Automakers' struggles affecting NASCAR

[mikesright]

Toyota is not going to be able to come in to Nextel Cup and dominate like they did in the Craftsman Truck series. Toyota was only successful in the trucks because they bought up most all of the winning teams, plus all of them were really under one team anyway, because Toyota was forcing all of them to share information on setups while they paid all of their R&D costs to get competitive.

In any case, that's not going to happen in NEXTEL Cup, because NASCAR has forbidden them to do exactly those 3 things. They are forcing Toyota into earning their way in over time and creating their own teams. NASCAR isn't completely stupid in this regard because they know many of their fans are there for the manufacturer rivalries that don't include Toyota. On top of that, having Toyota come in and buy everything like the truck series WOULD really turn everyone away.

Anyway, Michael Waltrip Racing in particular has two drivers who cannot adapt to the new coil-binding setup and a rookie, so they might not make a lot of races, considering that there are 50 fully funded teams going for 43 spots, and 35 spots are guaranteed. In fact, just one team, Dave Blaney's, from Bill Davis, has a guaranteed spot in the field. Other NASCAR teams have expanded, like DEI, and their drivers not only are better and have more experience, but they also have winning teams behind them. Since many of the teams are also new, as well as the car being brand new, and being a new manufacturer on top of that, those are 3 huge disadvantages against them as well.

This year is more likely to be a disaster for Toyota and its teams, rather than a domination by them.

[triadecho]

Originally Posted by gotz_otto

To me it is not a sport...........

The back of the tickets used to say that NASCAR was a "show" not a sport. You should think of NASCAR like WWF. Domestic versus Foreign is just like The Hulk against The Iron Sheik (good versus evil).

Just relax, root for the guys with the white hats and enjoy the "show".

[johnny smallblock]

Originally Posted by ChevroletRevived

And people say the Detroit companies not doing well doesn't have a big impact...

I don't know anyone's ever actually said that. Some people have said that some imports are built here, but no one's ever said that American companies not doing well doesn't have a big impact.

All that aside, I hope GM walks all over Toyo at the racetrack, but I'd much rather have GM crush them in sales.

Originally Posted by motorman

people who buy toyotas tend to be in the upper income brackets

Is that actually true? Or do people just like to think that because we have a natural distaste for individuals making more money then us?

[mike's 01ws6]

Considering that people that own Camrys live in the same neighborhoods as people that own Maximas, Impalas, Tauruses, 300's etc, I dont see that people that drive Toyota's have more money. This is as stupid as the statement made by Nissan claiming that the Titan was marketed to people who were more "educated" than those who drove domestic pickups. As a matter of fact the first house on my street there is a black 300, the second house a black taurus, and mine the third a black impala, and a camry, a maxima, and a mazda 6 a spread down the rest of the street, everyone else has pickups, suv's, minivans etc. I wouldnt be upset if the domestic manufacturers cut Nascar's throat they way they did theirs by allowing Toyota in and left. Nascar cannot survive on Toyota alone. I wonder if people are going to throw crap at the toyotas when they win like they did jeff gordon.

[motorman]

Originally Posted by mike's 01ws6

Considering that people that own Camrys live in the same neighborhoods as people that own Maximas, Impalas, Tauruses, 300's etc, I dont see that people that drive Toyota's have more money. This is as stupid as the statement made by Nissan claiming that the Titan was marketed to people who were more "educated" than those who drove domestic pickups. As a matter of fact the first house on my street there is a black 300, the second house a black taurus, and mine the third a black impala, and a camry, a maxima, and a mazda 6 a spread down the rest of the street, everyone else has pickups, suv's, minivans etc. I wouldnt be upset if the domestic manufacturers cut Nascar's throat they way they did theirs by allowing Toyota in and left. Nascar cannot survive on Toyota alone. I wonder if people are going to throw crap at the toyotas when they win like they did jeff gordon.

people who buy toyotas think of themselves as "smarter" than the average blue collar car buyer because they bought a toyota. these people will flock to the races to see "their" car beat the other peoples car. NASCAR is not stupid they run all kinds of surveys to check on what different car owners think. NASCAR will let them win a few this year but cut them back as they did with dodge. they gave dodge a engine advantage,larger bore shorter stroke,higher revs, just to get them back into NASCAR and then cut them back in a couple of years to the same bore size as ford and GM.

[Triple-X08]

Originally Posted by bone

Toyota must be laughing. they are coming into Nascar with tons of money just when the big three must seriously think of cutting back. In three years time Toyota will be winning just about everything. Tell you what, they won't get any help from me.

or me.

nascar is dead. its has been driven into the ground by ignorance.

i will never own anything other than gm ford or dcx