Toyota Camry - Popular?

[Alexamateo]

Given that Toyota employ 142,000 people in the USA and sell a great deal of US manufactured cars. Will the 2007 Camry be accepted by the general public as a car worthy of competing in NASCAR?

Some people will accept it, some people won't. There will be plenty of articles about the people who won't accept it because it will make a good story on a slow news week. For me, competetion makes us all ultimately better so bring it on.

And speaking of Waltrip, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he was one day able to build a super organization a la Hendrick, Roush, or Childress. People underestimate Michael Waltrip at their own peril.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think Toyota hasn't the talent behind the wheel to make a challenge this year. That said, if Mikey knows who to hire, he could be the success as a team owner he hasn't been as a driver. Mike has always gotten the sponsors and he knows the business side of the sport. He understands people.

Ok, now will the Camry be accepted? Heck, I think if Americans can buy as many Toyota's as they have over the years, I cannot understand why they wont be accepted. Getting Toyota into NASCAR was something long overdue in my opinion. Not sure what percentage of the American car market is dominated by Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru, but I would have to think that with Pearl Harbor better than 60 years in the past, Japanese makes who are made in the US of A are as domestic in the eyes of fans as any car maker. Having a Japanese brand that builds in the US in NASCAR just affirms the reality of the marketplace.

[Sparky1329]

Mikey knows how to be an A #1 suckup. That and being DW's brother bought him a career. If his organization can put together some good cars for him he has as much chance of winning as anybody else out there. His first mistake as a team owner was failing to put a competitive, winning driver in the #55 car. JMHO

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think Mikey was an ok driver with a good team, and a poor driver on a bad team. Mikey is one of those guys who need a good team to make him better, and that isnt' a slight, since about half the field of the Cup garage is like that. Very few guys in Cup can get into a crap car and make it competitive. So I wont knock him for the 55, it was a stop gap year until the Toyota money, influence, and organization kicks in. If Michael spends wisely, he will get the help he needs to run near the front again. He wont win a championship and he may never see the chase, but he will contend at some tracks if everything goes right. Mikey will be happier however if one of his cars does make the chase. He is now a team owner, and he will start to see the big picture.

[brudan]

Toyota in Nextel Cup is a good fit, there are more Toyotas than Monte Carlos built in the U.S. As far as Mikey making the chase, I hope he does. He needs a great Crew Chief, like Tony Jr.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Toyota in Nextel Cup is a good fit, there are more Toyotas than Monte Carlos built in the U.S. As far as Mikey making the chase, I hope he does. He needs a great Crew Chief, like Tony Jr.

That is a no brainer because not ONE Monte Carlo is made in the US of A. For that matter, not one Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix or Buick Lacrosse either. They are all made in Oshawa Ontario, in GM's Oshawa Assembly 1 and 2. Every year or so GM flies up one of the Chevy drivers to do some PR work with the boys on the line. We have seen Dale Sr, Smoke, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte over the years..

Of course, no one makes a big deal out of where the car is made if they don't know any better.....

[Sparky1329]

I don't understand the hullabaloo about Toyota. Nobody carried on when Dodge came back to NASCAR and that's a German company.

[call_me_andrew]

money equals speed + toyota is puting up the money = waltrip could be a chase contender

Toyota's F1 program would beg to differ.

I don't understand the hullabaloo about Toyota. Nobody carried on when Dodge came back to NASCAR and that's a German company.

Correction: They're half German. That's German enough to love sauerkraut, but not German enough to stay out of "summer camp".

I'll put up with anything that would reduce the number of rednecks at each race.