The Toyota-fication of NASCAR: Toyota frets as Daytona tests prove inconclusive

[doh]

http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/head...500/index.html

NASCAR newcomer guaranteed only two of eight cars for opener

By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
January 19, 2007
11:42 AM EST (16:42 GMT)

One month before the Daytona 500, Lee White was sitting in a Charlotte airport waiting to board a flight to Daytona Beach for Busch Series testing. And at the same time, wondering if all eight of Toyota's fledgling Nextel Cup cars were capable of making NASCAR's biggest race in their first attempt.

"I'd be lying if I told you it wasn't daunting. I'd be lying if I told you I was confident that those eight cars will even run the race, because only two of them are guaranteed in," White, senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development, said Thursday afternoon.

"Nobody's doing us any favors. We're going to have to knuckle down and earn it. And you know what? If it doesn't happen, we're going to go back to work and we'll be a lot more ready for the second one, the third one, or the fourth one. We're going to be here a long, long time."

Speeds from the two Nextel Cup sessions of Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder, which wrapped up Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway, produced decidedly mixed results. Dale Jarrett, one of two Toyota drivers who doesn't have to worry about qualifying for the race, posted the seventh-fastest overall speed and drove one of two Camrys to crack the top 20.

The other belonged to rookie David Reutimann, whose speed ranked 19th. The other six Toyota drivers were scattered, from Blaney in 21st, to Jeremy Mayfield in 44th, and Michael Waltrip in 59th. Come Speedweeks, everyone but Jarrett (who has a past champion's provisional) and Blaney (whose car was 27th in 2006 owner points) will have to either qualify on speed or race their way in through the Gatorade 150s.

If the manufacturer's testing results were a movie title, White told Toyota executives, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," would scroll across the marquee. But Team Red Bull drivers Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger concentrated heavily on qualifying setups, White said, and everyone tested under conditions that will be markedly different from those next month.

"It doesn't mean squat, frankly, because the weather is different, the track is different, you've only got half the field there, and you're not even being measured against everyone," White said. "You really don't know what people are doing and what people are working on. It doesn't matter, at least in terms of your relative performance to everyone else. When we get there in three weeks, we'll see how it shakes out."

"It doesn't mean squat, frankly ... By no means are we at the point where we're going to be when we go back to race ... When we get there in three weeks, we'll see how it shakes out."
- Lee White


Drivers from rival manufacturers certainly took notice of Toyota's performance -- or lack thereof.

[doh]

I'll be there to see that one, maybe they'll do good or maybe not. Maybe 10 or so in or maybe only 2.

[darndot]

I not impressed with their drivers. It will be interesting year for NASCAR. There are lots of fans like me that don't want to see a Toyota in victory circle.

[cemaxc]

GM is getting into drifting and Toyota is getting into NASCAR. My, how the world has changed.

[1G6]

NASCAR is dead to me.

I never really cared anyway, but the arrival of the pestilence from the Orient sealed the deal.

[Dynamo]

Now how can you say those 150s aren't going to be fun to watch. If nothing else you want to watch to boo Toyota. Heck, I watched the truck race at Daytona for that very reason.

You don't have to be a NASCAR fan to enjoy Daytona. It's not boring like Michigan or most other tracks. The 150s easily make up my second favorite Thursday of the year.

Toyota has crap or has been drivers and/or teams but NASCAR will make them competitive one way or another. Maybe not by the 500 though.

[zeobandit]

Toyota has no business in NASCAR.

The Frances have destroyed a perfectly good sport.

[jbernie]

Nascar will be happy, they have 2 Camrys running no matter what. Whether people are happy to see them or not it means you have some who will hope they fail and some who hope they do otherwise.

Will probably help with ratings as you will have some watchers who are curious about the toyotas and how they do who may not otherwise watch, then the haters will watch to see them going into the wall.

Although we probaby will never know, I am curious as too how many $$ Toyota has sunk into the venture themselves, obviously there are lots of $$ from the various sponsors and Red Bull is certainly into sponsoring many forms of motorsport, but Toyota must have sunk some big $$$ to at least have a competitive team and not have egg on their face.

[shabodah]

I'm all for Toyota being in Nascar. That said, I'm seriously hoping to see only GM and Ford vehicles in the top 20 for every race. Our country is supposed to be about capitalism and an open market. They have every right to race if they can qualify. But I sincerely hope to see them in dead last.

[Duramaxman1986]

I think GM, FORD, and Dodge should drop out and start there own racing series i doubt nascar will let that happen which means Toyota will have to go back to japan and race its own.

[Black04GTO]

Toyota Camry = Built in USA
Ford Fusion = Built in Mexico
Chevy Monte Carlo = Built in Canada

Seems like Toyota is getting NASCAR back to being an "American" sport!

[Geotpf]

Originally Posted by Black04GTO

Toyota Camry = Built in USA
Ford Fusion = Built in Mexico
Chevy Monte Carlo = Built in Canada

Seems like Toyota is getting NASCAR back to being an "American" sport!

Of course, the vehicles raced in NASCAR have nothing to do (at all) with the Made in the USA Camry, Made in Mexico Fusion, or Made in Canada Monte Carlo found for sale at your local auto mall.

[shabodah]

Originally Posted by Black04GTO

Toyota Camry = Built in USA
Ford Fusion = Built in Mexico
Chevy Monte Carlo = Built in Canada

Seems like Toyota is getting NASCAR back to being an "American" sport!

You should be using the term "assembled." Although I admit, a great too many parts for american cars are built in foreign lands. I don't have any problem with vehicles or parts being made in Canada, however. And the other thing you have to consider is none of the cars above have anything to do with their NASCAR counterparts, anyway.

[poncho1982]

Originally Posted by Black04GTO

Toyota Camry = Built in USA
Ford Fusion = Built in Mexico
Chevy Monte Carlo = Built in Canada

Seems like Toyota is getting NASCAR back to being an "American" sport!

Toyota = profits go to Japan
Ford = (what little money they have) goes to America
GM = (seeing profit soon) goes to America

C'mon, your a fellow Buckeye, you have to see your failed logic.

Toyota in Nascar? Who cares. Nascar is now just a way to pass time on Sundays, and occasionally Saturday nights.

[1931Chevy]

I just wish that the big 3 get out of Nascar and go back to stock car racing and let Nascar die