No more Smoke
Senior Member
Joined: 10-02-2005
Posts: 1,245
From: VA
Geez, folks, if you realize the "reality" of today's NASCAR, you'd know that Tony will not be driving a Camry, nor will Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Jr. and others be driving a "Chevy". 
There is absolutely NOTHING related between the race cars and the street cars other than the name.
The only items made by any of the manufacturers are specific to racing and include blocks, heads, intakes and a few other pieces that are controlled and approved by NASCAR and have absolutely nothing to do with production pieces.
It's all about "marketing the brand" now. Not really sure if that's good or bad.
There is absolutely NOTHING related between the race cars and the street cars other than the name.
The only items made by any of the manufacturers are specific to racing and include blocks, heads, intakes and a few other pieces that are controlled and approved by NASCAR and have absolutely nothing to do with production pieces.
It's all about "marketing the brand" now. Not really sure if that's good or bad.
Senior Member
Joined: 01-20-2006
Posts: 1,707
From: Centralia, Missouri
Of course Tony Stewart is not driving a Camry, but he is driving a race car that bears the Toyota name, which I don't care for. I'm not a fan of Toyota, never have been. I'm very loyal to GM. That's what I chose to own, and what I chose to root for in racing. Call me old fashion or silly (happens all the time
) but that's the way I am. Yes the cars are not Chevy's or Fords or Toyota's, but they do bear the brand name of those companies, and that's a part of the rivalries of racing. Just my 
) but that's the way I am. Yes the cars are not Chevy's or Fords or Toyota's, but they do bear the brand name of those companies, and that's a part of the rivalries of racing. Just my
Senior Member
Joined: 04-19-2006
Posts: 5,065
From: Arvada CO
Geez...scare me with the title of the thread. For a minute I thought I might have been banned or something because I just got home driving "Smoke".
I really don't understand what all the hoopla is about...but people reacted the same way when Dodge returned to racing as well...and also did the same thing when Toyota came to the Craftsman Truck series. The cars next year will the the COT (Car Of Tomorrow/Today), whatever you want to call it and they will all have common bodies, just different power plants. Joe Gibbs is a very intelligent man and would not do this just for the money. He's got a gold mine already with his drivers for next year, so I don't believe it's financially motivated either.
I don't find this any worse than all the owners who are adding foreign partners to help fund their organizations...what's the difference really? Evernham Motorsports is now partially owned by George Gillett and Gillett is the owner of the Montreal Canadiens National Hockey League (NHL) team and a co-owner of the Liverpool Football Club in the English Premier League. (that's foreign...not USA)
NASCAR is not all about the good ole boys now and hasn't been for quite some time. Who really cares what kind of vehicle he drives...I sure don't. I follow Tony the race car driver...not Tony the Chevrolet driver. Personally, I don't care if his car is blue with green polka dots and is a Volkswagon beetle....he's still my driver...and if he's ok with the change, then so am I.
I really don't understand what all the hoopla is about...but people reacted the same way when Dodge returned to racing as well...and also did the same thing when Toyota came to the Craftsman Truck series. The cars next year will the the COT (Car Of Tomorrow/Today), whatever you want to call it and they will all have common bodies, just different power plants. Joe Gibbs is a very intelligent man and would not do this just for the money. He's got a gold mine already with his drivers for next year, so I don't believe it's financially motivated either.
I don't find this any worse than all the owners who are adding foreign partners to help fund their organizations...what's the difference really? Evernham Motorsports is now partially owned by George Gillett and Gillett is the owner of the Montreal Canadiens National Hockey League (NHL) team and a co-owner of the Liverpool Football Club in the English Premier League. (that's foreign...not USA)
NASCAR is not all about the good ole boys now and hasn't been for quite some time. Who really cares what kind of vehicle he drives...I sure don't. I follow Tony the race car driver...not Tony the Chevrolet driver. Personally, I don't care if his car is blue with green polka dots and is a Volkswagon beetle....he's still my driver...and if he's ok with the change, then so am I.
Senior Member
Joined: 09-01-2006
Posts: 2,178
From: Aurora, Illinois
Of course Tony Stewart is not driving a Camry, but he is driving a race car that bears the Toyota name, which I don't care for. I'm not a fan of Toyota, never have been. I'm very loyal to GM. That's what I chose to own, and what I chose to root for in racing. Call me old fashion or silly (happens all the time ) but that's the way I am. Yes the cars are not Chevy's or Fords or Toyota's, but they do bear the brand name of those companies, and that's a part of the rivalries of racing. Just my
) but that's the way I am. Yes the cars are not Chevy's or Fords or Toyota's, but they do bear the brand name of those companies, and that's a part of the rivalries of racing. Just my 
