Toyota racing in nextel cup

B

beck

Guest
I just wanted some honest opinions of Toyota entering the Camry in Nextel Cup racing next year. I know one of the main concerns are that Toyota is a Japanese based car company. I'd like someone to give me one car company that is totally American. And besides, at least Toyota is hiring Americans, not laying them off Ford, GM, and Chrysler.
 
Cars is cars. In this day and age, all of the cars we drive are a composite of domestic and foreign. So, what makes the difference??? Just hope Toyotas doesn't do to CUP what they did to CTS so far. DOMINATE!!!! Hope the playing field stays even, so to speak.
 
Get back under the bridge. LOL

I don't care what they're driving, Racing is racing.
 
Ford contingent skeptical of Toyota's Cup chances
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
January 23, 2006
06:25 PM EST (23:25 GMT)




CONCORD, N.C. -- The Daytona 500 is still a month away, but most of the talk on the first day of the 2006 Nextel Cup Media Tour centered around the 2007 season.

NASCAR and Toyota officially announced their partnership in the 2007 Cup Series, giving the circuit four manufacturers for the first time in four seasons.


Greg Biffle to Toyota: Good luck, you're going to need it. Credit: Autostock

It remains to be seen what kind of impact Toyota can make in the series. When Dodge re-entered the series in 2001, it didn't make much of an immediate impact. Sterling Marlin was the lone driver to finish in the top 14 in points.

Greg Biffle says Toyota should expect a similar wait for results.

"They don't stand a chance," Biffle said. "The Toyota teams are going to be tough guys, but I am telling you what, this sport is so hard, so tough, there isn't anyone that can come in and be competitive right off."

Toytota has competed in the Craftsman Truck Series since 2003, and its Tundra came within 73 points of winning the title in 2005. After failing to record a victory in the season's first 11 races, Toyotas won nine of the final 14 events.


A model of the 2007 Toyota Camry Credit: Toyota Motorsports Media

CAMRY TO CUP
NASCAR on Monday announced Toyota's plans to expand its racing program to the Cup and Busch series starting in 2007.

• Complete story, click here


But Toyota said Monday that its Nextel Cup teams won't follow the pattern that made it so successful in the Craftsman Truck Series. Toyota always has heavily supported the teams financially and provided the same engineering help, and that will change in 2007.

Unlike Dodge in 2001, Toyota will not enter the sport by providing factory-sponsored teams. Its teams will be expected to find outside funding from existing or new sponsors.

Biffle said that the learning curve for teams is much steeper than in 2001, especially with some top teams simply struggling to win at the Nextel Cup level.

"It's going to take experience and it's going to take time," Biffle said. "How long is it going to take? How long will it take [Richard] Childress to win races on a regular basis?

"So you're starting about someone brand new, how long will it be before they are winning races constantly? This is a tough business and it is going to be difficult."

Biffle's teammate, Carl Edwards, said that Ford's work with the Fusion will help offset some of Toyota's advantages.

"This Fusion, they have put a lot of work into it and no one will let something happen that we don't want to happen without someone voicing our opinion," Edwards said. "Speculation is a pretty big thing."

Team owner Robert Yates, who has fielded Fords for nearly 20 years in the Nextel Cup Series, agreed that NASCAR's strict templates will make it tough for Toyota to dominate.

"I know our whole point is to race on Sunday and sell on Monday, so that's the part that I want to make sure we kick their butt," Yates said. "I'm sure they want to kick ours, but I think NASCAR handles the competition side of it so we can be competitive."

AND FORD and Chevy are laying off workers, closing plants and downsizing! :eek:
 
hard to say. being that the common template rule takes care of the competition part, you just have to worry about setuos and drivers.
 
What's the difference? None of the cars are anywhere near the models they claim to be. Camry? Monte Carlo? Fusion? Charger? Give me a break. It's almost an insult to put real car names on those race cars.

Bottom line is that more money comes into the sport. And as far as I'm concerned, that's good.
 
