For the first time in a NASCAR event, a hybrid will be the pace car when the Sprint Cup Chase concludes at Homestead-Miami Speedway next week.

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, featuring the debut of Ford’s next-generation hybrid system, will pace the Ford 400 along with the Fusion Sport.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Fusion Sport will both be in NASCAR-inspired camouflage for the race. The cars won’t be officially unveiled until the Los Angeles International Auto Show three days later.

Apparently upset at engine rule changes handed down last month by NASCAR to limit Toyota’s dominance over the other manufacturers in the Nationwide Series, members of JGR allegedly put an object under the accelerator pedal to limit horsepower during a chassis dynometer test.

“There was a piece there that apparently wouldn’t let the pedal go all the way down in the dyno, and it showed like we had less horsepower than we actually did,” JGR team president J.D. Gibbs said during a news conference Sunday at MIS. “Let me just say, first and foremost, that was a really poor, foolish decision on the part of our key guys there at JGR. I want to apologize to NASCAR, to our partners, to the Toyota guys.

“A couple guys chose to make a decision there that really impacts all of us. To me, the frustrating part is, why? I know they were probably frustrated from the standpoint (of) wanting to show that, ‘Hey, we have less horsepower than ever before.’ Wanting it to look like we’re handicapped, more than we actually were. I understand that, but that’s not an excuse.”

Gibbs said drivers Joey Logano and Tony Stewart were not involved. Stewart, running his last Nationwide race for JGR, finished third and Logano seventh.

Asked if he had identified those responsible, Gibbs said: “Yeah, I’ve had some conversations with a couple of our key guys, and I’ve got a pretty good idea but not enough now to say, ‘Hey, here is exactly what it was.’ … I’ve got a pretty good idea of the guys from our Nationwide team who were responsible.”

Joe Gibbs, who is known for running a clean program, voiced his displeasure over the incident in a statement: “If this alleged incident proves true, it goes against everything we stand for as an organization. We will take full responsibility and accept any penalties NASCAR levies against us. We will also investigate internally how this incident took place and who was involved and make whatever decisions are necessary to ensure that this kind of situation never happens again.

“The expectations we set for everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing begins with me, and I personally apologize to NASCAR, our partners and our fans for the negative light this situation has cast upon all of us.”

NASCAR is expected to hand down penalties in the next few days. J.D. Gibbs suggested those penalties could be severe.

“I think in years past they kind of looked at the engine dyno thing as hit or miss,” Gibbs said. “But now they’re starting to make rules based off that. … I think for them it will be bigger, and I don’t know exactly what. I met with them this morning. I’m sure it will be a pretty big slap.”

Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development, said he was “astonished and frankly incredulous” when he heard about Saturday’s incident.

“I couldn’t believe it was happening, because it is clearly defined in the entry forms that you don’t do this sort of thing,” White said. “But I’m sure Joe and J.D. will take care of that internally. Whatever fans think, they’re going to think. We’re just going to keep working on our stuff.”