NOT NASCAR!!! PLEASE

[motorgod]

A CAMRY in NASCAR??? Please say it isn't so..... :assasin: :assasin: :assasin:

 

[radman]

Hey, they race pickups. Wonder how they deal with all the empty beer cans and Moon Pie wrappers flyin' outta the bed.......... <_<

 

[galxy5]

yeah I know what you mean!!!

but won't it be fun watching it go into the wall !!! :haha:

 

[twowheelnut]

Hard to deny entry to the world's #1 auto maker. From NASCAR's perspective, it's a no brainer. They just added another 20 million fans! Bring it on, I say.

I can just hear it now, "Wull, the Team Panasonic, number 55, Toyoti Camry, run real good taday. Ma crew chief, Bubba Hayagowa, got 'er dialed in jes raht and dat Toyoti motor was making some kinna power down da straights! No 'un was gonna beat ma hotroad taday, fer sher!"

 

[panthercity]

Anyone else remember Jimmy Spencer's comment about Toyota when NASCAR accepted their trucks in NASTRUK?

 

[vectervp1]

Well I'm not really surprised. If I recall correctly one of the big reasons you haven't seen Toyota or Nissan in NASCAR and NASTRUCK was because of a requirement that stated the stock version of the vehicle had to be made in North America. Toyota argued that since their trucks were built in Tennessee, they were met the requirement. Another one was the use of a small block pushrod engine.

 

[radman]

Well I'm not really surprised. If I recall correctly one of the big reasons you haven't seen Toyota or Nissan in NASCAR and NASTRUCK was because of a requirement that stated the stock version of the vehicle had to be made in North America. Toyota argued that since their trucks were built in Tennessee, they were met the requirement. Another one was the use of a small block pushrod engine.

So, they gonna have Toy logos on small blk Chev valve covers now too? And TDub, too many R's in your interview..........

 

[twowheelnut]

So, they gonna have Toy logos on small blk Chev valve covers now too?

Nope, TRD is building them from scratch in their Costa Mesa, CA plant.

 

[donaldb]

which brings up the riddle: which is harder iron or concrete? ole Ironhead found the answer to that one

Yep Bubba, I grew up there in B'ham AL, paw took me to the first Talladega race back in I think it was 73 or 72, he had pit passes through Puroilator [sic.?] watched the old Datona's run circles around the field. Back then you raced what you brung. Made most of those races over the years w/exception of a few. Stopped going after ole Ironhead met his demise. The good ole boyz have slowly turned into real good OLD boyz and replaced by young guyz, Winston had to pull sponsership and now the far east has infiltrated hallowed ground. What started as a real southern sport sure aint no more. I have just about quit watching it, TV ratings have started down and attendance is definately down, like most everything else money has ruined this sport. I used to walk in at Talladega and sit anywhere I wanted for 5 bucks, got drunk for the first time there on Boones Farm on the back of a flat bed, got educated on the wayz of the world there as well, lotz of fond memories! Now I watch Hooters Pro Cup, like the title implies, there are some real NICE pro cups in attendance! at least until the feminists get there hands on them---hmmm if I thought I could get my hands on em, maybe I might consider becoming a feminist!

 

[jestal]

Face it....NASCAR is nothing but a spec series that is purely intent on making as much money as is possible. Period. It is the next closest cousin to Big Time Wrasslin'. None of the cars or engines involved (currently or positioned to be involved in the future) in NASCAR even remotely resemble anything sold to the public. It is just marketing, plain and simple.

NASCAR made it pretty plain that they were only in it for the almight dollar when they allowed Toyota into the truck series and approved the engine Toyota submitted. Toyota designed an application specific pushrod engine that incorporated all the best features of the GM, Ford and Chrysler NASCAR engines and NASCAR approved it without a hitch. The other autocompanies at least have similar engines in production and the racing engines reflect current or past design practices of those engines. Toyota has nothing resembling their NASCAR engine in production so they were allowed a clean sheet of paper for a design. Total BS.

All the cars use the same body panels anyway so the only thing "Camry" about it will be the head light decals.....LOL.

 

[Windjammer]

All the cars use the same body panels anyway so the only thing "Camry" about it will be the head light decals.....LOL.

Amen to that. I used to like NASCAR, but I've lost interest for two reasons. One, as you stated above, is that the car brands look so much alike it's hard to tell them apart (not to mention that they're not stock cars anyway). Reason #2 is the retirement of most of the interesting drivers. The young guns are mostly just trained mouthpieces who are paid to parrot their sponsors name and say how great everything is. The few who state what they really think (actually say something interesting) get a trip to the red truck.

