Camry's in Winston Cup???

[badassgrandam99]

...this is pretty interesting... pretty soon we might see Toyota Camry's racing next to NASCAR Monte Carlos, Grand Prixs, Tauruses, and Intrepids... what ever happened to stock cars being stock... i mean... i watch NASCAR, but currently the GM cars are the closest to actual products since they offer a two door version (although Pontiac did just ax the two door GP) ...but let's see... i don't see a 2 door, RWD, V8 Taurus... or Intrepid... or Monte Carlo and GP... anyway... here's a link to the story...

Camry's in Winston Cup (http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=motorsportsnews&content_code=00601529)

[Molson]

They have been talking about that for a while.. Toyota Racing Development has been working on that for a while.. I didn't look at the article yet, but what motor are they running? They wanted to use their Multi-OHC motors but Nascar didn't.

We were speaking with Toyota Racing about racing Toyota bodies up here. Looks like I may still be GM this season, or nothing.

[VTECSiGAH8R]

Yeah Toyota really wants to break into the American racing scene. They already have a Toyota Funny car, NASCAR was only a matter of time, and soon I'm sure they'll have Top Fuel, if they don't already.

[red rocket]

Toyota is attempting to get a part time team together in the Craftsmen Truck series in 2003, with hopes of getting a full time Winston Cup stock car team in 2004.

[Tonyyank]

i thought pontiac was out next year :confused: Was someone pulling my chain :confused:

[Kitt]

naw, just tony stewart isnt going to be pontiac anymore. Pontiac is sopposted to be doing a redesign of the car soon as well.:cheers:

[Tonyyank]

Oh ok....I liked Tony Stewert too...just cause he had a Pontiac :D

Oh well!!! I wanna see the new look!!! :D

:cheers:

[nathan_w1]

I know I'm new here, and I don't have a Grand Am GT, I have an SE, but the thought of a Camry in Winston Cup makes me laugh. NASCAR race cars have always been American cars and I think they should stay that way. I think NASCAR would loose fans if Toyota tried to get into Winston Cup. Thats my two cents.

[DeuceGT]

badass, steve man, as long as NASCAR has been around, there has been very little resemblence to the street cars they are based on.

Tony, Joe Gibbs racing is turning to Chevy (traitor) for the '04 Wiston Cup season, so both Tony Stewert and Bobby Labonte will be in Monte Carlos. Strange huh, 2 championships in 3 years and they are changing cars?? wtf.

As for the rest of Pontiac at Nascar, the other teams will have the new model, I just hope we see it in the winners circle once or twice...

~steve

[badassgrandam99]

Originally posted by DeuceGT
badass, steve man, as long as NASCAR has been around, there has been very little resemblence to the street cars they are based on.

Tony, Joe Gibbs racing is turning to Chevy (traitor) for the '04 Wiston Cup season, so both Tony Stewert and Bobby Labonte will be in Monte Carlos. Strange huh, 2 championships in 3 years and they are changing cars?? wtf.

As for the rest of Pontiac at Nascar, the other teams will have the new model, I just hope we see it in the winners circle once or twice...

~steve

...not true buddy... stock cars used to actually be cars that you could buy on the dealer lots and with little modifications you could enter them into races... hell... stock cars used to resemble their street counterparts pretty closely up through the 80's...

[Molson]

Especially throughout the 70's.. It was a big manufacturers race. Like the 70 Charger, with the big ole wing. The cars were built by the Makers and maintained by the race teams. They were pretty well donated and sponsored by Chev, Dodge and Ford. Coming into the 80s is when the started specifically building the stock cars and just putting skins on em to resemble the cars.

Nothing like the ole days, racing a full framed sheet metal body car. When tradin' paint meant sumthin..

AIN'T SKEERED!

lol

[ja_nd]

to correct an earlier post the dates as posted on jayski.com (most acurate nascar site) says they will be in the cts in 2004, and the earliest they will be in wc will be 2007. they will be running the camry body (what ever it will look like at that time). The biggest problem is the motors because toyota doesn't make cast iron blocks, all alluminum. but i guess they found a plant that still has castings.

i agree with someone earlier this would be terrible for nascar, and whatever driver decided to run that make. there are a couple of toyota celica's in nascars goodies dash series. i have never heard a driver check booed so bad. it's not the driver either, he was a fan favorite before he decided to switch. my 2 cents.

[nathan_w1]

DeuceGT, if I remeber correctly, Joe Gibbs racing will start using Chevy's this season.

[442alero]

Gibbs started in Chevy with Dale Jarret so they'er just going back to they'er roots.:p

[VTECSiGAH8R]

I personally don't care. I don't know how many of you know about Toyota, but the company isn't solely Japanese anymore. A crapload of there cars are build in America, by Americans. Meanwhile, our own American companies, like GM and Ford, turn to Mexico for many cheaper parts and labor. They turn to Canada too, but I see Canada as a 51st state so its OK with me.

Anyway, Toyota just wants to connect more with Americans I think. I mean wouldn't it be nice to see them on the track anyway, a place that America should be able to whoop the Japanese on?? We seem to have trouble doing it everywhere else except the battlefield. If America looses to them on NASCAR and truck series tracks, or the NHRA funny cars and top fuelers, it is our own fault because we have been doing that stuff WAAAAAAAAAY longer than they have.

I just want to know how long it is b4 they start stealing our ideas and improving on them :rolleyes:

[Molson]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R
... They turn to Canada too, but I see Canada as a 51st state so its OK with me.


Ya, and we see the US as the 11th Province. :rolleyes: :confused:

[VTECSiGAH8R]

Originally posted by Molson



Ya, and we see the US as the 11th Province. :rolleyes: :confused:

Well they were the 51st state, I have now demoted them to a US protectorate like Puerto Rico :mad: lol Watch what superpower you're talking to buddy :)

[badassgrandam99]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R
I personally don't care. I don't know how many of you know about Toyota, but the company isn't solely Japanese anymore. A crapload of there cars are build in America, by Americans.

...doesn't make them an American company though... profits still go back to Japan... most of the parts are still made in Japan as well, the cars are just assembled over here...

[VTECSiGAH8R]

Originally posted by badassgrandam99


...doesn't make them an American company though... profits still go back to Japan... most of the parts are still made in Japan as well, the cars are just assembled over here...

Good point. America should probably just move all of their facilities to Mexico and have all the cars assembled there and we can make the parts here, that way it will save GM the labor costs and give them more profits, because that is all that is important right? :rolleyes:

[badassgrandam99]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R


Good point. America should probably just move all of their facilities to Mexico and have all the cars assembled there and we can make the parts here, that way it will save GM the labor costs and give them more profits, because that is all that is important right? :rolleyes:

...in business, yes... the bottom line that drives companies is profit.. an un-profitable company can't survive... but what varies among companies is how they choose to attain those profits... some companies will be extremely employee oriented b/c happy employees can make or break your company... if your employees are happy, then they'll work harder, turning out a better product for the company which the public will see in the long run... but some other companies will focus on short run practices that will save them money and boost their profit margin...

[Molson]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R


Well they were the 51st state, I have now demoted them to a US protectorate like Puerto Rico :mad: lol Watch what superpower you're talking to buddy :)

Do a little research as to who makes all your "superpower" weapons work. Us. ALL the optics, night vision, radar **** is made here,. actually, in my home town.
Who gets the satellites in orbit? Oh, right, the CanadaArm, How is the International Space Station being built? Oh, right, CanadaArm II.
I guess a little ignorance is ok. But geez. Little respect. :confused:

But I am way off topic.

GO NASCAR! lol

[VTECSiGAH8R]

Originally posted by badassgrandam99


...in business, yes... the bottom line that drives companies is profit.. an un-profitable company can't survive... but what varies among companies is how they choose to attain those profits... some companies will be extremely employee oriented b/c happy employees can make or break your company... if your employees are happy, then they'll work harder, turning out a better product for the company which the public will see in the long run... but some other companies will focus on short run practices that will save them money and boost their profit margin...

Well oddly enough, GM can still maintain profitability with American workers, and Toyota is probably even more profitable, even with American workers. You have to also remember that sometimes trimming on the lower level doesn't hit the consumer because it hits the executives' pockets first.

[badassgrandam99]

Originally posted by Molson


Do a little research as to who makes all your "superpower" weapons work. Us. ALL the optics, night vision, radar **** is made here,. actually, in my home town.
Who gets the satellites in orbit? Oh, right, the CanadaArm, How is the International Space Station being built? Oh, right, CanadaArm II.
I guess a little ignorance is ok. But geez. Little respect. :confused:

But I am way off topic.

GO NASCAR! lol

...trust me... it's made here too... :) ...but you're right... back to the topic... GO HARVICK!!! :thumbs:

[DeuceGT]

actually, i would looove to see the first race that a camry was in, if only to watch Stewert or Harvick put 'em in the wall on the second lap lol !!

[badassgrandam99]

Originally posted by DeuceGT
actually, i would looove to see the first race that a camry was in, if only to watch Stewert or Harvick put 'em in the wall on the second lap lol !!

...and if i'm lucky... Jeff Gordon will be the one driving the Camry that gets put into the wall!!! :D

[Molson]

Originally posted by badassgrandam99


...and if i'm lucky... Jeff Gordon will be the one driving the Camry that gets put into the wall!!! :D

Ack.. Just lost respect for ya Steve.. :)

Jr! Jr! Jr! And Stewart for his attitude. And Sterlin Marlin, cause, hell, its Coors Light.

[badassgrandam99]

Originally posted by Molson


Ack.. Just lost respect for ya Steve.. :)

Jr! Jr! Jr! And Stewart for his attitude. And Sterlin Marlin, cause, hell, its Coors Light.

..how'd ya lose repect for me??? ... i don't like Gordon... Jeff that is... Robby Gordon is cool though... i'm an RCR/DEI supporter... :)

[Molson]

my bad, I read it wrong. Respect is back. :thumbs:

Thought the 'put' said 'puts'

[nathan_w1]

I was watching Speed News on Speed Channel today, and they said (I assume NASCAR) told Toyota that their perfectly good over-head cam engine needed a set of push-rods. Speed News confermed that Toyota will try and race in the truck series, IIRC in 04' and have the camry in 07'.

[Molson]

Originally posted by nathan_w1
I was watching Speed News on Speed Channel today, and they said (I assume NASCAR) told Toyota that their perfectly good over-head cam engine needed a set of push-rods. Speed News confermed that Toyota will try and race in the truck series, IIRC in 04' and have the camry in 07'.


Yup, I heard the same thing, same show.. And Road to Daytona has begun!!!!

WC Testing this month! Woop!

[nathan_w1]

Yeah, I can't wait for the season to start. I have nothing to do on Sunday afternoons!

[Molson]

Originally posted by nathan_w1
Yeah, I can't wait for the season to start. I have nothing to do on Sunday afternoons!

Same here. I had to watched the taped ones. And my tapes from our track. But its ok, Nascar Thunder 2003 is helping me.

[SilverGA2001]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R


Well oddly enough, GM can still maintain profitability with American workers, and Toyota is probably even more profitable, even with American workers. You have to also remember that sometimes trimming on the lower level doesn't hit the consumer because it hits the executives' pockets first.

Also remember that Toyota isn't paying these huge pensions and retirement packages. They've only been around 25-30 years over here, and they don't have a retiring work force yet. GM and Ford have to pay millions of retirees their pensions. If you figure GM combined with Delphi (since GM has to pay a certain amount of Delphi pensions still, if you retired through GM, GM pays your pension still, and if you had so many years in, 25 or so, GM will still be the company you get your check from) has about 400,000 active workers, think of how many retirees it has over the last 50 years. The Jap companies get to keep everything once they pay their employees, but the American companies have tremendous burdens from former workers. Old people. :rolleyes: J/K. I know that when I was with American Honda, the oldest employee in the Parts Division news letter was some guy in California, and he was just hitting 30 years with the company. But on the flip side, my grandfather has been retired from GM since 1978, more years then I've been alive!

[VTECSiGAH8R]

Originally posted by SilverGA2001


Also remember that Toyota isn't paying these huge pensions and retirement packages. They've only been around 25-30 years over here, and they don't have a retiring work force yet. GM and Ford have to pay millions of retirees their pensions. If you figure GM combined with Delphi (since GM has to pay a certain amount of Delphi pensions still, if you retired through GM, GM pays your pension still, and if you had so many years in, 25 or so, GM will still be the company you get your check from) has about 400,000 active workers, think of how many retirees it has over the last 50 years. The Jap companies get to keep everything once they pay their employees, but the American companies have tremendous burdens from former workers. Old people. :rolleyes: J/K. I know that when I was with American Honda, the oldest employee in the Parts Division news letter was some guy in California, and he was just hitting 30 years with the company. But on the flip side, my grandfather has been retired from GM since 1978, more years then I've been alive!

So people didn't have to pay into pensions back in the day?? wtf I mean they get the money from the workers to keep and invest it to increase it so that they can cover the people when they get old, so it shouldn't have much to do with that anyway, especially since a lot of people die early and don't collect all they paid in. I'm not sure about this but I think that is how it works, no?

My dad has been working and paying into retirement for over 30 years and if he were to die, I believe noone gets the money, or at least not the full amount he paid in...of course over that amount of time, they could have SEVERELY increased the amount of money he put in with investments...so no matter what they win, unless my dad lives to 100 at least.

[SilverGA2001]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R


So people didn't have to pay into pensions back in the day?? wtf I mean they get the money from the workers to keep and invest it to increase it so that they can cover the people when they get old, so it shouldn't have much to do with that anyway, especially since a lot of people die early and don't collect all they paid in. I'm not sure about this but I think that is how it works, no?

My dad has been working and paying into retirement for over 30 years and if he were to die, I believe noone gets the money, or at least not the full amount he paid in...of course over that amount of time, they could have SEVERELY increased the amount of money he put in with investments...so no matter what they win, unless my dad lives to 100 at least.

Today, people pay into their retirements. That's a new concept though. 401K's are relatively new. In the time my grandfather retired from GM, they only paid pensions, and you don't pay into a pension, they send you a check every two weeks, like when you worked for them. And when you retire, they tell you it'll be whatever % of what you made when you were an active employee. Right now, since my dad is a GM employee who was around before 401K's, and was there when they were set up, he'll draw a pension and have a 401K fund. So he gets to benefit from both sides, but in the past it's always been the company paying out of their pocket to support the retirees. With Lord know's how many retirees GM has, well, it could get costly. Now when you hire in, you only get 401K support, their trying to get away from the costly Pension programs. They also still supply the retirees with GM insurance, and if your a salarly employee like my dad or grandpa, it's damn good, and I'm sure expensive. They pay most of it, and the employee/retiree pays about 70 a month or so out of his earnings. So as you can see, the retired personal can be a drag on their earnings. In fact, GM and Ford have been the topic of debate because of that very issue. GM's ratings were reduced when the economy turned down because everyone knew they had a huge finacial support system to pay for. Ford has the same issues. Toyota and Honda of course don't. They've not been established long enough to have a large retirement force. And when they do, they'll benefit from the modern system no doubt.

[VTECSiGAH8R]

Originally posted by SilverGA2001


Today, people pay into their retirements. That's a new concept though. 401K's are relatively new. In the time my grandfather retired from GM, they only paid pensions, and you don't pay into a pension, they send you a check every two weeks, like when you worked for them. And when you retire, they tell you it'll be whatever % of what you made when you were an active employee. Right now, since my dad is a GM employee who was around before 401K's, and was there when they were set up, he'll draw a pension and have a 401K fund. So he gets to benefit from both sides, but in the past it's always been the company paying out of their pocket to support the retirees. With Lord know's how many retirees GM has, well, it could get costly. Now when you hire in, you only get 401K support, their trying to get away from the costly Pension programs. They also still supply the retirees with GM insurance, and if your a salarly employee like my dad or grandpa, it's damn good, and I'm sure expensive. They pay most of it, and the employee/retiree pays about 70 a month or so out of his earnings. So as you can see, the retired personal can be a drag on their earnings. In fact, GM and Ford have been the topic of debate because of that very issue. GM's ratings were reduced when the economy turned down because everyone knew they had a huge finacial support system to pay for. Ford has the same issues. Toyota and Honda of course don't. They've not been established long enough to have a large retirement force. And when they do, they'll benefit from the modern system no doubt.

So this means when the old workers die off, GM and Ford will be making lots of money again.....sweeeeet :D....j/k man, I wouldn't wish that for anyone. Thanx for clearing that up for me.

[SilverGA2001]

Originally posted by VTECSiGAH8R


So this means when the old workers die off, GM and Ford will be making lots of money again.....sweeeeet :D....j/k man, I wouldn't wish that for anyone. Thanx for clearing that up for me.

Yeah, when all the old Buick drivin bastards die off... lol I'm glad the system has changed, because the Baby Boom crowd is freaking huge! That could cripple the best company I bet. :(