Three Teams to field Camry's in 2007 Cup Series: hearing that Bill Davis Racing [#22,23], Michael Waltrip Racing [#55] and Team Red Bull will run the Toyota Camry in 2007 when Toyota enters the series. In addition to Red Bull, other sponsors that will be associated with the Toyota teams are Caterpillar (Bill Davis Racing) and NAPA (Michael Waltrip Racing). Team Red Bull will be based in Mooresville, NC, and stock car veteran Marty Gaunt [Penske] will serve as the team's general manager. Who will drive for Red Bull? how many teams/cars? not sure, Robby Gordon, who owns his own team has been sponsored by Red Bull. And have heard that Kevin Harvick, who drivers the #29 RCR Chevy, could be one of the drivers for Red Bull team. Expect these teams, but doubt the Red Bull drivers, in part to be announced at Toyota's Press Conference at Lowe's Motor Speedway tonight.(1-24-2006
 
I think it's great that Toyota is moving into the Cup and Busch series, but is it just me or is going to be really weird hearing the phrase NAPA Camry? :confused: That is going to take some getting use to.
 
They all look like a Monte Carlo. Giving the fact they dont look like whats on the showroom, but the Chevy is the only one that looks like the show room car. the ford and dodge are 4 door cars, but the nascar is a 2 dr version.

Most parts on todays are baised on/off a chevy. The rear ends are Ford 9in.

I just dont like the idea of an auto maker that is based outside the us to come in the sport.
 
Lap3Forever said:
I just dont like the idea of an auto maker that is based outside the us to come in the sport.
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What is your, or anyone else opposed, objection to it?
 
the bad thing about this move is that they have picked 2 medicore teams and 1 that doesnt even exist yet........they are going to need to pick up some big time teams in order for them to be sucessfull IMO.
 
i'm done, i have been losing intrest in the sport since 2.18.2001 nastycar just drove the last nail in their coffin for me
 
To be perfectly honest, I don't care about the make of car.

I cheer for the drivers. If they choose to drive dump trucks, I'll cheer for them.

And, as a number of posters have pointed out, all the cars look alike, anyway!
 
I just dont like the idea of an auto maker that is based outside the us to come in the sport.
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Huhhhh??? When did Germany become part of the US?
 
TexasRaceLady said:
To be perfectly honest, I don't care about the make of car.
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And it seems that most drivers don't care about the make either. Look at how many of them switch every year. What's important is the job and who pays the most money. (And there's nothing wrong with that.) :)
 
bumpzter said:
And it seems that most drivers don't care about the make either. Look at how many of them switch every year. What's important is the job and who pays the most money. (And there's nothing wrong with that.) :)
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I belive i did hear Ward Burton say he would not drive a ford.
 
Eagle1 said:
Huhhhh??? When did Germany become part of the US?
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Well, kick Dodge out to and bring back to Pontiac. :p

Dodge is owned by a German comp. But i still think of Dodge being more anerican then German, and Toyota is still Jap.

I just dont like Toyota's, or rice burners. I am an GM kind of person, but i do like Volvo's, Porsche, but i dont think they schould be in nascar.
 
Lap3 get used to it! Your children will ALL be driving Chinese rides.. GM, Ford and Mopar will bite the dust when China gets going real good! Even japan will bow to them in the long run.
Betsy
 
Betsy said:
Lap3 get used to it! Your children will ALL be driving Chinese rides.. GM, Ford and Mopar will bite the dust when China gets going real good! Even japan will bow to them in the long run.
Betsy
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Dodge is alrady sold out, and i belive Ford is also owend by someone else, so that leaves GM as the olny american comp left.

True Jap kicked our asses, but we will recover.

And don't tell me what my kids will be driving. Unless i get a good deal on it, and have no orther choice i will never own, nor buy an jap car. ;)

I dont see why it is such a big deal that i dont like them is? I did think about moving to bama to work for Toyota but that was just so i could get out of KY and start my own life, i still would not have to like em.
 
Current trend is for Japanese, and some European, manufacturers to build assembly plans in the U.S. and employ American workers. Just the opposite with Domestics. Ford is building the new Fusion only in Mexico. GM bought Daewoo and is importing all their small cars.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
To be perfectly honest, I don't care about the make of car.

I cheer for the drivers. If they choose to drive dump trucks, I'll cheer for them.

And, as a number of posters have pointed out, all the cars look alike, anyway!
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TRL, I'm with you on this one. While I have some reservations about Japanese cars invading NASCAR, if one would look deep, it's not something that just happened...only at the upper echelon of the sport.

