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October 07, 2005
Does safety = advantage for Toyota?
By Krista Voda
Matte kudasai.
Which means "wait a minute" (i think?!) in Japanese.
As NASCAR continues to develop and test its Car of Tomorrow, one has to wonder how this will affect, and ultimately benefit, the new manufacturer making a play in Nextel Cup racing...Toyota. Word is that Toyota will begin cup racing in 2007, which just happens to be the same year NASCAR is projecting putting its COT on-track full-time.
So, while Chevy, Dodge, and Ford team owners will have to scrap their old cars in order to build the new ones, Toyota can simply start with the new design, and avoid wasting all of that money on the old one.
The Car of Tomorrow will be on track, at this point it's not a matter of if, but when. It's already been tested at Talladega. Another huge test is planned for the Monday following Atlanta. All of the big-name owners are scheduled to take part in this one.
NASCAR is looking at using the new cars at least once next year, possibly in the fall, before implementing full use of the Car of Tomorrow for the 2007 season.
This week, on PRN's Garage Pass, Jack Roush said he's hoping the COT gets rolled out slowly. Roush joined other owners in pleading that case before NASCAR. According to Roush, if team owners can phase out their old cars, at the same time NASCAR phases in the new style, the cost, although still significant, would be greatly reduced.
The only Toyotas you can expect to see on NASCAR tracks next year, are flatbeds. But the buzz surrounding which Nextel Cup teams will switch to the manufacturer for 2007 is at decibel-level. Bill Davis, Michael Waltrip, Roger Penske, all in the mix. (Remember, Waltrip will be driving for Bill Davis in '06...looks like his owner hat will match Bill's in '07).
No question, the Car of Tomorrow will help insure that the guys who drive it have many more tomorrows. It will be wider and longer. The driver will be situated some 4-inches closer to the center of the car. The rollcage will be improved. And new 'crushable' materials will be introduced.
The drivers are glad the COT is coming and the owners appreciate the safety initiatives. But you can bet a few of those owners are really glad the calendar is working in their wallet's favor.
October 7, 2005 | Permalink
Comments
I don't see an advantage for anyone...They all have to struggle with the new body etc. And the big guys will still have track knowledge. Me, I'm not doing a panic, "The Japs are coming to take over the sport!" The more the merrier...anything that brings more fans and knowledge (about NASCAR) can't be all bad.
Here's a more useful Japanese saying...(Two fingers in the air)bi-ru. Unless you drink alone that gets ya 2 cold ones!!!
Posted by: Keith | Oct 7, 2005 5:18:38 PM
For the record it's "choto mate kudasai" that means "Wait a minute, please!"
"Matte Kudasai" is a single by the band King Crimson, released in 1981.
But thanks for the Japanese refresher, it brought back memories of my 7 years there. Not that I need it with the Japanese F1 Grand Prix this weekend. Ahhh... those Japanese hotties!!!
Toyota may have a slight advantage because they will start fresh with the COT. But that, in my opinion will be negated by being new at the NEXTEL Cup level. It will also be dependent on which teams they align themselves with. Davis looks to be a lock with the M. Waltrip/Darrell Waltrip connection. the rest are up in the air.
Even though Honda has denied it, the company have been provided with CTS templates and considering they just introduced their "supersized" Ridgeline truck in the States it stands to reason they wouldn't let Toyota have CTS and eventually Cup alone to themselves.
Posted by: Marc | Oct 7, 2005 6:03:10 PM
Why isn't anyone talking about the Tony Raines crew chief drug suspension? Is that for pot or for steroids? Just curious.
Posted by: Ralph | Oct 7, 2005 6:43:00 PM
I posted a note about it. Not much to say really. He got busted, he's gone and good riddence.
Question: Why on earth would a crew chief need steroids? Does he bench press the pit crew on off days?
Obviously it was of the mind altering varity, not the muscle building type. And unless the guilty admits to the drug you'll never find out.
