Toyota quits

[Jim Wilke]

After 12 years of open-wheel racing in the
United States, Toyota will withdraw from the sport following the 2006 Indy Racing
League season, it was announced today.

Toyota will not be participating as an engine supplier to either of the major openwheel
sanctioning bodies in the United States after 2006.

“This was simply a decision to move in a different direction after having our major
U.S. motorsports emphasis on open-wheel racing since 1994,� said J. Davis Illingworth,
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., senior vice president. “Just as our participation in IMSA
sports car racing ran its course after 12 years of participation, so has our U.S. openwheel
racing program after 12 years in the IRL and CART.�

Toyota announced its decision to enter open-wheel racing in January 1994 with
its entry into competition in 1996.

The decision to withdraw from open-wheel racing will not affect either the
IndyCar Series engine development program for the remainder of 2005 or the 2006
season, or any of the current contracts that Toyota has with individual teams. Toyota is
in the process of reviewing how to re-allocate its resources for future motorsports plans.

[dog-ring]

Which simply means " All our eggs are going into the Nascar basket "



and the Grand Am basket.............

[sweaty]

Like any other major change it's either an opportunity, or a disaster. I expect this will force the league to announce the suppliers in hand now rather than later.
All of the Penske activity makes a lot of sense now. I'd bet we'll see German and perhaps Korean name plates in the IRL in '07.
Now if the builders come back we could see more participation and teams.
Lemonade out of lemons?

[indyracefan]

...isn't this one of the best unkept secrets of the season?? Glad it's finally announced and hasta la vista baby.

[chuckwagon]

I'd bet we'll see German ... name plates in the IRL in '07.

Do they still make Trabant's?

OK, cheap shot, but its kinda funny.

[autoracingfan2]

Infiniti.......................................hmm mmm

[hountzmj]

Infiniti.......................................hmm mmm

I don't think Infiniti is crazy enough to go head to head with Honda... They couldn't keep up with chevy last time around...

We think the differance between engines is bad now.... it will be down right scary with Infiniti vs Honda.


Just my humble opinion.... Your mileage may vary.

[Doc Austin]

If Tony had acquired Cosworth we could flip Toyota off as they leave, but now they may have bigger problems. About the only hope I see is Ilmor building spec motors, which would probably be a teriffic idea. At least then motors wouldn't be an issue and we've have a more level playing field.

If there isn't a spec engine we'll either have no motors or new manufacturers will come in and we'll have to deal with another manufacturer spending war.

Let's just hope there's more to the Illmor deal than we've heard about. Let's just hope we have a sealed Illmor motor deal already signed and we haven't heard about it yet because Tony was waiting for all the engine companies to bow out. Let them go gracefully and then implement the spec Illmor.

Won't happen. Makes too much sense.

[Cygni]

Let them go gracefully and then implement the spec Illmor.

Would be funny to see some around here have to swallow spec engines after all the flak they have given to ChampCar over the last few years for that very thing.

I would like to see continued competition in the engine department if its possible. A super regluated, spec ECU engine could be kept affordable, competitive between makes, and open to maunfacturers and builders. I hope thats the direction thats headed.

[AlJRFAN]

Its funny how this whole thing flip flops. I still think the series needs competition, but with a set sell price and tight rules so that a company would just be thowing away there money if they put to much into it.

[Rob In Indy]

Lame.

With spec engines the IRL might as well be NASCAR or CCWS.

[indyracefan]

I don't think Infiniti is crazy enough to go head to head with Honda... .

...and how long do you suppose Honda will remain in the IRL??

[jonovision_man]

If Tony had acquired Cosworth we could flip Toyota off as they leave, but now they may have bigger problems. About the only hope I see is Ilmor building spec motors, which would probably be a teriffic idea. At least then motors wouldn't be an issue and we've have a more level playing field.

Replacing the Toyota sponsorship is an issue, and would be even if Tony owned an engine company. It's not just about the engines.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this. If it's the catalyst for a merger or even some minor co-operation in the right direction, then I'm delighted. If not, it's just another blow to US OW putting it on par with billiards or darts.

jono

[autoracingfan2]

adios

[Ken]

Jim (anyone) is the IRL currently behind in announcing it's new specs?

[jonovision_man]

Jim (anyone) is the IRL currently behind in announcing it's new specs?

I'm anyone.

Yes. It's a few weeks now since the 500, no announcement yet.

jono

[sightlines]

Jim (anyone) is the IRL currently behind in announcing it's new specs?

Yes they're behind. Word is we still may see it before CCWS announces their schedule.


Maybe.

[don7031]

Toyota isn't quitting. They just need the hundred plus million they are spending on the IRL to FUBAR Nextel Cup. Big Bill or Bill Jr. would have been able to handle them, but the current generation of Frances (who are operating in Bernie mode) aren't going to fair any better than the IRL, CART of IMSA.

Bernie mode = grow the money pie as large as possible because the worth of your percentage increases proportionally.

