NASCAR: Ford contingent says Toyota wont be competitive

[Bakemono]

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/head...eax/index.html

"They don't stand a chance," Biffle said. "The Toyota teams are going to be tough guys, but I am telling you what, this sport is so hard, so tough, there isn't anyone that can come in and be competitive right off."

Biffle's teammate, Carl Edwards, said that Ford's work with the Fusion will help offset some of Toyota's advantages.
"This Fusion, they have put a lot of work into it and no one will let something happen that we don't want to happen without someone voicing our opinion," Edwards said. "Speculation is a pretty big thing."
Team owner Robert Yates, who has fielded Fords for nearly 20 years in the Nextel Cup Series, agreed that NASCAR's strict templates will make it tough for Toyota to dominate.
"I know our whole point is to race on Sunday and sell on Monday, so that's the part that I want to make sure we kick their butt," Yates said. "I'm sure they want to kick ours, but I think NASCAR handles the competition side of it so we can be competitive."

Anyone who thinks that Toyota wont be competitive is only fooling themselves.

[84Cressida]

What an idiot. I hope Toyota kicks his ass.

[cjrciadt]

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/01/24/t...-racing-debut/
Toyota wins USAC Midget racing debut
I will give them good odds to win the 07 Daytona 500

[pjsammy]

the problem is, if toyota gets good too quickly (or is too good at any point), NASCAR will make "competition" rules changes to equalize everything. All GM and Ford have to do is complain enough and BAM! rules change in their favor.

Like I said in my other post, it's going to be really interesting. (not interesting enough for me to watch the races, though I'll just follow the news online)

[RAV4EVR]

First time in my life, I will be a NASCAR fan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I won't be surprised if people are throwing tomatoes/eggs at the Camrys there..
That happened the when the first Toyota hit the US soil so what difference does it make.

Even at that time Ford must have said, "THEY DON'T STAND A CHANCE...."

So funny...................

Ford can come suck the clean fumes out of my Toyota's exhaust pipe, it will be cleaner than the mineral water sold at the Ford headquarters.

[xpeed]

What ever happened to the Celica Nascar they debuted? Was it too "girlie" for it? I believe the Tundras are also in the stock truck races as well.

Hmmm......if that's the case, if the Camry NASCAR does do well, Ford and GM should stop whining like little sissies and start to rethink on how to reengineer their cars.

"You don't gain anything by whining, but by finding your mistakes."

[RningOnFumes]

i thought it all came down to the ability of the driver anyway. the cars are so regulated and equalized there's not too much room to modify for performance.


soo...i 'm thinking they are talking out of their arse

[nyscene911]

Originally Posted by RningOnFumes

i thought it all came down to the ability of the driver anyway. the cars are so regulated and equalized there's not too much room to modify for performance.


soo...i 'm thinking they are talking out of their arse

Pretty much. Most of the cars are so close in HP and torque and everything that the maker of the car doesn't really matter. I think the only things that really the crews can change is like the fuel to air ratio and maybe gear ratios? I don't really follow NASCAR that much.

[pjsammy]

the celica was only used a few years ago in the Winston West series (I believe aka Goody's Dash series or something like that).

I don't recall them ever having a lot of success, but that series was regional and really flew under the radar

[Toy-Yoda]

In the truck series, they said the Tundras won't be good cuz they never built carburated engines (or something like that). Now they got a couple of wins under their belt. The Camry's will do the same.

[Cyorke]

HTey have been farily competitive in the Truck series and have only been racing there for two years. NO I dont think Toyota is going to comeout and win a Nextel Championship in their first year or even two or three years. But I think they will be competitive in that time frame. I have not heard yet who the team owners are or who they are looking at that might be a team owner. It will be interesting to see if any of the bigger names currently in NASCAR will jump ship from the domestic manufacturers over to Toyota.

As for Biffle, wouldnt it be funny if he ended up driving for one of the Toyota teams.

[drunken_panda]

Isn't stock cars, not really stock cars? I remember reading a piece on how the Taurus was being raced, but shared no underpinning with the production Taurus.

[HoboJoe]

This guy says Toyota won't be competitive? What a horse's ass!

[dsmnick]

Originally Posted by drunken_panda

Isn't stock cars, not really stock cars? I remember reading a piece on how the Taurus was being raced, but shared no underpinning with the production Taurus.

The cars that are raced in NASCAR have nothing to do with the production model and it's been that way since the late 80s when GM began discontinuing the rear drive Monte Carlo, Cutlass Supreme, and Regal. That's why the sport is such a joke...there is nothing stock about it. Everything is regulated so much (even the bodies) that you essentially have the same car for each manufacturer with different stick on decals. I've heard that the hoods and greenhouses are usually loosely based off the production model car, but otherwise they're cookie cutter bodies. NASCAR is like the WWF..."racertainment."

[pjsammy]

yup -- headlight decals are the main difference. So it's all about making the cars purdy.