Full Throttle

I suspect NASCAR’s decision to allow Toyota into its premiere division will be a running point of contention for the entire season at some level. I also believe the news media will take every opportunity to further the controversy. But that’s a story for another time.

There is a certain segment of American society, however small, that drink Kool-Aid flavored with bellicose chauvinism and poured from a pitcher imprinted with “Made in America.” Luckily their numbers are fairly small, unfortunately the noise they make isn’t at a decibel level equal to their size

Alan Schmadtke Orlando Sentinel staff writer asked Dale Jarrett , one of two Toyota drivers for Michael Waltrip Racing, if the manufacturer would be accepted into the NASCAR family by fans. His response is quoted below:

“Toyota, sure, the parent company is foreign. We could get into the argument about where the Ford Fusion is built [Mexico],” Jarrett said. “The Monte Carlo is built in Canada. So we could go through all that stuff and see who’s right and who’s wrong. But we have to be accepting of change. If we don’t, then you would still be watching 12-inch TV screens, and that’s not a lot of fun whenever you’ve got everything else that’s out there.”

Jarrett uses the common defense of NASCAR and Toyota, one I’ve used consistently. If you’re one of the America-centric, non-passport holding Kool-Aid drinkers why to hell are you watching NASCAR in the first place? None of the pre-2007 models are assembled in the U.S.

On Jarrett’s second point, the question must be asked, how are these xenophobes getting their dose of NASCAR? There hasn’t been a television set made in America in decades. When they surf to the NASCAR website on a Dell computer their using something that’s made in Xiamen, China, previously they were assembled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

So where’s the problem?

As it happens the Orlando Sentinel allows readers to comment on their online stories. Currently there are two “fans” that have expressed dissatisfaction with NASCAR:

Bill from Bloomfield Hills, MI:I can;t sell mt tickets fast enough. It sucks. Bill’s spelling and punctuation difficulties are obvious. It’s been at minimum 18 months since Toyota’s entry to Cup was announced why weren’t his tickets sold shortly thereafter?

I like this one from Tim in Toledo, OH:

“Toyota does not belong in Nascar period! Doesn’t anyone remember just a few short years ago when Toyota entered the truck series? They said they would not enter the cup series. I guess that means they are a bunch of liars! The cars may be made in the U.S. as Dale Jarrett says but remember, the profits go to Japan.”

I’ll state the obvious first, Ford’s profits on their most popular line, the Fusion, are returned to the U.S.. Why no complaints on that? Secondly using his twisted view of the world would it be safe to assume he is in favor of all Microsoft’s (and hundreds of other U.S. companies) European Union profits remain in the EU vice returned to America? I doubt… no I’m sure Tom hasn’t thought that deeply on the subject.

Tom continues: “The Cup was set up as an American series not an International series. Brain France does not care what the faithful long term fans want just what he can make the most money from. I am sure Bill France Sr. is rolling over in his grave with what Brian is doing to this series. I was a fan back when it wasn’t popular to be a fan. Back when you must be ignorant or a moonshiner to be a nascar fan.”

Why would Bill France Sr. be doing any “whirlpool dancing?” Big Bill was fully in charge during the 1954 season when a Jaguar won a NASCAR sanctioned event at Linden, New Jersey. That event also marked its inagural race on a road-racing layout. There were several other Jags in that race in addition to a couple of MG’s.

Tom, some have moved way beyond the “ignorant or a moonshiner” stage, some painfully haven’t. Tom continues on with the normal boilerplate “NASCAR is all money with no fan concerns addressed” blather, then this: “By the way Dale [Jarrett] if you go to Japan, tell me how many of the cars over there look like the big three clonse [sic] that Toyota builds here in the U.S.”

Tom, a world traveler he’s not. My seven years living in Japan taught me one of many things. While the Japanese adore anything and everything American their preference on American made autos is tempered by geography and population density.

The average residential road in Japan is about the size of a fire trail through an American national forest. No American “Land Yachts” allowed, or desired. Even the Ford Fusion is borderline and would only be purchased by those living away from many of the large Japanese population centers.

While it’s true Japan’s first foray into the U.S. market in the late 50’s and early 60’s featured American styling cues, now and for the last 2 decades the reverse is true. The American manufacturers have taken many styling ideas and interior creature comforts directly from the Japanese design studios and showrooms (Japanese designers were hired by U.S. automakers to smooth that process). The latest Japanese idea copied are TV screens in headrests (and before that dashboards). They first appeared in Japan’s cars a decade ago along with rolling internet access.

In short Tom, and most of his ilk are clueless and argue from a position of ignorance to the reality of todays automotive marketplace and sadly of NASCAR’s history in some cases.

One final piece of advice for Tom, Bill and any others with like-minded thoughts. Spend your time on something a bit more entertaining, if not more productive. I suggest calculating the mathematical equation for Pi by throwing frozen hot dogs.

It should keep you guys from being distracted by shiny objects and commenting on subjects you know nothing about.

NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, Toyota, Dale Jarrett, Sports, Michael Waltrip Racing, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle