It's Time To Tell NASCAR How We Feel About Toyota

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[Provost-Marshal]

It's Time To Tell NASCAR How We Feel About Toyota

By Denise Thompson

June 4, 2003

I cannot believe what I have been hearing, and reading.

Much to the dismay of some fans, it looks like Toyota is going to get the chance to compete in the American sport of NASCAR.

I belong to several NASCAR fans private groups online and can honestly say that the majority of these fans are not just in shock at this news, but are as mad as Tony Stewart and his crew chief, Greg Zippadeli, were when NASCAR confiscated Stewart's Home Depot Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway earlier in April. Now it's come to light that NASCAR has given that car to the Japanese to help them produce a Toyota race car.

However, NASCAR has denied that Stewart's car was ever given to anyone and stated that the car is still in the R & D shop. If what NASCAR says is true, then why is Stewart and Zippadeli upset with NASCAR?

There are two reasons why most of the fans don't want to see Toyota in NASCAR.

The first reason: During World War II, not only did some of these fans lose a grandfather, husband, dad, uncle, brother, cousin and or a dear friend, while other fans may have a loved one that is or was permanently injured, as losing their eye sight or even a limb if not two, during the sneak attack on our American troops, that fateful day on December 7, 1941 known as "The Attack at Pearl Harbor." The Japanese brutally killed our boys on the march to Bataan, on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima, as well as the P.O.W. camps, our American soldiers were brutally murdered and dismembered. It's not that we Americans hold a grudge, it's just the Japanese have never apologized to the United States for any of these cowardly acts.

Don't get me wrong, we realize that the Dodge's are now a German vehicle (Daimler owns 51% while Chrysler owns 49%), and we don't mind having foreign cars in NASCAR such as the Dodge, but it was first an American manufactured vehicle. The fans just don't want to see any foreign made cars in NASCAR.

Secondly: Traditionally this sport was based in the south and has traveled throughout the United States. Drivers like Ned Jarrett, Lee Petty, Ralph Earnhardt and Curtis Turner, just to mention a few, began this sport on the beaches of Florida and North Carolina, as well as dirt tracks in North Carolina. This sport has been passed from generation to generations of American families. What happened to the tradition of this sport? This is what the fans are asking. Why does Mike Helton or even Bill France have the right to change that? Looking at the whole picture, if Toyota is allowed to race in NASCAR, what's next? Are we going to open the door to Italy, France, Russia, China, or the rest of the world. Where does it end? Does this sport go International? Will we be actively looking for foreign drivers? Will NASCAR be building tracks in other countries?

No longer will NASCAR be an American sport. Like so many other things we have lost, it's time for the fans to stand up and fight for this by letting NASCAR know how we feel about it.

I am speaking on behalf of the majority of the NASCAR fans, We do not want Toyota or any other foreign made car in the sport of NASCAR. We want to keep the tradition and we want to keep NASCAR the way it is right now, today.

Many fans have fallen in love with the sport. Don't let NASCAR or anyone else take it away from us. You can contact NASCAR at the following address:

NASCAR 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

[Paradox]

Sorry, but this is more of a "red-neck" cause than a conservative one. In the latest world crisis, the government of Japan gave the US unconditional support. That says alot to me. Also, when push comes to shove over there in that region, and when its time to take out more IL smelling trash, the Japanese are going to be right there with us.

As for Jap vs American cars, its a silly debate, some are better than others for the money, some worse.

[Hatteras]

Dang! You're all over the map. When you can put F1 and the 1/4 mile in the same category I'm not too sure how to take that. Sounds like your just looking to stir things up.

[eBelasco]

Real racing: Bonneville. F1. Road America. The quartermile at Pomona.
I strongly disagree on F1. NASCAR pits man against man, in the form of driver vs driver, and pit crew vs pit crew. Any driver can win on any given Sunday. F1 is primarily engineer vs engineer, euroweenie vs euroweenie. It's tracks prevent effective racing, and the driver is secondary to the car. While this may be interesting to some, it pales beside the drama that is 43 men battling on a half-mile oval.

[beelzepug]

Actually, the current Mazda pickups are Rangers.

[G.Mason]

"Good point. Best to consider the first one sacrificial."

When I was 16 I asked my Dad if I could get a car when I turned 17.(Had to have parents permission to get a car if you were a minor)

He said, "You can get all the cars you want, you buy them".

My how times change.

[texas_fool]

The Ranger is a Mazda underneath those Ford emblems

Ranger is designed by Japanese engineers. IT's assembled in the US and built from mostly domestic parts.

