It seems that Toyota's expectations for its first year in NASCAR were way off. Especially since its main team, Waltrip Racing, has had only one of its three cars make every race.
Toyota was expecting a good season in its first year, but the three teams they make cars for are not producing at all. Starting with its main team Waltrip Racing, Dale Jarrett is the only of the three drivers to make all the races. Of those races, Jarrett has had to use his former champion status to make at least five races.
Jarrett's teammate David Reutimann has only made five races this season with his best start of 24th and his best finish of 32nd. Team owner Michael Waltrip has only made the Daytona 500 this year. Dave y of Bill Davis Racing is the only other Toyota driver who has made all eight races.
So why is it that Toyota is struggling so much in its first year? For one, I feel they thought they might come out and possibly be able to have some of the success that they have had in the Truck Series. They have been dominating the Truck Series lately with wins and great qualification runs. They also thought that the Car of Tomorrow would be able to help them get closer to the top teams by equaling the playing field.
However, the fact is that they picked less than average teams to open up their inaugural season in NASCAR. Also, Toyota asked Waltrip to put up a three-car race team when he hasn't been able to do anything since leaving Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. Bill Davis was a fairly good choice for a start team since he has been a team owner for almost 17 years, so he has the experience to get it done.
What Toyota should have done was get another team of higher rank to drive their cars. Granted it would be hard to get any other teams to drive Toyota, but a thought could have been toward Chip Ganassi Racing. Ganassi is used to Toyota since they used their engines in the IRL and CART to win many championships.
Toyota might have also thought that they could have been like Dodge for its second inaugural year. In 2001, Dodge came back to NASCAR after leaving the sport back in 1977. In that year Dodge took a total of four wins. Even in 1986, Pontiac took two wins in its inaugural year of entering into NASCAR.
As much success as Dodge and the other manufacturers showed in their inaugural years, Toyota will definitely not do the same. As hard a time as Toyota is having to get more than two cars in a race, they definitely won't even post a top-10. As a matter of fact, I can't even see Toyota getting a win for at least another year or two.
Since this is my last column I won't make a pick for this week, instead I will take a guess of what will take place over the summer. I will be obvious and say that Chevrolet will continue its dominance through the summer. However, I can see a Roush Ford or possibly a Penske Dodge taking at least one win each. As frustrated as Tony Stewart is getting about not having a win by now, I can tell you he will get one or two wins over the summer. His biggest shot at a win is at the Infineon road course.
I hate to say it. What did you expect. Not being sarcastic, its just pure fact. I can just about bet none of the other teams want Toyota there at all. Regardless of what they say. AS for Waltrip, I knew that was going to be a failure it was written on the wall. IMO, if Toyota is going to be in Nascar it will take several years and they will have to pay top $$$$ for a good team and I do mean to be honest a stupid amout of coin and then it still maybe be turned down.
Yes. This was all expected. We knew it would take time but I personally did not think Waltrip will not be as good on the track as he was interviewing on the Discovery channel. I did not follow Nascar before.
I am sure no other drivers would want to even come close to the Camrys.. Even if they want to, they will be skinned alive....
Imagine Dale Jr... driving a Camry.. It ain't happening..
What some people forget is that Toyota struggled the first year they were in the truck series too and they werent really dominant untill last year.
They have been fairly successful in the Busch series (I think have gotten a couple top 10 finishes).
As far as Cup goes, well, like some others have said, what do you expect? Jarrett is washed up, Waltrip has his head up his ass, but David Reuitimann has done fairly well. The finishes he has gotten done reflect how well he has ran at times.
Dont forget about Team Redbull. Yes, they have struggled to make races but when he has made the races Bryan Vickers has ran fairly well (running in the top 10 on a fairly regular basis).
Toyota will be competitive and very soon. I dont think it will be this season, but I think within 2 or 3 years there will be Toyotas finishing in the top 10 on a regular basis and I think in 5-10 years you will see a Toyota win the championship.
I honestly expect Toyota to dump Team Waltrip at the end of this season.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vmax2007
Toyota is not any more "special" than every other company the media has targeted in the past.
