Ford withdraws 2007 engine plans: Ford has withdrawn proposed 2007 engine plans, in an odd twist. Toyota, Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford all submitted new engine designs for next season's Nextel Cup tour. Rivals suspect that Ford's withdrawal may be to pressure NASCAR to rethink the other manufacturers' designs. But NASCAR's John Darby, the Nextel Cup tour director, insisted that Ford's move won't affect NASCAR's thinking about the other three engine designs. "Toyota had to build an engine because it currently doesn't have an engine that's acceptable in Cup," Darby said. "Chevrolet and Dodge are just updating their architecture; I don't think that has anything to do with Toyota. Ford has withdrawn, feeling it wants a little longer to get it right before putting it onto the playing field. Ford is fairly confident its parts and pieces won't put it at a disadvantage in 2007."(Winston Salem Journal)