Toyota might be smug in regard to being on the threshold of world dominance in the car wars, but motorsports on the other hand has given many company executives reason to chomp on green tea flavored Tums.
Formula 1 has been a virtual money pit. A lot of investment on Toyota’s part with lackluster results. Ralf Schumacher has been shown the door and GP2 Champion Timo Glock has been put into the hot seat along side Jarno Trulli . But with most of us in North America not content to follow a sport where an occasional pass awakens announcers, and makes them sound like dolphins on helium, we turn our sights on NASCAR and Toyota’s chance of visiting Victory Lane via Joe Gibbs and associates.
Mikey and gang embarrassed themselves and Toyota right out of the gate last February with their Daytona shenanigans, so any improvement at the 500 in 2008 will be a bonus.
With Joe Gibbs Racing flipping one at Pontiac and heading over to Toyota, it appears that Dave Blaney’s 34th in the standings, the best for the Japanese automaker in 2007, with become a bad dream from the past.
It is hard to imagine that with Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin in your stable, you’ll throw a season of goose eggs. One man not in the drivers seat, but who may be responsible for steering Toyota’s destiny in 2008 is Mark Cronquist. He is one of the best engine dudes in NASCAR and comes along with the Gibbs Racing package. With Cronquist in the shop, look for the Camry to leap ahead in performance and HP squeezing.
My prediction? With the addition of Gibbs and a year of maturity in the Sprint Cup, Toyota will win their fair share in 2008. They will move ahead of Dodge and be right in the shadow of GM and Ford this season.