Do Americans hate Toyota participating in NASCAR?

Answer 1

Most race fans do not like it. There are several reasons for it, as well. Most common is just the fact that it is a foreign manufacturer. They run down the facts that Chevy, Dodge and Fords are made outside of the US and Toyotas are commonly made in the US. True, but the PROFITS from the Big Three come home to the US and the profits from Toyota go to Japan. Most people believe that Stock Car racing is an American sport and foreign manufacturers do not belong. Money is also an issue since Toyota has more money to spend than the Big Three, so in a few years Toyota could easily dominate.
Personally, I would rather them NOT be in NASCAR, but I am not going to boycott because of it. And, one of the drivers on my top-10 list switched to Toyota. I am not going to stop liking him because of it.

Answer 2

Many different manufacturer's cars have been used throughout NASCAR's history. A NASCAR race at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC on June 26, 1960 featured a Triumph, 2 MG's, a Corvette and a Valient.

Bowman-Gray Stadium had a 1/4 mile paved flat track around a football field, the home field for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.


Most Ford and Chevy fans think those makes have dominated since 1949, however the most dominate makes from 1949 through 1956 were Hudson, Chrysler and Lincoln with Oldsmobile bringing GM's first win in 1949 and the first 3 manufactuer's championships.

Hudson captured the next 3 manufacturer's championships and Chrysler the next 2.

Ford won manufacturer's champ in '57 and Chevy followed in '58.

In 1952, the year of my birth, Hudson Hornets won 27 of 34 races.

Mercury and Ford both broke through for their first wins in 1950. Which means that a Jaguar driven by Al Keller to a win at Linden, NJ on June 13, 1954 gave Jaguar more wins than Chevy entering the 1955 season. By the way, Nash and Studebaker had more wins than Chevy entering 1955.

Toyota's entry into NASCAR Cup is merely the continuation of a long tradition. If you want to race and can build a car that is within the current transient state of the rules, you can race.

It really is as simple as that as there is no rule that says it is an American sport only.

A fan who lives and dies by the brand of car will always be a part of NASCAR.

Although, as a kid I had been brand loyal, for most of my nearly 50 years of following the sport the driver and the racin' is where my passion for the sport resides, not the car.

The list of cars I have owned is short and an American make is nowhere on the list.

Answer 3

Yes.
Mainly because Toyota is from Japan and profits go to Japan.
Also, to the true car guy, Toyota never made anything cool and the Camry is at the bottom of the list of cool. So it makes no sense other than strictly marketing which is lame to me. I mean come on...it's a Camry. Potential Camry owners are not watching stock car races.
Nascar was built on V8 sedan's from the beginning. Chevy Dodge and Ford all fit the bill, I don't care if there built in Mexico or Canada, there grandfathered in at the least.

Toyota should take there best Lexus (which are sweet) and put there 5.7 V8 in it and call it a Toyota "Supra Dupra R" or something to gain acceptance in the real world of American auto racing.
I personally wish Toyota spends a bucket load of money and builds a bunch of new assembly plants etc. so that when the pendulum swings back the other way in the next few years, GM will be the ones buying the future 'ailing' Toyota plants since the 'Big-3' will be selling so much inventory by then..........It can happen....easy.

Answer 4

I'm from Martinsville, and around here you're either a Ford or a Chevy man. Every now and then you might meet a Dodge man, but even though Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubisi and etc, make great cars; generally, they're seen as chick-cars. Most people I know (And EVERYONE is a NASCAR fan around here) don't HATE the fact that Toyota has entered NASCAR (or even PABLO) for that matter. They just don't root for them and are happy when they wreck or lose.

Answer 5

I don't hate it at all, it makes for a pleasant change to the monotony of only the Big Three. Some will say it's a foreign car, but it's built here in the USA. Some will say that the money will go to a foreign owner in a foreign country, but choose to forget that Dodge is part of Chrysler, owned by Daimler, a German company.

My biggest complaint is that NONE of the "stock-cars" are really stock, and barely even stock-APPEARING. Not one is originally designed with a rear drive layout or a tube frame, and the Camry is not even available with a V-8! If it is using a Toyota stock engine as a base, then it must come from their truck line. Why not just put a truck skin on it and race in the Craftsman series?

The cars are all basically interchangeable, just change the skin and parts of the engine and call it whatever you want. I know that many changes had to be made in the interest of driver safety over the years, and I agree with nearly all of them except the restrictor plate.

However: I miss the good old days of STOCK cars blasting down the back straight at Daytona or Texas World Speedway at speeds close to 160 miles perhour, bump-drafting and swapping paint. I really miss the days of seeing King Richard sawing on the wheel in the turns in his STOCK car CONVERTABLE!!!!

Yeah, I know it's all about safety, but they really aren't stock cars anymore. Why not just let them build the safest, slickest, fastest car they can, and just let the automakers simply provide engines, and sponsorship? The cars are so barely recognizeable as the original designs that they have to paint on the name of the car on the front so you keep them straight!

**shrug**

Just my thoughts, and probably worth about what you've paid to read them.

Wizzee

Answer 6

Yes, Nascar is as American as it gets and Toyota is trying to fit in. They started racing this year and have not had much success. I thinks Nascar should stick to the "big 3"

Answer 7

Toyota has it's place in NASCAR they are at the end. I just think they have a long way to go. As long as they stay out of the way and not hurt any one when they crash they are fine.

Answer 8

since nascar' beginnings the sport was open to all makes. the early days saw Jaguars, Porsches and even Volkswagen Beetles racing against the Buicks and Hudsons. Somewhere along the way someone decided it was only an American manufacturer's race. (my guess is when a 1200 cc beetle came in 16Th.)
Now with hardly any auto being totally made in the USA I find it laughable that someone can claim nascar is only for American cars. Sounds like they might be afraid of a little competition. I wish there were more

Answer 9

yes because although the cars are made in the usa or part of them anyway the money still goes to japan and this is an american sport and that makes nascar fans dislike the toyotas i belive

Answer 10

No-not really! I find it long overdue-purely from the standpoint of fan generation and growth. Yes there are those who see this as an all-American sport that should be guarded. The generation that gave birth to this sports unique venue have past-on their selfish desires to thier prodogy and so forth and so on. What was once a nationally upheld moral no longer has merit. Given the current global climate,NASCAR is right on track. Their abillity to expand should be commended. I see a day when all the world will focus upon this venue of racing. Not unlike football as it is now.