'07 Toyota Camry LE
Toyota: Like other cars, only better.
However, the fact is that they picked less than average teams to open up their inaugural season in NASCAR. Also, Toyota asked Waltrip to put up a three-car race team when he hasn't been able to do anything since leaving Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. Bill Davis was a fairly good choice for a start team since he has been a team owner for almost 17 years, so he has the experience to get it done.
What Toyota should have done was get another team of higher rank to drive their cars.
This is exactly what I said before the season even started and got flamed for it. It's NOT the cars, it's the teams/drivers they chose, and Toyota chose poorly. Waltrip himself has ONLY qualified for Daytona so far this year. They NEED better drivers/teams.
I don't agree that it will be another year or two before they see a cup win. They've made great strides in the busch series and a "good weekend" could change a lot of things around.
I don't really know much about Nascar, but when I'm talking to people about Toyota getting into Nascar, most of the ones who know anything about it have said the drivers they have arn't very good.
NASCAR is nothing short of a joke...there is nothing stock about it anymore and there hasn't been since the 80s. Give me F1 racing any day.
I wouldnt say its a joke, b/c if it is its been workin for years. However, IMO, I think it has went down since they started this top 10 thing toward s the end of the year. I think that Brian France doesnt have the knowledge that is prdecessors did. I sometimes think he jsut dont get it.
But as for racin give me a good ole drag race any day.
They call it stock car racing because of the weight of the cars and the fact that the models used are sold on car lots.. mind you that they're nothing like the production based models, but even the most anti-NASCAR fan has to admit a Roush Racing Ford Fusion looks more like a buyable model than the Hondas they run in IRL etc...
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Originally Posted by wikipedia
Fans of other racing series, such as Formula One, often have low opinions of the series and its fans. They regard the drivers, cars, and fans as interesting relics of less sophisticated times, with the restrictive regulations impeding technical innovation; many fans hold that racing almost entirely on ovals instead of road courses is boring as well [1](This is most illustrated by an IRL fan describing NASCAR racing as "hillbilly bumper car rides".) Whilst it is true that stock car racing is less technically sophisticated than many other forms of motorsport, supporters of stock car racing claim the relative equality of the machinery makes the racing closer and results in more of a test of driver and pit crew ability than technological advancement.
NASCAR is nothing short of a joke...there is nothing stock about it anymore and there hasn't been since the 80s. Give me F1 racing any day.
I used to be big into F1, but its just so boring to watch. The cars are definetely marvels of engineering, but the FIA needs to do something to create more passing and side by side racing.
Speaking of Reutiumann, I told you that Reuti is Toyota's best driver. He was set up for an easy top 10 finish if he motor hadnt blown. Like I said, the finishes he has gotten definetely dont reflect how well he has ran. Toyota needs to do whatever it takes to hold onto him as a driver, because mark my words, in a few years he is going to be one of the top 10 drivers in NASCAR.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vmax2007
Toyota is not any more "special" than every other company the media has targeted in the past.
'07 Toyota Camry LE
Toyota: Like other cars, only better.
Toyota needs to do whatever it takes to hold onto him as a driver, because mark my words, in a few years he is going to be one of the top 10 drivers in NASCAR.
Just keep him in a hat!!!!! Man his hair is in dire need of a stylist. I saw him on Speed the other day with Martin Truex Jr and Elliot Sadler. He was shy like a little school kid. His shoulders high up and his head down low when they were talking to him.
LOL...I wont argue with you there. You have to realize though, that he went from pretty much being a noname truck series driver to being cast into the big leagues and pretty much being the top Toyota driver.
I personally think they may have moved him up too fast. I mean, I think he won 1 or 2 truck races. I think they should have maybe put him in Busch for a couple years, then if he did well moved him to Cup, but he can definetely hold his own on the track with the big boys.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vmax2007
Toyota is not any more "special" than every other company the media has targeted in the past.
'07 Toyota Camry LE
Toyota: Like other cars, only better.
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y of Bill Davis Racing is the only other Toyota driver who has made all eight races.
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