Toyota: Creation of a Dominant NASCAR Team

Michael Liddle — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:24:08 -0400

This month's topic of the NASCAR Nationwide Series has been the Nationwide Series No. 20 Toyota engine. Some say that the car has an unfair advantage over the remaining field of cars because of the newly introduced Toyota engine.

After rigorous testing of numerous engines this week, it was shown that there was no more than a 2hp gap between the Ford, Dodge, Chevy, and Toyota engines.

Even so, some still believe that the Toyota engines should be governed. I feel this is ridiculous. Each team is given the same parameters for creating the best performance out of their engines.

There are five major reasons why such a young manufacturing company in the NASCAR circuit has been so successful in dominating the veterans of this American sport.

5. This is not Toyota's first time in racing. They have had engines in open wheeled racing for years. They have even been in racing sports that some American manufacturing teams have not even touched, such as water sports. This means that they have more garage data than most NASCAR garages. They are familiar with high revving engines...and heck...these engines don't even rev as high as the ones they are used to.

4. I know we all wanted the new manufacturer to suffer the first 10 years they were in NASCAR. It's the only way it would feel fair. But let's be honest, coming into a multi-million dollar investment is not a joke. A company like Toyota would only bring the best of the best to the best damn sport in America.

3. Japan is a country where quality is important. The size of the country does not allow wasting products that goes on in America. Japan has limited space to throw away garbage and cars for that matter. A country like that needs a products to last a long time. Toyota is a company that has made quality its No. 1 priority, and it can be seen in its NASCAR engines. Just look on the road. The only 300,000-mile Fords you see are ones with rebuilt engines and completely restored bodies, but that ugly old boxy Toyota from 1985 probably has 300,000 miles on it, simply with oil changes.

2. Toyota has had a devoted racing team called the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) team that focuses on all motor sports for years. I know that Chevy, Ford, and Dodge have a racing division, too, but they simply think that bigger is better. I know this will make a lot of people mad, but the SRT, Z, and other special edition cars simply have bigger engines and a superchargers slapped on. That doesn't take too much R&D to figure out that will make the car go faster. American development teams are focused on making the spoiler cooler and the rims bigger, and that just adds weight.

1. Toyota has been developing their major sports, super, and racing cars without winding superchargers. Their art of creating an efficient naturally aspirated engine has been a goal for years allowing them to maximize power without forced induction. This has made it easy for them to use their data to create a naturally aspirated V8 to use in their NASCAR team cars. When the American teams cannot rely on their superchargers anymore, it is a tremendous horsepower drop and there is no wonder why they have trouble keeping up with such an experienced powerhouse.

I'm not trying to say that I don't think that American teams are not experienced or don't know what they are doing. I'm just saying that the success that Toyota is having is justified and that the degree of success is possibly even more justified by the history of this overseas company. After all, they don't just produce minivans.

NASCAR: Drivers Switching Teams Keeping Merchandise In The Closet?

Michael Liddle — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:33:34 -0400

The online NASCAR store is one of the most colorful and exciting websites to be on a week before going to a NASCAR race—from JR Nation mugs for the cool morning, to a FedEx tent awning for those sunburnt afternoons, and even gear for your too-young-to-cheer children to represent.

Showing your true colors on race day is one reason why NASCAR is so fun and colorful. You cannot turn your head without seeing a number, 00-99, planted on someone's noggin.

With competition getting fierce with the addition of Toyota motors, the further use of the COT, and younger drivers, it is no wonder that a lot of the teams are changing their dynamics.

New sponsors and drivers have been a big issue in the midst of a year that saw the most popular NASCAR team change of the millennium so far.

With one signature, Dale Earnhardt Jr. recruited Bud drinkers to switch to doing the Dew, and fans are wearing it proudly. I cannot imagine how much money was spent in order for Jr. fans to be up-to-date with cheering for their favorite driver.

Me, not being a part of the Jr. Nation, did not have to spend a dime to keep up with my team player...Tony Stewart. The 10-year, two-time Home Depot champion was certainly not going to switch teams with such a strong Camry on his side.

Well, technically he didn't. He announced the beginning of a new Tony Stewart era! The Stewart-Haas racing team will have two drivers in the 2009 season, including Stewart himself.

Now, this did not make me unhappy until I looked at my brand-new, embroidered, $100 Home Depot twill jacket. It is trash to me now.

The Smoke legacy with the No. 20 team is over. This jacket is one of the many articles of clothing, BBQ gear, and underwear I have.

My point is, how can fans expect to keep supporting their favorite driver vividly, when sponsor and team changes are occurring so often. It would take a fortune for me to rebuild a Tony Stewart collection once again!

Don't get me wrong. I do understand that this is big business, and there are a lot of people making money from new merchandise. I just wish I could have known about the fall of the No. 20 dynasty a bit sooner.

Maybe I would have spent more money at Home Depot fixing my toilet rather than a banner that attracts people to my house looking for a screwdriver set.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Liddle

Toyota: Creation of a Dominant NASCAR Team

NASCAR: Drivers Switching Teams Keeping Merchandise In The Closet?