Posted by: Marc | Oct 7, 2005 9:30:24 PM
Ever since the heat they got over the 1995 Monte Carlo supercar, NASCAR seems to have done a decent job of attempting to keep things equal (too decent, some would say, but that's another argument). I can't imagine they will let any make come out of the box with a new-generation car that has decided advantages over another one.
Just out of curiousity, who might the author be of the "Does safety = advantage for Toyota?" post?
Posted by: David Green | Oct 8, 2005 5:24:37 AM
That would be the third piece of our Turn 3 puzzle, Krista Voda.
Posted by: Bob Henry | Oct 8, 2005 6:03:35 AM
YEAH Krista! It's GREAT to see one of the best motorsports journalists in America on here!
Kyle Petty was among those who tested the COT at Talladega and he seemed to like it as well...guess NASCAR will go ahead with it..no matter what anyone says!
Posted by: Greg | Oct 8, 2005 8:40:50 AM
Until the submission deadline for 2006 Nextel Cup cars passed, the rumors about Toyota being in or out next year fluxuated quite a bit. Now it looks to me like they were waiting to see the time table that NASCAR would put on the COT implementation. That's pretty smart if you ask me. Why build a bunch of cars that will only run one year and then start over the next?
Did Toyota have any influence regarding NASCAR's decision (if that turns out to be fact) to do an all-at-once changeover? That's a question for the black helicopter crowd.
Keith gave the straight scoop on the language issues, I spent 18 glorious months there courtesy of the USAF. To add to that, after quaffing a few bi-ru you might ask; obenjo wa doko desu ka? (Where is the restroom?).
Posted by: ronmon | Oct 8, 2005 9:02:40 AM
David Green, you don't know Toyota. NASCAR has to crack down EXTREMELY hard to keep Toyota from bankrupting the other marques.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Oct 8, 2005 12:36:53 PM
I'm just curious how they think they can break up the big teams. Example is the Hendrick Organization. 24,48,5,25,44 are Hendrick but then you have the 01,10 and 0 who lease Hendrick engines and run Hendrick chassis and share data amongst one another. To me that's all you'll see. How can they say no 01 and 10 you can't work with them anymore? Roush you shut that 6 and 97 car down. To me lose 2 Roush, 2 Hendrick, 2 Ganassi. You're down to 38-39 car fields. Just the way NASCAR runs their business one day may bite them. They take no advice and don't listen to their fans or competitors. NFL has a competiton board made up of coaches, owners, nfl officials and they come up with rules and such. NASCAR just decides for all. That isn't a great strategy usually.
Posted by: Scott | Oct 8, 2005 6:05:58 PM
Welcome to TR Krista!!! I have similar thoughts as you regarding Toyota's emergence into NASCAR. The safety factor, no matter how important, are simply a rouge to allow Toyota to run with the rest of them.
Feel free to stop by the Infield and "shout it out loud" as KISS used to sing we would love to hear from you.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 8, 2005 6:36:26 PM
Hey Krista !!
A breath of fresh air..cool. My only japaneese would be Fugii, as in McHales'Navy. The answer is, You betcha'! Mr. Penske does not make a change unless he thinks it will result in an advantage. Unless a big pile of money is involved. In this issue, my guess is that he wants both. Don't they all?
Posted by: Larry | Oct 8, 2005 6:36:28 PM
How about changing the Busch series rules so they can use the redundant Cup cars? Just bolt on the smaller carb and away they go. Then at least the Cup teams could save or make some money from their old equipment.
Posted by: David | Oct 9, 2005 2:11:49 AM
I am ill of hearing about these millionaires saving a buck. They are getting 2 million for 40th place in pts. Sponsor $$, TV money, and 25 bucks for a tshirt. PPPPPllllllllllease.
