Japanese in Nascar

[mr bruce]

Toyota to run Nascar Trucks in 2004 .Chevy motors.

[Satanpez]

Why chevy motors? Just because Toyota doesn't have any iron v8's?

-steve in nj-

[kountzecobra]

NASCAR must be on the downhill run! As far as a Chevy engine? Toyota, Chevrolet, what's the difference--both really blow!

[Great Asp]

"ROTZA RUCK!"

Great Asp

[bmalone]

I predict you will see Japanese cars in the Cup Series by 2006. Well, that's what they said on TV today.

[Ikestaa]

Originally posted by bmalone


I predict you will see Japanese cars in the Cup Series by 2006. Well, that's what they said on TV today.

Wow! It will take them 3 years to make Toyota and Honda decals? Forgive me, I just had to. Frankly I think they would be better off spending their money in open wheel arenas. But, then again, a stock Monte Carlo vs. a cup Monte Carlo would be just as far fetched as a stock Camry vs. a cup Camry.

[Rick Parker]

Maybe they will have rebates and 1.9% financing on Winston Cup (oops!) ........Rice Cup Tickets!!!


Rick

[Horse]

my personal opinion- the american teams better watch out- when toyota jumps in they dont do it half hearted- I also think that this may cause them to go slow at first- if they jump in and whoop everyone at first than they will get banned- so they will go slow but they WILL WIN- you can put money on it- just look at what they did to LeMans a few years ago with the GT-1 . . .







ps- toyota has the first NASCAR win by a OHC engine EVER- the Celica running in the DASH races- a DOHC V-6

[Roscoe]

Here's one of their entrants:



Roscoe

[Turk]

That restrictor plate will not get past the inspection.

It has to be solid color. Not two tone!!

TURK

[wilf leek]

Don't laugh too quick guys, In addition to their achievements at LeMans, Toyota made a very fine showing in their first season of F1, better than a lot of teams with years of experience. And quite amazing reliability, funnily enough.
Also don't forget the world championships won in F1 with Honda engines.

These guys are not to be under-rated.

[Excaliber]

Ah,,,them good ole boys can take 'em. Ha ha.

I'm thinking NASCAR won't allow a OHC engine. As long as they running Chebys I'm not sure a Japanese car will mean squat, even if it wins with that engine. It will be interesting though.

What engine choices do the Japanese have, if any? They make ANY engine that appoaches the 355 cid limit?

Ernie

[Roscoe]

And let's not forget their overwhelming win at the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest:

On July 4th of 2001, Kobayashi ate 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes during the Nathan's frankfurter eating contest at Coney Island, New York. It was his first attempt at the annual competition. Kobayashi shattered the existing record of 25 hot dogs, which had been set the previous year by his countryman Kazutoyo Arai. Kobayashi, 5'7" and 131 pounds, gained eight pounds in the 12 minutes of the competition. In February of 2002 Kobayashi was at it again, winning a made-for-TV eating competition called Glutton Bowl #1 on Fox TV. In July of 2002 Kobayashi returned to Coney Island and defended his title by eating 50 and one-half hot dogs in 12 minutes.

Roscoe

[bmalone]

Hey Ikesta, it might take three years to make enough decals to cover the various spoilers, etc--check out Roscoe's pic.

[klayfish]

My understanding of it is that Toyota plans to run the trucks in 2004, with the hope of entering Winston Cup in 2005, possible with the Solara or Camry body.

They qualify for NASCAR, as the vehicles are assembled here in the States.

Personally, as others have said, if they attack this the same way the attack buiding cars and other race series they have entered, GM, Ford and Mercedes (oops, I mean Daimler/Chrysler) will have their hands full.

But the first time one of them shows up with clear tail light decals, I'm outta there.

Roscoe, where did you get that photo? That's a riot. How can those kids not be embarrased by that? Whenever I get one of them come up to me and start talking about it, I just ask "So, how much does that wing help the downforce of your front-wheel-drive car? Oh, wait, you wouldn't know, would you?" We get a few of them show up every once in a while at the autocrosses. Think they'll come out and be "da bomb". Well, they get their a$$es handed to them by just about everyone. They usually storm out of the parking lot revving those little fart cans as hard as they can and never come back. It makes my whole trip worth it. AND, they're blaring those speakers you love so much. Those things must take at least a half second off their quarter mile times.

Steve

[Ikestaa]

Yeah, surely that kid in the picture is joking. I mean, how could you take yourself seriously and do that to your car.

[John Hannaford]

Obviously he's kidding ... perhaps he should have pasted winking emoticons on the car so everyone would get it.

Of course none of us every drooled over a Superbird...

[Excaliber]

Hon-duhhh......

http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~attse/honduh.htm

Ernie

[HIQ]

Take a look at what Honda and Toyota did in CART. They put the resources into their teams year after year until they dominated the series. That said, the political atmesphere they created had much to do with the series demise. It will be interesting to see how they work in the IRL. My guess, it will not work - they want to operate in an environment where engineers can win races.

[Excaliber]

NASCAR has done an extra ordinary job of keeping the car on "equal footing". Some don't like it, some do. One thing for sure, it's makes it dam tough for any one driver to dominate. You GOT to have some team mates, someone you can "hook up" with on the track.

Whatever car body the Japanese run:
IF NASCAR thinks it has an "aero" advantage they will take steps to "equalize" it. Same would apply to the motors. NASCAR is SO competitive these days on any given weekend it could be anybodys race.

IRL sure as hell caught some heat with their "new" rules for holding costs down and "qualizing" the teams. It's working too! Years ago CART was like watching F1 today, heck you KNOW who's going to win before the race starts!

Next step for NASCAR? The GOT to get a handle on the "money" it takes to field a team. There are very few (any left?) private single car teams left. And thats a shame!

Solution?
No team owner should be allowed to run more than two cars, even ONE car! This will break up the "I'll block for you crowd" (and THAT is what claimed Dale Earnhardts life) and keep costs down on a single car level. Radical? Oh yeah! The "Big dogs" will protest like crazy! But I think it may come to that someday, single car teams.

Ernie