Full Throttle

Toyota’s move into NASCAR’s NEXTEL Cup division has been widely reported as a three team, 6 car effort. Jim Aust, vice president of Toyota Motorsports and president and CEO of TRD has consistently and adamantly denied they would expand beyond that plan.

File this in the “the best laid plans of mice and men” category.

Apparently Aust didn’t account for the “Jefferson’s Factor,” and a couple of NCTS teams are looking to emulate George and Louise (Weezie) Jefferson with plans in place for “Movin’ On Up” to a “dee-luxe apartment” in NEXTEL Cup.

Aust, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that two of its current teams in the Craftsman Truck Series are hoping to run some races in 2007 with the new Car of Tomorrow.

Both Germain Racing and Wyler Racing approached Aust and Toyota with their plans. Germain’s current drivers are Cup veterans Ted Musgrave (305 Cup Starts) and Todd Bodine (226 Cup Starts) while Wyler’s roster includes Jack Sprague who has 24 Cup starts to his credit.

Aust said it was something of a surprise when the Germain and Wyler teams approached him about competing in Cup next year.

“We had planned on only running three teams and six cars next year, but these guys came forward and said they’d like to look into running some races with the Car of Tomorrow to test the water,” Aust said. “This just came up in the last couple of weeks.

“Both teams have said they would like to eventually come up into the (Cup) series sometime in the next couple of years and this could be a good test for them.”

Sounds like a good plan to me. What better time for them to be “Movin’ On Up” than ‘07 when all the Cup teams will be starting with a blank sheet of paper. It may not level the playing field for them but some of the bumps would be shaved off the top.

Germain Racing seems to be in the best position, Musgrave had success while driving for Roush’s Cup team and Bodine is no slouch either having been the hottest NCTS driver dating back to October last year.

This is offered with apologies to composer Ja’net DuBois:

Well we’re Movin’ on Up!
Movin’ on Up!
To the NEXTEL Cup side!
Movin’ on Up!
To a dee-luxe apartment in the HWSBO sky[box], We’re movin’ on up!
Movin’ on Up!
To the NEXTEL Cup side!
Movin’ on Up!
We’ve finally got a piece of the multi-billion dollar pie!

Fish don’t fry in the kitchen,
Beans don’t burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin’
Just to get up that hill.
Now we’re up in the big leagues,
Gettin’ our turn at bat!
As long as we live,
It’s Germain, Wyler and Brian, baby!
There ain’t nothin’ wrong with that!
Hooray, We’re Movin’ on Up!
Movin’ on Up!
To the NEXTEL Cup side!
Movin’ on Up!
To a dee-luxe apartment in the HWSBO sky[box], We’re Movin’ on Up!
Movin’ on Up!
To the NEXTEL Cup side!
Movin’ on Up!
We’ve finally got a piece of the NEXTEL Cup sponsored by Allstate, AMD, America Online, Aplus, Best Western, Budweiser, Busch Beer, Centrix Financial, Callaway Golf, Checker’s/Rally’s, Chevrolet, Coca Cola, Combos, Craftsman Tools, etc, etc, ad infinitum pie!

NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Germain Racing, Wyler Racing, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle