Toyota was terrible this year but they also seemed to have inferior drivers....Now that Gibbs is involved, Toyota has three drivers from this year's chase. Can Toyota contend with the Big 3 this year?
2007-11-21 13:10:29 · 20 answers · asked by C Dub 2 in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ NASCAR
They need more time 2 1/2 months is not long enough to fix all the problems that Mike Waltrip-Bill Davis Racing and others couldnt fix all this year plus the 2 1/2 Months they had after the 2006 season to get ready. The drivers JGR racing has will help quite a bit but they can only do so much!!!!!
2007-11-21 13:20:48 · answer #1 · answered by Ed P 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think they'll contend for some wins here and there but not the cup.
They will only improve with Gibbs, but that's a whole new learning curve for Gibbs while MWR etc. have a full season of R+D under there belt. Reutimann and the CAT driver are the only two that are good so far.
I can't remember which race it was, It was latter in the season where Toyota took the pole and Nascar mandated a rear gear ratio and it was putting the Chevy's rpm's past there power curve on the straight away and they were just nosing over all the way down and poppin motor's left and right while it put the Toyota's right into there power curve (at the same rpm's) and they did pretty good that race.
All in all, I'd look to '09 as a cup contender for Toyota, not '08.
2007-11-21 17:43:49 · answer #2 · answered by Frankie Coletta 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God, I hope not. I fear that if they do a great many fans will be alienated and stop watching. If you need help with how American racing fans feel about foreign manufacturers and drivers dominating see IRL (if you can still find it being televised). The series should have stayed with domestic manufacturers, there was no reason to let the Japanese get a foot hold. JGR legitimizes Toyota and if not this year than within a couple they will probably compete for championship, and I will find something else to do with my Sundays when that happens. If you want to know how long it will take, go look up the top 10 in point the last 10 years for the Truck series, and Busch series and see how long it's taken them to get a car into the top 5. Cup series will be exactly the same, they will spend whatever it takes to get to the top. When it happen I hope someone starts another series with only domestic manufacturers, get's rid of most of the 1.5 mile races and bans the France's from owning or controlling any assets for letting Toyota into Cup racing.
2007-11-22 19:33:49 · answer #3 · answered by abiogeek2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give the Gibbs organizations a few races/months to get used to the Toyota's. Once the Gibbs organization gets up to speed and since every race is with the COT's the rest of the field better watch out. Don't be surprised if all three drivers make the chase, but I'm only expecting two. Also all three drivers should have at least one win next year.
2007-11-21 13:40:05 · answer #4 · answered by Tall Man 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
With Joe Gibbs 3 new cars and good drivers; there should be 9 or 10 Toyota`s trying to qualify they should do something
Maybe that's the theory if 1/3 of the cars are Toyota's
someone will have to do something.
I guess we will find out in a couple months.
2007-11-21 13:31:47 · answer #5 · answered by Bill 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think there will be a few drivers that will do well with Toyota's. Tony,Denny& Kyle Busch are really good racecar drivers. To answer your question YES they will contend. Those three drivers are alot and I mean alot better than any of the Toyota driver did this year. The only other Toyota drivers that did ok wereDavid Reuitiman(MWR),Dave Blaney(BDR) The Gibbs drivers are a heck of alot better that they were.
2007-11-21 16:45:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
They will have better teams and drivers next year. I see no reason why they couldn't contend for a few wins. I don't think they will contend for the championship though. Those engines haven't show that much promise yet.
I think one of the Gibbs cars will make the chase and the other 2 will be just outside (13-15 range).
2007-11-21 13:57:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If anyone was paying attention at Talladega, it looks like Toyota has got their engine program up and running at full speed. With Gibbs racing coming on board and all winter to work out the kinks, I think Toyota will arrive in 2008. Michael Waltrip Racing cannot possibly have as bad a season next year as they did this year, either.
2007-11-22 00:11:01 · answer #8 · answered by Jay 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Toyota has three of the best drivers at JGR. The problem is that they've also got three of the biggest egomaniacs. There's really no leadership on that team as far as the drivers go. Tony is an experienced veteran, but he's a huge head case....very hypocritical. They've got the talent....but they could easily self destruct due to all of the volatile personalities on that team.
2007-11-22 04:34:59 · answer #9 · answered by Bizz 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The fact that Toyota now has Tony, Kyle, and Denny driving for them will surely put them in contention for a few wins. I know those guys wouldn't go through a season without winning a few races. The engine configurations are basically the same, and I think Toyota has the possibilities to get more conscientious technicians to build their engines, since some of their current stock designs surpass the American market by technological standards. Toyota will be a serious contender in 2008.
2007-11-21 13:26:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