What's your thoughts on Toyota going full fledge racing in Nascar this coming season? Their Truck series were doing pretty good in the last season and won a few series but didn't take the final... they did have a 3rd place in drivers point though. Lets hope there's not too much bashing going on.
them der rednecks might not like er so much. But i think its a good thing and am interested to see the newely designed cars and how they function.
Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Turn left. Pit!
dem der rednecks really don't like it. ever since toyota annouce they were gonna compete, almost all of the nascar teams and fans have been whining. they think that since it's an american sport, only american manufacturers should compete. also, toyota has a history of throwing ridiculous amounts of money at their motor sports. so some of the teams think it's unfair and that toyota will just come in and dominate. nascar won't let that happen i think, they will change rules midseason (it's happened before) to prevent a total domination from any team to keep things competitive. change is good. and i think it may attract more viewers, especially with the rednecks rooting against toyota. i'm still not a fan of "m&m's flushed down a toilet bowl" racing, but i think i might tune in every so often just to see how toyota is doing.
lol toyota camry: designed in the usa, made in the usa of us parts. Biggest selling car in the usa. FREAKING AMERICAN CARS ARE LESS AMERICAN! mexican crapboxes, rebadged korean cars etc. they should be ashamed of themselves.
What? I'm assuming you're not a fan. Everyone has been welcoming Toyota, there hasn't been any uprising or backlash. NASCAR will change rules mid season. It's what they do to keep a level playing field between manufacturers. They will change the allowed aero package of a newly designed model 3-5 times during its inaugural season. They won't dominate, there's always growing pains with a new car in NASCAR. They can't just throw all the money at it and expect it to run with these guys that have been tweaking a (somewhat) similar layout for 20 years. They're definitely forming a strong team, but I think my favorite story of 2007 will be watching JBM. I really hope Montoya has a strong first year, and shows that he can be one of the very few guys capable of crossing over into NASCAR and remaining successful.
I think it'll be a good thing, although I don't really follow any of the NASCAR variants. I'm more of an ALMS fan myself. On a completely unrelated note, zyklonbee has got to be the most tasteless and offensive username I've seen in a while. Seriously, WTF? For those of you who don't know, Zyklon B was the gas that the Nazis used in the concentration camps to kill the Jews. Why you thought this would be a good username is beyond me...
nope, not a fan. did you actually read my post? i said it right in there. along with nascar changing rules midseason and keeping things competitive. i didn't say anything about an uprising or backlash. just alot of whining that toyota spends alot of money and will drive up costs for teams and manufacturers. edit: i shouldn't say almost all teams and fans whined. but definitely some.
No, they had to design their own pushrod v8 and submit it to NASCAR for approval. They will have an easier time starting in cup this year as the new car of tommorrow will be used starting with the Bristol race. FWIW the new COT was tested at Daytona last week and had the fastest speed so far. I am with Brian, I like the ALMS cars and the Daytona prototypes.
Real race cars go for 12 and 24 hours at a time The other thing I like about the ALMS racing is that the GT class cars actually look somewhat like their roadgoing counterparts (Corvette, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin) and the LMP cars are incredible pieces of machinery (Audi R8/R10, Lola, Porsche Spyder RS) that are some of the most advanced race cars out there period. Audi just cleaned up at Le Mans with a diesel powered car, and the R8 is the most dominant car in the series history. I think there's so much more to the racing when the cars have to last that long, and seeing some teams come up with amazing fixes to keep damaged cars on the road.
Can Am cars seperated the men from the boys back then...1000hp, RWD and no driver aids like traction control.
Multiple reasons, it's kind of synonymous with my last name, it's rather obscure, etc. It's a fun name to say and always makes people talk about it (especially on xbox live ) In no way are there any racist ties or anything with it. I get crap for it on some forums but its quite unique so I use it all over the place, for quite a few years now. To me, it's just a nerve gas, same if I took the name 'Agent Orange', which I'm sure would be acceptable. But, since I guess it's 'too insensitive', I have no problem changing it for you guys.
Agent Orange is a good one. I like that better, just because I can imagine Eddie Murphy in Trading Places... :laugh:
Agreed 100% just like the old days of Rally Group B thinking: "How far can we push this effectively?"