We attend religiously our local scene every Saturday night and the featured cars there are modifieds, which are cars that have no resemblance to what they are supposed to be. The only thing that is supposed to be stock in that series is the roof line. The only time I could see a difference is when the Mustang changed their appearance into something that looked like a bubble on the roof.

I've said this before and I'll say it again...I'm a race fan, not a car manufacturer fan. I'll watch any kind of racing from NASCAR's top dogs to swamp buggies to ourboard motorboat racing as long as it has an engine. If horse racing made great sounds, I'd probably find myself at the track every race. :)
 
Lap3Forever said:
I dont see why it is such a big deal that i dont like them is? I
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The big deal, I think, is basically that you disapprove of Toyota in Nascar because it is foreign...however, it seems that the real reason is that you just don't like Toyotas...which is completely different from disliking them because they are foreign owned.

When I first started watching racing, I was a Chevy all the way kind of guy, but soon I discovered that it didn't really matter which car they were driving, it was the driver that made the difference.

Of course, I really don't like Michael Waltrip, so there's at least one Toyota I won't be cheering for, but it's because of the driver, not the manufacturer.
 
Just wait... China will flood our market with cheap GOOD cars and trucks.. Their factorys are tooling up at this very minute.
Betsy
 
What difference does it make where the manufacturer is from? Where's your TV/VCR/DVD/Computer/Stereo/Microwave/Sneakers/Etc. made?

Is there any garuntee that there's NO foreign parts on your domestic vehicle?
 
I know most of the parts are made some where else. Im just not a fan of Jap cars. Some ppl like Fords and not Chevys, Some ppl like Kia over Daewoo. I dont care for Jap cars, big deal.
 
Lap3Forever said:
I know most of the parts are made some where else. Im just not a fan of Jap cars. Some ppl like Fords and not Chevys, Some ppl like Kia over Daewoo. I dont care for Jap cars, big deal.
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Don't you think it might be a little better to say that you are not a fan of Toyota's, Honda's , etc rather than Jap cars.?
 
Lap3Forever said:
I know most of the parts are made some where else. Im just not a fan of Jap cars. Some ppl like Fords and not Chevys, Some ppl like Kia over Daewoo. I dont care for Jap cars, big deal.
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You'e the one making the big deal about auto makers.

I don't like ANY of the Earnhardts but I don't think they be banned from NAscar because of it.
 
Land of the rising Yen

They (Japan) will probably be the only ones left that will be able to race the way things are going..........
 
Just a thought. Heard something today that never occured to me before, but wouldn't surprise me if it did happen. A guy suggested that Ford and GM merge to help take care of their problems. Boy, would that be a big story if it were ever to happen. But my thoughts here aren't with impossible merger of those two giant companies, but just think, what would happen to NASCAR if such a thing were to happen. Maybe ol' Brian France has thought of this and that's why he is insisting on the "Car of the Future".

Lappy, like it or not, the Japanese market is here to stay and as long as we Americans continue to purchase their products over ours or the European products, they will eventually take over this country. And while you are a big fan of the GM line of cars, one day that company may be owned by another corporation that might have a Japanese name. You do know that Ford and GM have big interests in many auto manufacturers in both Japan and Europe don't you.
 
Oddly enough, there is a company that has two plants here in Kentucky called Sumitomo. Its a Japanese company and the factory in my hometown makes Wiring harnesses for almost all of the cars on the road. Now, This company's HQ is here in Bowling Green. They employ Americans from the tiny town they have placed their factories in. In Edmonton, my hometown, that plant is the backbone of the economy. If it shut down, so would the small town. All of the employees, save the executives, are Americans. On a similar note, they hired me to teach the executives English so they could communicate with their employees...this is a STARK contrast to the other situation in the united staes involving spanish speaking employees, whose bosses either learn spanish or hire someone to translate.
So, it would seem that this japanese company supports my hometown, the people in it and even me. However, the executives are the only Japanese people.

The thing to consider is that the people who recieve the biggest benefit are the american workers. Sure, the profit goes back into Japan, but the reinvest in training seminars, advancement and more plans to hire more americans.

The only Japanese people it benefits are the CEO's and VPs...since when has anyone around here given a damn about executives? Not me!