[Mindervillain]

[QUOTE=dog-ring]Which simply means " All our eggs are going into the Nascar basket "



Don't mean to take this topic a little bit sideways, but I believe I read a while back that the Steve Lewis midget operation was going to start running Toyotas built by Ed Pink. The article went on to say that Bob East was no longer going to be working with Lewis because of his committment to Ford.
I don't think I dreamed this, but if it's true, what do you suppose Toyota's up to?

[dog-ring]

[QUOTE=Mindervillain]

Which simply means " All our eggs are going into the Nascar basket "



Don't mean to take this topic a little bit sideways, but I believe I read a while back that the Steve Lewis midget operation was going to start running Toyotas built by Ed Pink. The article went on to say that Bob East was no longer going to be working with Lewis because of his committment to Ford.
I don't think I dreamed this, but if it's true, what do you suppose Toyota's up to?

Kinda makes you wonder what they consider "open wheel " doesn't it?

[Mindervillain]

[QUOTE=dog-ring]

Kinda makes you wonder what they consider "open wheel " doesn't it?

Maybe they just like the fact that the engines are in front.

[Doc Austin]

Would be funny to see some around here have to swallow spec engines after all the flak they have given to ChampCar over the last few years for that very thing. .

Oh, I dunno. Champcar fans busted IRL fan's chops for years about a spec engine but they sure seem to love the spec program they've got now. I guess it's ok as long as champcar is doing it, right?

I've been calling for a spec IRL engine since 2001. Until you get rid of the manufacturers altogether you're going to have these sort of pull outs threatening your stability.

[Doc Austin]

Lame.

With spec engines the IRL might as well be NASCAR...........

And God forbid that Indycar ever has the stability of nascar.............

[Cygni]

Agreed... open wheel fans on both side of the spectrum bash NASCAR endlessly... and NASCAR does deserve some ribbing sometimes (such as the lack of a full time saftey team)... but its hard to fault them in many other situations, and people take aim almost solely out of frustration over open wheel. I dont think its deserved.

[Spike]

...I've been calling for a spec IRL engine since 2001. Until you get rid of the manufacturers altogether you're going to have these sort of pull outs threatening your stability....

So you're saying you wish NASCAR and GrandAm would get rid of the manufacturers altogether as well and go to spec engines?

[Doc Austin]

So you're saying you wish NASCAR and GrandAm would get rid of the manufacturers altogether as well and go to spec engines?

Not necessarily. The Frances control the manufacturers, not the other way around. That's a big difference to the way it's been working in American open wheeled racing. The manufacturers have wrecked ow. If you can keep them on a leash and milk them for all they are worth.......that works.

Of course, the manufacturers have to be in nascar. They play by Brian's rules or they get the boot, and Brian needs them less than they need him. If the manufacturers left tomorrow Nascar would still be huge and someone would step forward with the money lost. Hey, didn't we think they would be screwed when Winston left? Suprise!

Nobody gives a damm about ow, so we have to beg manufacturers to come in. You can bet any manufacturer that might be coming in to ow knows the situation is a mess and they can get whatever they ask for. Look how T&H got engine leasing. They knew they could ram through their agenda because Tony couldn't say no to them.

OW is not exactly negotiating from a position of strength here and I think manufacturers coming in at this point could upset things even worse than they already are. We need a spec motor to rebuild the sport to the point ow is the place to be, and then Tony tells the manufacturers how they are going to play his game, not the other way around.

[elio]

I guess Robin got it right yet again, a few people owe him an apology, I guess Danicamania didn't reach Japan.
Well Jim you were wrong again.

[NIMBUS]

... I guess Danicamania didn't reach Japan.

I say put her in that little Pleather get-up and put her on a plane right now! I’m sure she can save the day once again!

[Indyknut]

If Tony had acquired Cosworth we could flip Toyota off as they leave, but now they may have bigger problems. About the only hope I see is Ilmor building spec motors, which would probably be a teriffic idea. At least then motors wouldn't be an issue and we've have a more level playing field.

If there isn't a spec engine we'll either have no motors or new manufacturers will come in and we'll have to deal with another manufacturer spending war.

Let's just hope there's more to the Illmor deal than we've heard about. Let's just hope we have a sealed Illmor motor deal already signed and we haven't heard about it yet because Tony was waiting for all the engine companies to bow out. Let them go gracefully and then implement the spec Illmor.

Won't happen. Makes too much sense.

I guess we'll have to see about the Illmor deal. I can't see the speculated Porsche badging of Rogers new engine company since Mercedes is already involved with Illmor via F1.

[jonovision_man]

I've been calling for a spec IRL engine since 2001. Until you get rid of the manufacturers altogether you're going to have these sort of pull outs threatening your stability.

So you want to get rid of manufacturers and cause that instability up front?

You can always come up with engines. It's not just about engines.

Engine manufacturers are the biggest sponsors that CART had, and they're the biggest sponsor the IRL has.

I don't buy into the CCWS "we don't need to stinking engine manufacturers" philosophy, they would jump at the chance to get them back involved.

jono