F Toyota!!

[Jim Wilke]

If they pull out now, I'd just like to say thanks for everything they've done for the series and the sport and I wish them all the best. If they change their minds, I'd be glad to see them back. In the meantime, I own 2 of their Fine Toyota products and I'll keep driving them with pride.

[SportscarBruce]

A few weeks ago at the Randolph AFB airshow good ol' Toyota had a big NCTS public relations trailer on display and undoubedly this setup was at great expense. The display had a show truck under a roof inspection template and tables full of freebie fliers and posters. There wasn't much in the way of pedestrian traffic through the display and at one point the staff looked bored.

[indyracefan]

...Toyota has done sooo much for the IRL.

(They started an engine war in the IRL which they got their butts handed to them. They helped drive up the costs and drive-out Chevy all the while not even honoring their agreement. Good Riddance.)

[Radny]

I don't blame Toyota nearly as much as Honda for the engine war and its aftermath. If it were Chevy and Toyota battling it out, that would probably be better all around than Honda by itself, or even Honda with the other 2. The way I have it figured, unlike othe companies - for Honda racing is a corporate hobby. For Chevy, Toyota and probably most other (except maybe Ferrari) its a marketing tool. A person will always spend more on their hobby than makes good business sense, so Honda spent like crazy to just win everything - let the accountants pay the bills for it. Having done so, they've poisoned the well.

But, fans don't get to chose sponsors or engine makers, so I guess I'll live with that. We own a Honda and two Fords, so maybe I should hope for series unification. Good luck to Toyota.

[Turn13]

...Toyota has done sooo much for the IRL.

(They started an engine war in the IRL which they got their butts handed to them. They helped drive up the costs and drive-out Chevy all the while not even honoring their agreement. Good Riddance.)

They helped sponsor print ads and TV commercials and teams and events, which had to be a part of the increase in TV ratings and attendance - a nice change from every other year since the League started.

I wish them well in NASCAR. Maybe we'll see them return under better circumstamces one day.

[JoeBob]

They helped sponsor print ads and TV commercials and teams and events, which had to be a part of the increase in TV ratings and attendance - a nice change from every other year since the League started.

Yep. They helped make things so good that despite IMS's best efforts, nobody but Honda wants to supply engines for the Indianapolis 500. That is quite the accomplishment.

[Doc Austin]

Jim, you really blindside me with this one. I never saw it coming when I opened the thread.

Well done.

[indyracefan]

Yep. They helped make things so good that despite IMS's best efforts, nobody but Honda wants to supply engines for the Indianapolis 500. That is quite the accomplishment.

...excellent post.

[Doc Austin]

Yep. They helped make things so good that despite IMS's best efforts, nobody but Honda wants to supply engines for the Indianapolis 500. That is quite the accomplishment.

And nobody but Kevin wants to supply motors for champcar, but I guess that's good, right?

All the manufacturers bailed on cart, especially after Honda challenged their integrity, but I guess integrity is bad if the IRL has it and it's good that cart didn't, right?

[Indyknut]

I think it's amazing that T & H were able to convince Tony George just 3 short years ago, to change his rules to what they wanted so they could trash his league the same way they trashed CART.

And he did it!!

[indyracefan]

I think it's amazing that T & H were able to convince Tony George just 3 short years ago, to change his rules to what they wanted so they could trash his league the same way they trashed CART.

And he did it!!

...agreed. :mad:

[don7031]

I think it's amazing that T & H were able to convince Tony George just 3 short years ago, to change his rules to what they wanted so they could trash his league the same way they trashed CART.

A) The only significant change in the engine supply rules going into the current equipment iteration was the 90 day notification requirement.
B) It was Toyota and Ford (along with Chevy and Infiniti) who actively participated in determining the current specs. Being an eleventh hour addition, Honda not only didn't have a say in the rules, they didn't even have time to design their own engine.

[don7031]

If they pull out now, I'd just like to say thanks for everything they've done for the series and the sport and I wish them all the best.

I couldn't disagree more. The IRL took a mulligan on the first year of the current equipment iteration primarily at the behest of Toyota because Toyota needed a place to park a hundred or so million dollars of its racing budget until they could transfer the money to Cup in 07. Toyota had a tacit agreement with the IRL to fully support the series through the 06 season. Upholding their half of the bargain has cost the IRL dearly (Chevy). Anything less than Toyota fully supporting the IRL would be reprehensible and NASCAR would be well advised to rethink allowing Toyota into Cup.

[indyracefan]

They helped sponsor print ads and TV commercials and teams and events, which had to be a part of the increase in TV ratings and attendance - a nice change from every other year since the League started.

I wish them well in NASCAR. Maybe we'll see them return under better circumstamces one day.

...I did like the Toyota commercials so I give them a thumbs-up there.

No offense but the ratings and attendance had to have been a minimal increase (which argueably is still borderline embarrassing) or else we wouldn't have lost Phoenix & Fontana and had more races shifted from ABC to ESPN as part of ABC's condensing plan. :mad:

As far as Toyota perhaps returning under better circumstances.....better circumstances for who?!?,....Toyota or the IRL?!

[Turn13]

I try to maintain the abundance mentality and think win-win

As for the numbers, they are what they are. The Indy 500 in particular increased for the first time in a long time. The circumstances of that even being possible could only have been enhanced by the investment the manufacturers made.

I know you disagree and slinger says it's BS, but the IRL needs to "get lucky" like that a few times in order to catch the spark of popularity that can kindle and sustain the flames that would give the "little guys" the chance.

And by that I mean "the good little guys".