Toyota Motorsports at NASCAR

Toyota marked its second season of NASCAR competition with a win- the first major win in 54 years by an auto maker outside the US. Toyoland will follow Toyota's progress in the Sprint Cup Series as its cars change the sport forever. It is still early in Toyota's NASCAR career to predict their future. It will take some time before they even have a chance to dominate the sport.

The last foreign-make car to win a NASCAR event was June 13, 1954, when Al Keller drove a Jaguar to victory at a track in Linden, NJ. At the time, Toyota did not even exist in America. Toyota has since grown to be the most profitable and most prolific auto manufacturer in the world and is even poised to become the best-selling car in America. Toyota has dominated all of its competition in manufacturing and sales; now it is looking to dominate NASCAR as well.

The first step toward that goal came on March 9 with Toyota's first Sprint Cup win by Kyle Busch at the Kobalt Tools 500 in the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Coming in second at that race was another Toyota, driven by Tony Stewart.

Also placing in the top ten was Brian Vickers, who came in 9th. Busch and Stewart are both members of the Joe Gibbs Racing Team; Vickers is a member of the Red Bull Racing Team. All three drive Toyota Camrys, prompting Top Gear's Nick Trott to comment, "Perhaps Toyota Camrys are cool after all."

It's hard not to imagine that this is part of a trend and not simply an accident of fate.

It's all about effort, of course. Nobody is going to win at NASCAR without a lot of dedication, hard work and money. Toyota is showing no reluctance to make these investments, courting the best teams and drivers the sport has to offer and making a concerted effort to develop a racing vehicle.

Jim Aust, President and CEO of Toyota Racing Developement (TRD), when asked what factors lead to Toyota's success, said, "It is a combination of things. I don't know that we can point to any one thing. It is hard work, a great team and great drivers."

Toyota made its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2007 season. Jim Aust referred to 2007 as, “a learning year.’ It seems that Toyota learned well from its 2007 season. “This is a date that will go down in the history of Toyota Motorsports- and we look at it, certainly, as one of many more to come,’ he commented.

Clearly pleased, he added, “It’s obviously a historic day for Toyota to get the first Sprint Cup win of our short career.’ He predicts more wins for 2008. “I said all along from the very beginning that I thought the number was somewhere in the area of eight, so I’m going to stick to that.’

Here's the rundown of Toyota at NASCAR:

Kyle Busch drives #20, sponsored by Interwstate Batteries. He is a member of Joe Gibbs Racing. His crew chief is Steve Addingtoni. His current career average finish is 17.6, his season average is 12.5. He has a career 5 wins; this season he has been in the top five 3 times with 1 win. He has been racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2004.

Engine: Camry Racing V8, 358 cu. in., 800 hp- normally aspirated with 830-cfm carburetor

Drive train: 4-speed manual with Tilton 3-disc clutch

Chassis: Camry body with steel tube frame and safety roll cage; spoiler is 4.5 inches, 65 degree angle

Suspension: Unequal length A-arm in front, trailing arms with panhard rod in rear, hydraulic, single-adjustable shocks

NASCAR steel 15"X10" wheels, Goodyear Eagle tires, cast iron disc brakes with multi-piston caliper

Dimensions: 3400 lbs, 203.75" long, 75" wide, 51" tall, 110" wheelbase, 3.5" ground clearance

Fuel capacity: 22 gallons

Safety: 5-point safety belts, window net, fire system, hood, trunk and spindle restraint.