules in the broader society to deal with this problem would be a disappointment."

Roush also stated that the theft is different from the Formula One spy affair between McLaren and Ferrari, in that there is not a regulatory document signed by NASCAR teams such as the Concord Agreement, dealing with the intellectual property of designs.

"They don't have a rule that relates to theft and maybe they should have. I'm not sure," he said.

When asked specifically about Michael Waltrip Racing being the team that stole the part from him, Roush declined to make any further comment.