I like these guys talking about Japanese cars. Most Japanese cars are built from recycled metals since Japan is the worlds largest importer of tin and has very few mines to make their own steel. In the aircraft industry Japanese nuts and bolts have for years been considered far inferior for this reason. I have been buying US made cars since for ever and all I can says is I haven't had any problems to speak off. Currently I drive a 1987 T-Bird and also have have a 1987 Chevy PU. My neighbors have bought countless Japanese cars in the time I have known them and mots were bought to replace broken down Japanese cars.

I do maintain my own cars and have enjoyed doing it. I think this may be the real problem with "quality".

[doodad]

Navigator

[coder2]

Speaking from experience maybe ??? I know what you mean though, the first vehicle will probably be in an accident...

I'm also thinking of putting him in a HUGE car for safety sake !!! Hubby just rolls his eyes...

[MineralMan]

"While this may be interesting to some, it pales beside the drama that is 43 men battling on a half-mile oval."

To each his own, I guess. My favorite is SCCA club racing, or what's left of it. I ran a '59 AH Sprite in H Production back in the 60s at club races in CA. I think I paid $450 for the car, and ran its wheels off. I never won a single race, but it was hellacious fun, that H Production class.

A guy could go racing then, just because he wanted to. Now, it's virtually impossible, except in the vintage racing circuit, and those cars are getting really expensive.

[tacticalogic]

I'm not even sure you can label them one or the other any more. My wife's Mazda Tribute (same as a Ford Escape) is built on a Mazda 626 chassis, and has the same engine as a Ford Taurus, with a Ford tranny modified for the AWD.

[samuel_adams_us]

Geez, everyone here says it's okay to ship our IT jobs overseas putting a ton of college educated people out of work but they don't want to allow foreign competition on our own soil? What's wrong with this picture?

[stainlessbanner]

Toyota gave millions of dollars to Jesse Jackson.

[FateAmenableToChange]

The simple fact is Toyota makes a superior product. My Toyota pickup has 300,000 + on it and is still running great. By the time my Ford reached 100,000 it needed a new engine and tranny

Nice to hear that ---- we're looking a a truck for our son, and are wavering between a Ford Ranger and a Toyota...

Same with my GMC pickup - flip-off from GM after it burned through 4 transmissions and three clutches and got permanent, unfixable vapor lock, and 3 water pumps and numerous other junk after only 130,000 miles. Toyota produces quality product and stands behind it.

[beelzepug]

Let's see....Monte Carlos and some Chev pickups are built in Oshawa, Ont., Intrepids are built in Brampton, Ont., some Dodge trucks are built in Saltillo, Mex. and The Dodge van I used to have was built in Windsor. My Toyota Tundra which is, so far, the best truck I've ever owned was made in Indiana and these are going to race in the Craftsman truck series next season. So, what's American and what isn't? Gentlemen, just start your freakin' engines!

[Lee'sGhost]

"It's Time To Tell NASCAR How We Feel About Toyota"

Dear NASCAR,

I think Toyotas are great, especially the ones built in the USA. I certainly hope the NASCAR drivers aren't scared of a little "outside" competition. If you're gonna let gay guys drive cars, why not Japanese? Some people have said NASCAR doesn't want Toyotas in NASCAR because of WWII. If that was true it would follow that all the races and racers would be in and from the north because of what happened during the War of Northern Agression. Jeez, talk about "still fighting the war!"

Thanks, and by the way, I'm much more concerned about you letting Jeese Jackson get his racist foot in the door than anything the folks from Nippon might do.

STILL FOR FIREBALL ROBERTS


. . .just to mention a few, began this sport on the beaches of Florida and North Carolina, as well as dirt tracks in North Carolina."

Actually, it began when the started hopping up the engines in cars running whiskey during Prohibition.

[Mr. Mojo]

That's "Toyota" sutpid!!!!

Or, to many Toyota owners who like to erase letters on the backs of their trucks, it's "yo"

[Lee'sGhost]

"Hey, if Japan can handle a Hawaiian Sumo wrestler (who is quite a champion, as I recall), then I think the American ego can handle a Toyota stock car, even if it wins races."


OOOooo. Well said. Wish I had remembered that.

[eBelasco]

A guy could go racing then, just because he wanted to. Now, it's virtually impossible, except in the vintage racing circuit, and those cars are getting really expensive.
Very true. How about a 1982 Chevette league?
Chevette racing

[N. Theknow]

Looked at the Nav and the Caddy Escalade.

They are both AWD and that won't make it up my driveway in the winter and the road to my house during MUD week.

Gotta have a 4X4.

[beelzepug]

Toyota's "donation" came after I bought my Tundra. But I wrote letters, you'd better believe it!