Posted by: Larry | Oct 9, 2005 8:21:47 AM
Trust me, first it's Toyota then we get Nissan then Honda. You think the current Big Three spend money on NASCAR. Let them in and you've sold the series. I just left a Rousch cherity event at Kansas Speedway and it was real nice to see an ocean of Chevy, Dodges, and even Fords. Guess France wants more wine and cheese bars than Bud booths. Ive been a NASCAR fan since I watched Petty in the 60's. We'll never see another Petty or another Earnhardt racing for themselves or a Childress, all your going to get now are corporate drivers for multi car teams. Their sponsors should walk down the line of trailers outside the track and they would realize by the lack of lines at the Kennseth and Busch sites that the fans are not behind multi-car teams.
Posted by: JOEB | Oct 9, 2005 3:55:59 PM
great to see you around.you got sc...d by speed.you know nascar and how it works. keep up the good works
Posted by: louie morgan | Oct 9, 2005 6:23:14 PM
Scott,
They can break up the multicar teams imply by not accepting the entry blanks of teams above a set limit, say of three teams, until those teams can be proven to be independent operations, in fact and not just on paper - their shop is in a different town from a bigger team (for example, Doolie, NC instead of Moorsville), they build their own engines or get them from a supplier not controlled by a race team (such as ProMotor Engineering), and so forth.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Oct 9, 2005 7:22:04 PM
Mike,
It's simpler than that...follow the money! The NFL does it with their salary caps etc. The money never lies and always points the way.
Posted by: Keith | Oct 10, 2005 7:10:01 AM
NASCAR obviously does not take any lessons away from the USAC/CART/IRL history.
Enjoy NASCAR entertainment, becasue I believe we have seen the high point for stock car racing in America....until a real stock car series comes along, that is.
Posted by: BARman | Oct 10, 2005 7:18:42 AM
I saw Brian France on 60 Minutes say NASCAR was a $3 billion dollar a year business. One of these days a handful of top drivers are going to start their own league with a weeknight TV contract and control the sanctioning body themselves.
Five percent of $3 billion is $150 million. Don't you think Tony Stewart and Ken Schrader (both track owners) alone could start a series with a couple of random veterans that took 5% of NASCARs market share? It happened with the ABA, AFL and USFL. It will happen with NASCAR. I know I'd love to see a series on CBS with top production values on a weeknight.
Posted by: joejoejoe | Oct 10, 2005 7:32:47 AM
Right on, Keith.
Here's the thing - let have as many damn teams as they want. 1, 2 or 50, whatever.
But - restrict testing, and cap R&D and Testing dollars.
Like a 5 car organization gets 9 tests. Period. (at NASCAR sanctioned tracks). Split those 9 among the 5 teams however you want, but that's all you get. And cap the R&D and Testing dollars so that unsanctioned track tests are kept to a minimum.
So the 5 car organization and the 1 car organization are basically on a level playing field.
I think that would be a start.
Posted by: the6and9 | Oct 10, 2005 8:23:15 AM
Oh, I like this road. Before we wake up from the dream, could make heat races so that tv could actually show the racing.
Til' the 60min show it did not really occur to me that we are paying to watch commercial billboards go round and round. To rub it in even more, on TV we are watching commercials interrupted by the moving billboards. Oh geeez.
I'll never pick on those guys chasing the little white ball, ever again. ha.
No matter what I say. Serious or in jest, I seldom miss a lap.
Posted by: Larry | Oct 10, 2005 8:24:22 AM
Hey Krista,
Its great to see you back doing nascar! You can never be replaced:)
Nothing more hotter than a female that knows her "chit" when it comes to nascar :)
I for one am not looking forward to Toyota coming into nascar and throwng thier money all around. Now Toyota next is honda, Nissan and the rest of them.
Keep up the good work Krista and good to see you back.
Eddie
Posted by: Eddie | Oct 10, 2005 10:05:03 AM
So why is Krista Voda not on Speed anymore?
Krista has a lot more to offer the public than many of those seen on Speed programs of late.
Posted by: Dr. Jensen | Oct 10, 2005 12:47:17 PM
Great to hear from you Krista. Miss you on Speed. The bubleheads that replaced you and Ralph wouldn't know a spring rubber if it hit them in the head.Guess Speed is taking a lesson from NASCAR and going after a new fan base and forgetting thier old one.I keep wishing somebody would give NASCAR some competition and bring back STOCK car racing the way it used to be!!
Posted by: Wayne Relstab | Oct 10, 2005 1:45:41 PM
Wayne,I'm with you on that!See my post on David Green's comments.That can't be the racer,is it?Krista,good to hear from you again.What a joke Nascar Nation is.I liked the show last year with Hammond and McReynolds chimming in.An attractive female knowing the deal with Nascar is like an attractive female that plays softball,as good as it gets!Anyway,with Toyota coming in I think it will help teams like Bill Davis with Waltrip as far as funds and resources to catch them up with the Hendricks and Roushes.I wish they would make some advances toward the smaller teams that could use a boost to compete with the 5 car teams that rule the sport now.Don't ya'll get tired of seeing the same people up front?I guess I will always pull for the underdog as I did with Marcis,McDuffie,Speed and those cats as I do with Robbie Gordon(doesn't take any crap),Shreader,Mike Wallace to name a few.As far as the furure car....What is wrong with the one now.The wrecks at Tally should attest to the safty.Seems the more changes they keep making to the cars the more boring the racing is getting.Just seems the multi-car teams will always win out on changes because they have the resources and funds to keep up with the changes while the smaller teams just struggle to pay the bills.Oh yeah,bring back the Rock in nicer weather!
Posted by: DJ | Oct 10, 2005 3:00:14 PM
It s great to see you back where you belong,reporting Nascar. You are sorely missed on Speed,,,and Nascar Nation is a travesty, walking, talking Ken and Barbie dolls. They even shafted Bestwick, who could be annoying at times, but he knew his stuff.Oh,,, and i dont really care about rice burners in Nascar,although i know they re coming.Guess it s just progress.Well, good luck here.
Posted by: Stephen | Oct 10, 2005 3:06:25 PM
Great to see you back, Krista! You've been missed!
Posted by: Sarah | Oct 10, 2005 3:48:24 PM
OK, I think all the Toyota bashers need to do a little research -- Tundras are made in Indiana, Camrys in Kentucky, Monte Carlo? Canada! Dodge? Chrysler is owned by Mercedes (nice German folks that spend just as much on racing as Toyota)! Oh the parts for the Toyotas are imported? Yep, from California! Get over it and let's go racin!
Posted by: Butch | Oct 10, 2005 5:02:57 PM
NASCAR is running 1955 pushrod V8 engines with 1950's carb technology. While F1 style engines are not what is needed in 'stock car' racing, reality dictates that we need to address the fact that fuel injection and overhead cam engines are now the norm. In fact, with this technology NASCAR can do away with the restrictor plate at Daytona and Talledega. Just tune the engines down to 350 horsepower and away we go. It is time for some new blood in 'stock car' racing, or should we just call NASCAR 'rednecks only racing'?
Posted by: steve | Oct 10, 2005 8:19:03 PM
I don't about you guys, but, I think Krista is one sweet "hottie"! Not mention she has brains, quite a bit of class and loves NASCAR.
Glad to see we have someone on here who will be a bit dignified with her comments. Welcome to "That's Racin'", Krista!
Posted by: Driver8 | Oct 10, 2005 8:57:02 PM
Krista, it is soooo goooood to hear from you!!
Gad, how we miss you on Speed. The stuff over there is getting worse by the minute!!
We have missed you, hoping you'll pop up somewhere where we can see and hear you.
In the meantime we'll be "reading" you.
Much luck in everything, a big fan, BT.
Posted by: Barbara Thomas | Oct 10, 2005 10:27:48 PM
Hey Butch, Just because Toyotas are assembled in the US, doesnt mean they are American made! You think that money made on those trucks and cars stays in the US? NO, it goes back to Japan! some parts are assembled here, but most of the stuff comes from Japan, you think that steel comes from Pittsburg? My dad worked in a steel plant in Missouri, that was shut down because of people buying foriegn steel, that comes on those Jap cars and trucks. I know, i work for Ford Motor Company, on the assembly line, Local 249 in Kansas City, Missouri. Our trucks are 99% made in the USA. and the money made off of those trucks stays in the US. I have said for many years, if nascar allows those Jap cars in, i will not watch anymore. they have done it with the trucks series, and i dont watch that anymore. what would the founding fathers of nascar say if they knew that Toyota, Nissan, and Honda was coming into the greatest american sport ever. If nascar wasnt so money hungry they would not allow it, they are just going to take 57 years of american tradition and throw it away, along with many fans, just like me. but they dont care, because they have got new fans, new tracks, new sponsers...you name it. I work my ass off for 12 hours a day on a assembly line building the best american made truck out there, and it just ticks me off when someone says that Nissan, or Toyota are american made. just because they might be assembled here, doesnt mean they are built here! so remember the next time you get in your honda, nissan or your pretty little toyota, that the same people 64 years ago that attacked Pearl Harbor, are responsible for that vehical your driving now, or your going to be rooting for in 2007...Buy American, your kids job may depend on it someday.
Posted by: Buy_American! | Oct 11, 2005 4:01:25 AM
Welcome, Krista! And I couldn't agree with you more about the Car of Tomorrow benifitting Toyota the most. That's the first thing I thought of too when NASCAR started talking about it and how the use of it coincidentally coincided with the entry of the foreign manufacturer into NASCAR. Yeah, they won't even have to build a stock body for NASCAR. Not that the other three manufacturers resemble anything close to the Monte, Taurus or Intrepid anyway, but Toyota won't even had to make an attempt to try and build one. How sad and so political by the powers that be. I understand and applaud the safety initiative, but I think that's just a very small part of NASCAR's plan to entice foreign-owned companies into the series.
Cheryl
Posted by: Another Cheryl | Oct 11, 2005 7:58:53 AM
If NASCAR were serious about the cost issue they could simply put a limit on the wingspan of all the personal jets owned by the various teams. OK, maybe limit the amount of granite, marble, and gold faucets used in the motor homes as well.
BTW - After this column you will never see Krista on NASCAR Nation again.
Krista - Next time you're in Daytona go out behind the woods at the rear of the ISC building. That's where they land the black helicopters.
Richard
Posted by: Richard | Oct 11, 2005 12:54:17 PM
To Buy American: I couldn't agree with you more!! NASCAR has always been an AMERICAN institution. Letting Toyota or any foreign manufacturer in is a SELL-OUT. Brian France needs to wake up! Taking away great racing at traditional tracks plus letting foreign car makers in equals the end of NASCAR.
Posted by: Wayne Relstab | Oct 11, 2005 1:54:51 PM
Buy American - so legitmate points but not entirely correct. I drive a Ford Explorer which has a transmission made in France (that one had me scratching my head) and a number of parts made in Mexico. My wife drives a Thunderbird (new one) and the engine is made in Germany and the transmission is also made in France along with the misc. pieces from Mexico. Those pieces are amongst the most expensive parts and labor intensive on the vehicle and yet they aren't made here in North America. Obviously I support the American car industry and used to work for an aluminum manufacturer that provided ingot to Ford, Chrysler, GM, VW, Hyundai, and Honda from a foundry in Canada. It's a slippery slope when you start talking about made in the US. Someone already pointed out that Chrysler is owned by Daimler out of Germany so do you not buy Dodge product because of WW I & II? Yes Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Get over it - everyone else has. Times change, maybe not for the better but they change. Look at Toyota as new competition for the Big 3 (2?) to beat.
Posted by: canucken | Oct 11, 2005 2:34:23 PM
it may save them some money because they will not have to scrap cars,but they will still have to get crews ready,work out the bugs of a cup engine,find some great drivers,owners,engine builders,engineers etc.dodge is still working through this now thats why they are scaling back their craftsman truck involvement. i'm pretty sure they've outspent ford and chevy and you see they are still struggling.
