The downfall of NASCAR?

[Big Body LX]

What's your opinion? Some of the rednecks I work with are strongly against Toyota entering cup. I think it's awesome but I think the "Car of Tomorrow" is what we need to worry about... look at that aweful wing!

Will the downfall of NASCAR be:

Toyota entering Nextel Cup


The "Car of Tomorrow"

[williamsvt]

well of course the rednecks will all have a problem with that because Toyota isn't an American Company and isn't the usual for Nascar. Nascar has always been a redneck sport for those who are very American and its meant for American Muscle, such as Chevy, Dodge, and Ford. Personally i believe that adding a company like Toyota is awesome and will be an improvement to the sport, but i think the overall response will be negative. I mean there is a reason why a company like Toyota has not entered the sport before. I mean, in all seriousness, i was watching a report on Nascar a few months ago, and i mean do you see any asians, african americans or anyone else really racing who isn't white...i mean you do have a few exceptions in the Nascar Circuit but not really. So, my thinking is that most rednecks aren't going to be very accepting of the fact that a non-american company is entering.

[AccordWarrior]

Not to sound pessimistic or anything as I used to like NASCAR, but all the shells look exactly the same now...what would it matter if Toyota entered?

I used to watch the old Nascar shows on SpeedVision back in the day (Car and Track with Bud Lindemann?) and they'd show the old races...back when the cars really looked stock, and to me until you get back into that mindset, Nascar's always gonna be boring to me.

[HenRoc]

Well I heard theres a black guy racing in Nascar now, I mean I personally think its cool but for the NRA members that watch nascar they must be fumed .

I also think its cool that its becoming diverse with Toyota joining the circuit.

So far they've been in the following:

IRL
F1


And the longest running racing history in:

Truck Racing well at least off road.

[Shippo]

Nascar already has imports in the craftsmen truck series.



I don't see it as a bad thing allowing imports in, not like they are actual "stock" cars anymore.


But then again I grew up on dirt track mostly and have seen the imports dominate the smaller classes.

[Accord R33]

those cars are designed from the ground up to be race cars...whatever they end up looking like is the last thing on the engineers mind.

Id like to see the the Jap 3 enter..Honda, Toyota and Nissan

[Shippo]

What would be fun is if had a series with the cars only being gutted cars from dealerships with preformance mods done.

Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Mazda, and more could all compete pretty evenly. May not be 200mph racing but wouldn't it be interesting?

[Accord R33]

What would be fun is if had a series with the cars only being gutted cars from dealerships with preformance mods done.

Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Mazda, and more could all compete pretty evenly. May not be 200mph racing but wouldn't it be interesting?

I agree, but it will probably never happen in this country. Aparently people would rather watch cars go around in a circle than really put their cars into the twisties

[Shippo]

I'm putting my hopes on the X-Games since from have Ive heard they have motorsports now, its more a WRC style thing but if interest builds.

[93EXaesthetic]

nascar is ok..i think F1 and Cart are much better events and more high tech..with better coverage...

[VBaccord24]

well the problem here is that american companies that race nascar have mechanical failure to look out for, where as the jap's normally dont break down after a couple laps. look for toyota to win a cup in the next 3 years.

[93 10th anniv.]

im a redneck and i like imports! and most of my friends like toyota trucks and their rednecks. i think its cool that toyota is entering nascar. but i would LOVE to se honda get into nascar , i think they would dominate. but thats just me. im gonna send honda an email and ask if they have any future plans to join nascar.

[Big Body LX]

Honda took over the IRL.... don't look for them to be in NASCAR until 2010 at the earliest.

Good points made by all. NASCAR has 2 road course in their top tier.

America already has numerous road course racers... including the Speed Challenge and Rolex series. Get SpeedTV if you don't already get to watch these series....

[HenRoc]

Honda took over the IRL.... don't look for them to be in NASCAR until 2010 at the earliest.

Good points made by all. NASCAR has 2 road course in their top tier.

America already has numerous road course racers... including the Speed Challenge and Rolex series. Get SpeedTV if you don't already get to watch these series....

Watkins Glen and Sonoma. These cars were designed for the oval track, hench really tall gear ratios.

If Nascar would smarter up and introduce another segment just for imports like what Japan has JGTC , various countries in Europe have then I could see a big spike in the popularity of the sport.

I mean NHRA did it and now it has a sister organization NIHRA

[Big Body LX]

I don't see why they should start up a completely separate organization.... Toyota entering NASCAR proves that the Japanese can compete and be a force to be reconed with...

The Toyota trucks took a year or two to come into their own but now Toyotas are doing really well.

Toyota will not be really big in Cup until late '08 I think. NASCAR threw a loop when they announced the "Car of Tomorrow". Since Toyota redesigned the Camry all new this past year, the car that was shown by Toyota for "We're going Cup racing" that was approved by NASCAR is obsolete. Toyota is having to design and work on their '07 effort getting the '07 Camry approved by NASCAR and at the same time getting their "Car of Tomorrow" set up for the few '07 races it will be in and starting '08 full season racing.

Toyota really picked a bad year to go Cup racing IMO because of this simple fact.

I want to see Honda in NASCAR, but I want Toyota to do their thing and get people away from it being a domestic only sport... Toyota has meshed really well in the trucks. Let them do all the work to get people to accept a Japanese company in the sport and by the time people are use to it, bring in Honda! Honda... make a truck that isn't a joke and go truck racing too .

Honda taking over IRL (kind of) is really good. Now, Honda can do to IRL what NASCAR has done... level the playing field and make it cheaper to race. I think the IRL will really be a good sport in the upcoming years. They have a lot of negative press to overcome, but with Honda's help, I think they'll do fine.