So why must we refer derogatorily to them and act like we have a love affair with our own CEO's and VP's? We sure as hell don't care about the Bill Gateses and Michael Eiseners, why the hell should we feel any differently about Japanese versions of the same people? Remember, these big factories and companies made it possible for me to go to high school in a small town that was formerly supported by farming (tobacco), which has gone out of style. Now, the people of the town don't have to farm, make more money and can retire someday, plus they have opportunities to advance in the company! They have enabled the small American farming community to stay as it was, even if farming is going out of the picture slowly.
I hate to sound like a nag, but the term Jap was used as a term similar to the N word back in WWII, so we probably shouldn't use it anymore. As many of my students are Japanese and my students are also my friends, it bothers me.
 
esorlxaw said:
Oddly enough, there is a company that has two plants here in Kentucky called Sumitomo. Its a Japanese company and the factory in my hometown makes Wiring harnesses for almost all of the cars on the road. Now, This company's HQ is here in Bowling Green. They employ Americans from the tiny town they have placed their factories in. In Edmonton, my hometown, that plant is the backbone of the economy. If it shut down, so would the small town. All of the employees, save the executives, are Americans. On a similar note, they hired me to teach the executives English so they could communicate with their employees...this is a STARK contrast to the other situation in the united staes involving spanish speaking employees, whose bosses either learn spanish or hire someone to translate.
So, it would seem that this japanese company supports my hometown, the people in it and even me. However, the executives are the only Japanese people.

The thing to consider is that the people who recieve the biggest benefit are the american workers. Sure, the profit goes back into Japan, but the reinvest in training seminars, advancement and more plans to hire more americans.

The only Japanese people it benefits are the CEO's and VPs...since when has anyone around here given a damn about executives? Not me!

So why must we refer derogatorily to them and act like we have a love affair with our own CEO's and VP's? We sure as hell don't care about the Bill Gateses and Michael Eiseners, why the hell should we feel any differently about Japanese versions of the same people? Remember, these big factories and companies made it possible for me to go to high school in a small town that was formerly supported by farming (tobacco), which has gone out of style. Now, the people of the town don't have to farm, make more money and can retire someday, plus they have opportunities to advance in the company! They have enabled the small American farming community to stay as it was, even if farming is going out of the picture slowly.
I hate to sound like a nag, but the term Jap was used as a term similar to the N word back in WWII, so we probably shouldn't use it anymore. As many of my students are Japanese and my students are also my friends, it bothers me.
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Good post! What you did not say is the Japanese government HELP that gets the companies going and keeps them on top.
We spend our tax money unwisely and our companies are failing. look at our debt and the money we spend uselessly. If that money were rerouted and put to work the same as Japan does our economy would be screaming!
Betsy
 
Lappy, your expression of foreign car manufacturers is revealing and reminiscient of times past. The Japanese are our allies, and they promote a business ethic that is good for America. Calling the Japanese, "Japs" is a carryover from WWII that is as out dated as the KKK and there never was a need to have a group such as the klan.
And there is no need in this day and age to use ethnic derrogatory names to describe a nation that is good for this country and the workers in it. Like it or not we all benefit from the businesss dealings of the Japanese. If Japanese business left the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it would place a major hurt on the state and the national economy.

The main reason United States car manufacturers are failing is not due to low sales as much as high employee retirement benefits.

The UAW did a masterful job of keeping a watchful eye on thier employees and now the car manufacturers are paying the price, which might cost them thier existence.

The magic terminology entitled greed by ALL parties is key. The auto workers went on strike, manufacturers acquiesced to disportionate demands by workers and the rest as they say, is history.

There will be no winners here should any of the "Big Three" go under, only losers. The biggest losers will be the thousands of retired UAW members and stock holders dependent on dividend checks who are currently watching thier stock value sink below the horizon.

It is corporate Americas desire to keep cash flowing without facing the long term result of an immediate action by dealing with the situation head-on and taking a few lumps in order to preserve the future. Same thing with government and people in general who only look at today and say the hell with tomorrow. Until it is time to retire and then wonder why they have no income to sustain the lifestyle to which they became accustomed while working.

I have no sympathy for Ford or GM and praise for the Japanese who continue to support the cry, "made in America". That is more than Ford or GM can take credit for.
 
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