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It's Time To Tell NASCAR How We Feel About Toyota
http://insiderracingnews.com/dt060403.html ^

Posted on 06/04/2003 9:45:23 AM PDT by 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


TOPICS: Culture/Society
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To: FateAmenableToChange
If you go to the Toyota website and register your car or truck Toyota will send you freebies as your vehicle racks up the miles. I have over 400k on my 1994 Toyota 4X4 pickup, V6, and I still am running the original brakes, exhaust system, everything. The only thing I do is change oil every 3k, put in new plugs every 72k miles, new tires every 70k and a little gas here and there. I have yet to own a vehicle, other than Toyota, that could ever run like this.
61 posted on 06/04/2003 10:35:51 AM PDT by samuel_adams_us
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To: Caipirabob
As far as "American" cars, it's impossible for me to track just what part of them are American anymore.

Exactly, my wife's Outback was assembled in Indiana and my big block Suburban was assembled in Mexico. What is an American car?

62 posted on 06/04/2003 10:36:53 AM PDT by j_tull (Keep the Shiny Side UP!)
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To: Provost-Marshal
My Ford pickup was assembled in Canada.

If you really want to boycott NASCAR for something, do it for how they paid off Jesse Jackson.

63 posted on 06/04/2003 10:37:28 AM PDT by B Knotts
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To: Hatteras
I love F1 because the technology and driving skill are second to none. The only downside is the lack of competition outside the top 3 constructors.

I love drag racing for the technology, noise and speed; plus its relationship to, and derivation from, real street racing. A NHRA fuel engine churns 6000+ horsepower, more output in one cylinder than an entire Winston Cup car. You cannot fathom 0-100mph in 0.8 seconds, 0-325mph in 4.6 seconds unless you've witnessed it up close. The driving skill may not be world-class, but the tech is incredible.

NASCAR? Boring technology (pushrod carbureted V8s), mediocre drivers.

64 posted on 06/04/2003 10:39:25 AM PDT by IowaHawk
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To: j_tull
Don't you find it interesting that all American Companies farm their labor out all over the world, build crap for vehicles, get paid like God, and yet the Japanese build their vehicles with American Labor, build great cars that outlast American brands 100 to 1 and get paid like real people. What does that say about the management running our car companies and all of our companies for that matter? Can you say idiots?
65 posted on 06/04/2003 10:40:46 AM PDT by samuel_adams_us
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To: IowaHawk
Agreed. I also like the racing where they turn different directions sometimes.
66 posted on 06/04/2003 10:42:09 AM PDT by B Knotts
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To: Provost-Marshal
Toyota is having big problems. First is that they are having a hard time finding a foundery to make cast iron engine blocks. Second is that none of their enginners have ever worked on a carburator. Both those technologies went away with 8-tracks for Toyota. Their early US race engines for CART and IMSA were known to have a short fuse and were finicky when they did run. Look at their effort in F1 and their past history in US racing and it will probably take them several years to be competitive.
67 posted on 06/04/2003 10:42:29 AM PDT by pikachu (The REAL script)
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To: IowaHawk
I love drag racing for the technology, noise and speed; plus its relationship to, and derivation from, real street racing. A NHRA fuel engine churns 6000+ horsepower, more output in one cylinder than an entire Winston Cup car.

Granted, the fuelie will put out 10x the HP, but the WC engine has to stay together 2000x longer.

68 posted on 06/04/2003 10:43:26 AM PDT by tacticalogic (Controlled application of force is the sincerest form of communication.)
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To: B Knotts
What's real interesting is that if you compare CART with F1, the F1 cars are much faster. Check out the times for the cars where they race on the same tracks. F1 cars run on high octane gasoline and the CART cars run methanol but they don't produce the horsepower or have the technology of the F1 cars.
69 posted on 06/04/2003 10:43:46 AM PDT by samuel_adams_us
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To: Provost-Marshal
Oh, please. Spare me the "redneck pride."

There's no such thing as a 'Mericun car anymore.

Between Ford's marriage to Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Volvo & Mazda, Chrysler's marriage to Daimler, GM jumping in bed with Saab; and let's not forget the numbers of "foreign" cars that are built with American labor on American soil - from Honda to Nissan to Subaru to Toyota...

And finally, if NASCAR fans can't handle any competition from overseas, how can anyone take their claims about competition on the oval seriously?

You want to be best in the world? And are you serious about it? Then, go out on the oval and compete head to head and prove it.

70 posted on 06/04/2003 10:43:58 AM PDT by mhking
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To: Provost-Marshal
No longer will NASCAR be an American sport.

Perhaps the author can now sympathize with the way the Europeans felt about an American team in the World Cup tournament.

71 posted on 06/04/2003 10:44:46 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (®)
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To: N. Theknow
Well I guess it is Hummer for you.
72 posted on 06/04/2003 10:45:14 AM PDT by doodad
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To: Provost-Marshal
It NOT about where the cars are made. Its about where the profits go. Toyota's may be made in the US but their parts suppliers are all from japan.

Has anyone gone to a new car search engine and looked for an "american" car category? They don't even offer the option.

I am grateful I don't live in a country where trebi is the only option. I DO want to see a USA only match.

(I am still in mourning because Lincoln made the towncar look like a large melted marshmellow)
73 posted on 06/04/2003 10:46:28 AM PDT by longtermmemmory
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts
World Cup NEQ National
74 posted on 06/04/2003 10:46:38 AM PDT by eBelasco
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To: FateAmenableToChange
Toyota produces quality product and stands behind it.

That used to be the American way - until the UAW became just another corrupt, money-grubbing front for organized crime.

I don't see why so many around here have such a huge problem with good, old-fashioned capitalism: make a good product at a competitive price, with enough value added to convince the consumer that yours is worth the extra money, then let the consumer decide.

The ones making these cars and trucks (my Tacoma was actually made in California), and the ones profitting from the sale of same are the ones who were LIBERATED during WWII.

75 posted on 06/04/2003 10:49:04 AM PDT by brewcrew (It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into. - Jonathan Swift)
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To: eBelasco
"Very true. How about a 1982 Chevette league?
"

I think Yugos would more fun. They're cheap, don't go fast enough to be dangerous to amateurs, and you can just throw them away when their engines blow up and get another one.
76 posted on 06/04/2003 10:49:34 AM PDT by MineralMan
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To: B Knotts
And the best drivers in the world - bar none - are the boys who race in the motorcycle Grand Prix. The only sport besides bowling that requires 16 pound balls.
77 posted on 06/04/2003 10:49:46 AM PDT by IowaHawk
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To: brewcrew
They were smart enough to listen to us, our politicians and heads of business don't listen to anyone other than themselves.
78 posted on 06/04/2003 10:50:19 AM PDT by samuel_adams_us
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To: Provost-Marshal
I love my FORD. It took Asian imports in the late 80's to snap the American cars into shape. I welcome the chance to put American engines head-to-head with those of other countries. If we are the best, we should welcome it.
79 posted on 06/04/2003 10:55:12 AM PDT by KansasConservative1
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To: tacticalogic
Granted, the fuelie will put out 10x the HP, but the WC engine has to stay together 2000x longer.

And an irrigator engine has to run for 30 straight days. A NASCAR race is like a baseball game. A top fuel race is like an orgasm.

80 posted on 06/04/2003 10:55:28 AM PDT by IowaHawk
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