Potential Toyota problems at the beginning of the season

[thebear]

An interesting COMMENTARY on what might happen at Daytona in FEB '07.

The link should be active for at least a week.

[kingfloopy]

I think Waltrip is going to have a very hard time Toyota money or not. His team has been to be honest, pathetic this year. I don't think he and his other cars have a good chance. Jarrett will be alright provided no one else needs the championship provisional during the season. The Red Bull cars also have no owners points and are not going to have an easy time of it. I can easily see one or two of the Toyota teams failing to qualify at Daytona and they still have to make the next 4 races on speed too. So the problems won't end for them after that.

J.D.

[StuiE]

Will be interesting come next season, there will be alot more full time teams, so there will be even more people going home... I see the #32, 4, and at least one Toyota not making most of the first races.

[Fish_Flake]

Dale Jarrett has the champion's provisional, so that's one Toyota that is guaranteed to race every weekend. Michael Waltrip is currently outside the top 35 in points, so nothing will be secure for him. His third car for next year will be driven by a 37-year-old rookie with a grand total of one win in NASCAR's top three divisions. Team Red Bull will be wholly inexperienced. Bill Davis has his 22 car in the top 35 in points, so they will be secure next year, but his #23 will have to make it on time. So, to recap, that's seven cars, but only two guaranteed qualifiers. Toyota also has to develop two different chassis, one based on the current rules that will be used in half of next year's races, and one based on the Car of Tomorrow which will be used in half of next year's races and beyond. Dodge's return to NASCAR was triumphant; Toyota's debut appears to be shaping into a fiasco. It may be 2009 before the Camry is close to winning races.

[kingfloopy]

I realize they probably commited to run Cup next year before the COT stuff. But it would make more sense to me if they waited until 2008 so that they only had to develop one chassis type. From what I've seen most of their testing has been dedicated to the COT and not the old style cars. So I imagine they are going to struggle in a lot of races. Plus I think with them joining there are going to be more than 43 cars attempting to run full-time. I'm counting 45 or so. So a couple of cars are guaranteed to miss each race. Granted this count includes the #4, #32, and #49. But they are planning full seasons. I imagine that each race will probably see at least one full time team missing the race and I have a feeling that due to inexperience and current team performance it will more often than not be a Toyota team.

On another note its kind of sad that there are so many full time teams anymore. What's going to happen to the little guy like Shelmerdine? It's great to have 43 cars capable of winning, but without some guys doing it just for the love of racing its going to be kind of boring.

J.D.

[StuiE]

We may see more qualifying setups at impound races for the cars out of the top 35, much like Boris Said used to get into Daytona, qualify up front then drop straight to the back 'till the first pitstop, even so, there will only be 7 cars out of the top 35 that can get in..

[kingfloopy]

Hate to dredge up an old thread but it seems relevant still.

I predicted at least two Toyota cars would fail to qualify and it looks like 3 did. Red Bull racing is especially in trouble with neither can making the race and I think they will have it just as hard the remainder of the season. At least the sponsor owns the team so they won't pull out.

J.D.