Posted by: derick | Oct 11, 2005 5:27:58 PM
to canucken:
The UAW has tried to talk to the "big 3" to get all of the parts made in the US. But the current US government has made it so easy for them to let other countries build some of our parts. becuase its much cheaper to let mexicans build the radio in your explorer than a UAW employee build it because you have to pay him more. the mexican makes $6 an hour compared to $25 an hour, the mexican has no insurance, the UAW employee has ford pay for his insurance. so if ford can cut that job out, it saves them money. and another hard working american is on the street looking for a new job, becuase his is in mexico now. you buy a new nissan truck and you double the people effected in the US with loosing their jobs. and it all comes back to the US government. I tell you what, you talk to my grandpa, or his brother, or his brother in law, and you ask them if they have forgotten pearl harbor, they were there that day. you ask anyone that was there on the aniversary every december 7th, remembering what happened that day. i was there on vacation a couple of years ago, and what i saw made me sick, and group from Japan was walking through the same time i was, pointing at things and laughing totally disrespecting anyone who died there, that really stuck in my head, and everytime i see someone with my flag on thier import in makes me furious! maybe your better at forgiving than i am. sorry for ranting a little bit, but its something that i am very passionate about. keep buying Fords, GMs, and Dodge, keep us working. when you buy american, jobs stay in america!
Posted by: Buy_American! | Oct 12, 2005 5:11:52 AM
American -
Got to agree with Canucken on this one. We call something American-made that is simply "assembled" here. (GM, Ford, Daimler) So, if thats the case then you can consider Toyota, Nissan, and Honda all "American-made" as well. I would also go as far as to say that at any of the latter three plants here in the US, you'll find honest to god, red-blooded American citizens working in those facilities. So the idea of "import" in this case is stretching it very far.
I'm sorry you felt something sacred was disrespected once, but please don't let one bad experience cloud your better judgement or callouse your feelings toward any particular race. That would be a waste.
Posted by: the6and9 | Oct 12, 2005 6:41:59 AM
to blame "the current govenment"for the assembled in america cars is quite ignorant,as i remember slick wille and big al pushed nafta,if someone is to be blamed we need to go to where it started.who put those two fruit loops in office ,i for one did not.
Posted by: derick | Oct 12, 2005 1:01:33 PM
Folks I was just talking about cars and racing and this guy wants to start waving the flag and such.. Well the comment about Pearl Harbor stung a little since my dad was there on 7 Dec 1941 when the bombs fell and he fought that war and came home and raised me to not judge people by their race but by their actions. He also taught me to respect the opinions of others. So you think Toyota in NASCAR is a bad idea, I don't, but man this is what is great about America -- the ability to have an open debate on anything and everything! I served my country to preserve that right and was proud to do so. Buy American, don't give up on NASCAR because of Toyota, racin' is always gonna be racin! Let's argue about the Car of Tomorrow or something, personally I'm for true stock bodywork with limited spoilers and production based engines, bring back the race what you built days!
Posted by: Butch | Oct 12, 2005 7:20:22 PM
Buy American - please don't think for a moment that I don't think what happened in Pearl Harbor was wrong. Those Japanese tourists walking through like that is incredibly disrespectful. I would feel the same way about an American walking through a war memorial in another country and laughing at that no difference. 'Get over it' was a little flip. I shouldn't have said that, but we do need to move on from these things. It happened a long time ago and bridges have been built between the two countries. I do support the North American car manufacturers. If I were to ever buy an import brand it would have to be made here in North America. 1 in 7 jobs relies directly or indirectly on the automotive industry and I used to work (as I mentioned) for a company that was heavily reliant on the automotive business. I still think Toyota coming in is a good thing. Like the japanese selling vehicles in North America it made the Big 3 build better cars - no one can deny that. Let's see if it intesifies the competition in Nascar.
Posted by: canucken | Oct 13, 2005 8:43:22 AM
