Well, here it is gang.
Toyota to build Nextel Cup cars
It's official, the day's of old are gone, replaced with the "corporate" of tomorrow...
As of 2007, Toyota will field Cup and Bush cars along side of the Big 3 American cars. While, I am not against competition, it is a passing of an era in the sport.
Should, and I emphasis "should" make the sport bigger and better. But the loyalty and the overall makeup of the NASCAR fan base will be changed significantly in the years to come.
Part of these changes have been underway for a number of years (see Daytona rebuild and the new super tracks with their luxury boxes and special high-end fan treatment packages), but with Toyota entering the fray, it is only a matter of time before Honda follows. Then I am sure that BMW or Audi might see this as a platform for their sedans (as the demographics change to a more "higher income, white collar" base).
Toyota got through the legal loophole with having some of their truck and sedan production facilities scattered throughout the U.S. This qualified them as an "American Made" manufacture, and NASCAR could not prevent them from petitioning the board for membership.
Well, Honda makes cars here in the U.S. along with the BMW IN their new Z4 plant...
So, the King is dead, long live the "new" King.....TechnoTrix'd......