Sad.

 

[jestal]

The other sour grapes complaint about Toyota in NASCAR is that they are just repeating the same scenario that they have played out in other forms of motorsport. The enter an established series and take advantage of all the money and development spent by others up to that point...i.e...copying proven engine designs and "buying" into good teams that got their experience at the expense of others....and procede to outspend everyone else to win. Winning at racing (and especially NASCAR) is all and only about spending cubic money...and Toyota is certainly capable of that and they will do the same thing with NASCAR.

 

[Fallen Jim Rides again]

Jestal, good to see ya around.

Amen on Toyota, NASCAR, and cubic $$.

Personally, it hasn't been the same since they stopped racing SOMETHING like stockcars. But I still watch some races each year and was glad to see Dodge get back in. But it is becoming more and more clear that this is all about the money, and really does appear to be drifting in the direction of TV wrestling.

My solution to the whole problem? I will not watch or be involved in the smallest way with any NASCAR event that includes Toyota.

Not just because it is a Japanese company, but exactly because of the behaviour you describe. Fook 'em.

Oh,

and Richard Petty is still the KING.

 

[donaldb]

Amen to Petty! and the kingmanship Jim, I use to watch him and the other real drivers back in the 70's and into the 80's at Talladega that was absolutely the best of the best of NASCAR times. About 5-6 years ago I was in Martinsville for the race, ran into a real old geezer, w/yellow hair and fingernails, smokin Winstons and he was wearing his trophy Richard Petty blue jacket, He had autographs on it from Lee, Richard, Kyle and Adam. He and it smelled like he had never washed it in all these years, believe me it was warn and tattered, but good God he was one loyal Petty guy. Kyle has done some wonderful things outside NASCAR, guess you know he's a big Victory bike guy and rides cross country for Adam's cause "The Victory Junction Gang" raising $ for a great cause. If the Petty's weren't still involved in NASCAR I don't guess I would even watch the few races that I still do. Things have changed so much over the years, it's too late to turn back the clock, and that's a real shame. Oh, by the way, I may be wrong but as I understand it, there is still one thing that sets these cars apart besides the manufacturer logo, its the block, I still think they have to run the manufacturers block, ie ford block in ford car, chevy block in chevy car, etc. of course by the time they finish machining them, it really doesn't matter.

 

[panthercity]

Winning at racing (and especially NASCAR) is all and only about spending cubic money...and Toyota is certainly capable of that and they will do the same thing with NASCAR.

Wouldn't that be about "earning" cubic $$$?

 

[panthercity]

Not just because it is a Japanese company...

Which has what top do with it?

 

[Fallen Jim Rides again]

Not just because it is a Japanese company...

Which has what top do with it?

Panther City, not trying to raise anyones ire but . . .

NASCAR National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

Japan is not part of the United States and therefore not part of the word National in this context. Only $$ blinds the organiztion to this fact. Perhaps thy should change the name.

FWIW, I haven't forgotten WWII and what was happening in the Pacific. Nor have I forgotten why my country is the only nation on earth that has used an atomic weapon on an enemy. Nor have I forgotten the huge amount of American money spent reviving the Japanese economy and nation. That debt alone would, with the smallest interest, pay off this nations national debt. I know there are many Chinese who remember much worse things. I know that their government supports their corporations in behaviour that our government would take an American Corp to court over. I know that they tax American imports at an unbelievable rate while complaining about access to this market. I can go on.

I bear the Japanese no enmity - one world and all that - but I know a little history and know that those who fail to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. It is right and good to forgive, but a fool forgets such things.

Besides, for better or worse, they build better motorcycles than currently built in this country.

But my earlier comment was based purely on the first part of this post and the rest of this is just me being clear. k

BTW, are you coming to the DFW Riders group meeting sat?

 

[panthercity]

Jim,

No ire, only an eyebrow. I just find it a bit ironic that you brought that up in a Japanese bike forum. (Bye-the-bye, do you rememebr Jimmy Spencer's comment when Toyota entered NASTRUK?).

As for "NASCAR National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing" well, they are cars, and, sometimes it is racing, but they haven't been stock in decades. And, IIRC, Germany isn't part of the United States, either.

I'm on call Saturday so I'll be playin' it by ear. Pray for rain!

 

[FJRottie]

Turning left all day long is not racing.