One Show Pony
Written by Douglas Brown · June 29, 2005
First Chevy, now Toyota. The top-running and, so I think, the most advanced of the IRL engine manufacturers is bailing out. And they’re leaving for the Craftsman TRUCK SERIES!?
Los Angeles Times: Toyota Retires From the IRL
Houston Chronicle: Toyota to leave open-wheel racing
CBS SportsLine.com: Toyota to speed out of IRL racing
BBC Sport: Toyota to pull out of Indy Racing
pitpass.com: Toyota withdraws from US open-wheel racing
OK, offend I will
This move has been in the wind for a year or so.
For Toyota it makes sense considering their ongoing battle in the US truck market.
Look for Bridgestone to also follow suit and provide tires to their NASCAR truck teams.
doug
we have already had this thread.
it makes sence to me for toyota to move to the truck series.
there will be 2 manufactuers in the irl, and as soon as chump cars pull their heads out of their rearends we will add ford as well.
Champ car and IRL are getting more and more similar.
American Drivers? about equal - ratio of “road/oval” and “oval/road” seems about 3/4 to their standard.
One engine. One tire.
All tired.
OK, so maybe we’ve been here before, but it still irks me that Open Wheel racing is dying once again. And for PickUp trucks. Drives me nuts.
More ominous than Toyota’s announcement is Honda’s comment:
“Obviously we are disappointed to learn of Toyota’s decision,” said Robert Clarke, president of Honda Performance Development in Santa Clarita. “Coupled with Chevrolet’s previously announced decision to leave the IRL, this puts Honda and the IRL in a difficult position. From the very beginning of Honda’s IRL program, one of the attractions of this series for us was the opportunity to compete on the track against other major automobile manufacturers.
“We remain committed to the IRL and Indy Car racing through the 2006 season, but we will need some time to evaluate the effects of Toyota’s announcement. ”
With the lead times involved for engine companies to be on board for the 2007 season the IRL needs to make some decisions and very quickly. If only to keep Honda involved.
While I must admit to being a growing fan of the NASCAR Pickup Series (Craftsman Truck), I am puzzled about open wheel racing’s general trending towards the sort of playing-field-levelling that NASCAR do by result, if not limited suppliers. I grew up watching open-wheel racing and really grooving on it, compared to those goofy “stock cars,” which were almost comical by comparison. I have come to appreciate NCS racing if for nothing other than that they can do 200mph+ with carbs and other “quaint” technologies and all sorts of other handicaps. Add the refrigerator-carton aero of the pickups and you can the appeal. HOWEVER, open wheel racing is supposed to be, as Honda correctly state, about testing, under racing conditions, the finest solutions from different makers. The single-engine leagues are disappointing at best. IRL are in deep trouble if they think that they can look like anything better than ChampCar just cuz there’s “Indy” in the name. I’d rather watch single model racing… At least it is what it is. Otherwise, I think I can get IRL a good deal on giant rubber bands for the ‘07 season.
NASCAR will be the battlefield for the auto makers for sales dominance in the USA. That’s why Toyota will concentrate it’s racing efforts there, and in F1 for open wheel racing.
There have been stories that with GM’s horrific financial losses they may cut back their NASCAR commitment. With Toyota arriving, I guarantee they will INCREASE their spending. No other choice for Detroit but to fight back!
As far as CC’s and the IRL, they have lost engine suppliers and sponsors due to the split, the competition between the two leagues. Once there is one series again, the engine suppliers and sponsors will slowly come back as attendance and tv ratings increase. Single series, single marketing effort, will revive interest. At least I hope it’s not too late. NASCAR will eventually peak and oversaturate the market and self destruct. Open wheel needs to be ready to take advantage when it happens. Smarten up Kevin and Tony, this may be your last chance.
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