Though I'm not interested in Nascar, I am glad to hear Nascar has finally let Toyota in the game. It will be interesting to see how well they do in Nascar compared to F1. Its all a game guys, the officials will try and make the playing field as fair as possible with profit in mind. Now on to the real Motorsports! LOL
Toyota’s entry into stock-car racing has some good ole boys revved up. Will the Japanese automaker take over Daytona like it’s overtaking Detroit? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16951193/site/newsweek/ Feb. 2, 2007 - Who knew a Toyota Camry could cause such controversy? America’s favorite family car has the NASCAR Nation all revved up in a heady debate over globalization. When the green flag drops on the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, a radically souped-up version of Toyota’s humble sedan will become the first foreign car to roll into stock-car racing’s marquee circuit since Jaguar gave it a spin in the 1950s. And that doesn’t sit too well with some of the good ole boys who drive Fords, Chevys and Dodges. They see Toyota as a deep-pocketed predator out to overrun an American institution. “They will use their money and their technology to make the rest of us play catch-up,” racing team owner Jack Roush griped recently, adding for good measure: “Americans shouldn’t buy Japanese cars.” What’s really driving this debate isn’t how Toyota might win at the track on a Sunday, but rather how it’s scoring victories in the showroom every other day of the week. This year, analysts expect Toyota to overtake General Motors as the world’s largest automaker. And last month, Toyota outsold Ford and Chrysler in the United States. Now comes NASCAR, the last refuge of the beleaguered American auto industry and the country’s No. 1 spectator sport, with an estimated 75 million fans. That makes it a perfect target for Toyota, which has been a top seller on the coasts but is now gunning for Middle America with its big new Texas-built Tundra pickup truck. “Go into the parking lot at a NASCAR race and see what they’re driving,” says Jim Press, Toyota’s top U.S. exec. “This is a big opportunity for us, especially on the pick ‘em up truck,” he says, using his best NASCAR-speak. Learning the lingo is just part of Toyota’s drive to go native in America. It already builds more than 1 million vehicles a year in the United States at 10 plants that employ 33,500. (It also imports nearly 1 million cars a year from Japan, including the hot-selling Prius hybrid.) Toyota actually sells more cars in the U.S. now than it does in Japan—which explains why 60 percent of its profits now come from North America. With its big new pickup truck, Toyota is going after the drivers most devoted to Detroit. To win them over, it’s trying to appear less elite and cerebral and more down-and-dirty. “We’re going from the head to the heart,” says Toyota marketing VP Jim Farley. “We need to make the transition from an import-and-golfing company to a fishing-and-NASCAR company.” Oddly enough, Toyota’s move to the mainstream has NASCAR engaged in an intellectual debate over globalization. On one side, Roush (who once paid an employee in yen for driving a Toyota truck) argues that Toyota is “stripping our economy of its essence,” operating from a protected, closed market in Japan. On the other, NASCAR officials argue that Toyota is already an American company. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans drive Toyotas,” says NASCAR spokesman Ramsay Posten. “It’s, in a lot of ways, part of the culture already. Bringing them to NASCAR is really a natural step.” Even the definition of what’s an American car is generating heat. GM’s Chevy Monte Carlo is actually assembled in Canada. Dodge, which received a warm welcome when it returned to NASCAR in 2001, is now owned by DaimlerChrysler, a German company. And then there are those Ford Fusions that Roush’s team races. “The Fusion is a Mazda-based product that’s not built in the U.S., [it’s built in Mexico],” says Toyota’s Press. “The Camry is an Ann Arbor-engineered car that’s built in Kentucky. Who’s to say what’s import and what’s domestic?” Another product of Kentucky has been caught in the cross-fire: all-star driver Dale Jarrett, who jumped to Toyota after driving Fords for the UPS team. He’s received hate mail and has been branded a sellout on the new Web site Fans Against Racing Toyotas (yes, their acronym is FART). But rather than blow back at his detractors, Jarrett has become such an eloquent advocate for the benefits of a global economy you’d think he’s been reading Tom Friedman’s “The World Is Flat.” “We have to be accepting of change,” Jarrett told ABC News. “If we don’t, then, you know, you’d still be watching 12-inch TV screens.” One allegation against Jarrett really gets to the heart of the matter: the Ford Racing Technology Team claims Jarrett is getting $20 million to drive Toyotas for Michael Waltrip Racing. Not true, says Ty Norris, general manager of Waltrip Racing. “One of the most frustrating things people say is that he only came here for the money,” says Norris, who has complained about the accusations to NASCAR’s president. “Dale is not the highest paid guy in the sport. His money doesn’t come from Toyota. The money that we pay him, which is reasonable, is comparable to other contracts [for other drivers]. It’s nowhere near $20 million.” (Norris declined to say how much Jarrett is being paid). Whatever his salary, Toyota is financing Waltrip Racing, as well as two other teams, Bill Davis Racing and Team Red Bull. That kind of broad financial commitment shows how serious—and seriously rich—Toyota is. This year, Toyota is on track to make a record $13.1 billion. Last year, Ford lost a record $12.7 billion. Which one is more likely to cut the budget for its racing program? This is really what has Roush and the other Detroit-financed teams worried. And then there’s Toyota's track record to consider. Before NASCAR, Toyota spent 12 years in Indy car racing, winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2003. In 2004, it entered NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck series, racing its Tundra pickup. After a slow start, Toyota quickly gained traction and last year won nearly half the races on the circuit and captured the series championship. That sounds a lot like Toyota’s relentless rise in the America car market. Maybe those good ole boys of stock-car racing ought to be worried.
