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Jag_Warrior
06-26-05, 10:38 AM
Accoring to Miller, the announcement will be made the week of 6/27. I guess thr rumor about NASCAR trying to get Toyota to hang around the IRL (so they could continue to race at ISC tracks?) was either untrue or Toyota ignored NASCAR's pleas.

Another One Bites The Dust (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/indycar/auto/17844/)

coolhand
06-26-05, 11:31 AM
Eddie Cheever switched to Toyota this season instead of Honda but doesn't regret his decision.

"Not at all," said the 1998 Indy winner. "I know Toyota has the resources to up the ante and they're tired of getting their butt kicked and I see nothing but 100 percent effort to get it right. They keep upgrading the engine and I don't think they're that far off. :laugh:

Steve99
06-27-05, 12:28 AM
Hey, a Toyota won this week, but I guess it was a Pe-yota. Or is it a Toy-ske?

coolhand
06-27-05, 01:28 AM
Peyota allows for more jokes :thumbup:

Jervis Tetch 1
06-27-05, 02:51 AM
Under a Cheever is going to be damn lucky to have a team after this year. From what I hear, Red Bull's pulling out so where's he going to go? Rachel's Gourmet Potato Chips?

Steve99
06-27-05, 12:44 PM
Under a Cheever is going to be damn lucky to have a team after this year. From what I hear, Red Bull's pulling out so where's he going to go? Rachel's Gourmet Potato Chips?
Maybe PC can start wearing a dress while they go looking for a new sponsor.

pfc_m_drake
06-27-05, 09:32 PM
If I don't miss my guess, I believe that the announcement is upon us...

Racewriter
06-27-05, 09:33 PM
TOYOTA TO WITHDRAW FROM U.S. OPEN-WHEEL RACING FOLLOWING 2006

TORRANCE, Calif. (June 27, 2005) – 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.

SpeedQueen
06-27-05, 09:40 PM
Thought I heard/read in Long Beach or shortly thereafter (need to inhale more fumes :p ), that Toyo is out of Atlantics after '05. Does this mean Toyo is staying in FAt's thru end of '06 ?
(feel a need to move this to the Ladders, that's fine... just wanted to inquire about this).

Methanolandbrats
06-27-05, 09:41 PM
"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"

:rofl:

nrc
06-27-05, 09:45 PM
I guess, "That's not official, it's just Robin." isn't going to cut it any more. :p

So does the preface a GrandAm engined crapwagon announcement or are they still scrambling to try to line Hyundai up?

Sean O'Gorman
06-27-05, 09:53 PM
I guess, "That's not official, it's just Robin." isn't going to cut it any more. :p

So does the preface a GrandAm engined crapwagon announcement or are they still scrambling to try to line Hyundai up?

My guess is that a Grand-Am formula would be out, since Toyota already has an engine in that series.

Methanolandbrats
06-27-05, 09:56 PM
The Hyundai Indy 500...........that has a nice, American Grassroots sound to it.

FRANKY
06-27-05, 09:58 PM
"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 Indy Car 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."

Jag_Warrior
06-27-05, 11:51 PM
The decision to withdraw from open-wheel racing will not affect either the Indy Car Series engine development program for the remainder of 2005 or the 2006 season
What engine development program? Well, yeah... I guess it won't be affected.


or any of the current contracts that Toyota has with individual teams.
Since the current contracts probably have some sort of F.U. clause, no, I don't guess those would be affected either.


I'm thinking of a lyric from a Bob Dylan song right now. Anybody wanna guess what it is?

Winston Wolfe
06-28-05, 12:05 AM
I'm thinking of a lyric from a Bob Dylan song right now. Anybody wanna guess what it is?


Sure.

i'll take the bait....

is it "If you're powered by Toyota, you're screwed"

or

"Lap Times they are a changing"

"Toyota powered teams dreams of winning are just blowin' in the wind"

Steve99
06-28-05, 01:05 AM
Thought I heard/read in Long Beach or shortly thereafter (need to inhale more fumes :p ), that Toyo is out of Atlantics after '05. Does this mean Toyo is staying in FAt's thru end of '06 ?
(feel a need to move this to the Ladders, that's fine... just wanted to inquire about this).
I read "on another forum" that Atlantics is planning an engine announcement in 2 weeks or so.

Jag_Warrior
06-28-05, 01:22 AM
Sure.

i'll take the bait....

is it "If you're powered by Toyota, you're screwed"

or

"Lap Times they are a changing"

"Toyota powered teams dreams of winning are just blowin' in the wind"

Pretty close actually. But we've been thinking that time was running out for the league... so:

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.


We see no reason to change anything that we're doing.
http://www.tsn.ca/images/stories/20030523/tony_george_34386.jpgWhen you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.

Jervis Tetch 1
06-28-05, 02:14 AM
That picture deserves not only a two-fingered salute, but a nice long middle one as well.

FTG.

http://www.autosportsltd.com/images/making_lemans/twofinger.jpg

JohnHKart
06-28-05, 04:49 AM
The Hyundai Indy 500...........that has a nice, American Grassroots sound to it.


Yeah An yan ah say oh.....kam sam ham ni da.....


John

KLang
06-28-05, 06:58 AM
How many earl teams just saw the majority of their budgets get flushed? Once Honda follows suit will there be anyone left? :laugh:

Stay the course Champ Car!

KLang
06-28-05, 09:59 AM
Entertaining quote from this (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050628/SPORTS01/506280426/1004/SPORTS) Indystar article:


IRL president Brian Barnhart said he has settled on a new equipment package for 2007, although he has neither announced it nor shared it with the manufacturers.


:rofl: The boob has nobody lined up for the future. :rofl:

Winston Wolfe
06-28-05, 10:32 AM
From the article:

(quote)
There are several engine suppliers that might be interested in the IRL's new rules, but the league requires them to carry the name of an auto manufacturer that sells vehicles in the U.S. Those companies must agree to promotional programs. (Quote)

Yeah, greatness is just a phone call away..... Spend millions and sponsor a rebadged engine in a series that no one watches on TV, no one attends outside the month of May, that is a part of a divided sport, with little to no ROI, after two of the LARGEST auto manufacturers on the planet, have left the series because they are tired of it (amongst other things).

Sounds like a pretty easy decision to make from over here ! :shakehead

Brickman
06-28-05, 12:03 PM
How many earl teams just saw the majority of their budgets get flushed? Once Honda follows suit will there be anyone left? :laugh:



That's really the fallout, they adopted a engine plan that already showed didn't create loyalty, getting engine manufacturers to pony up money and prop up teams won't get you any stronger of a series than the strength of the manufacturers. Teams will leave, it's just a question of which ones.

Now IF they try to fix the problem they created, by having cheaper engines, Honda leaves, and Tony will be paying the IRL's big teams some big dollars to look big time. IF they keep current specs, or have new one's that keeps Honda, then Tony has to help back Penske and some other manufacturer with $$$.

No doubt Barnhardt and George aren't students of history, be like CART, become like CART.

Winston Wolfe
06-28-05, 09:04 PM
THEY ARE MAIN LINING KOOL-AID OVER AT CRACKFORUM !!!!!

Check out this little "gem" from one of the EARL Faithful....

QUOTE:
"You really think Barnhart would improve an engine spec that none of the three manufactures would be interested in? You've been following the management styles of champcar too much. Besides worst case sceniro is IRL has the Ilmor enigine as a spec. You don't seem to have a problem with that do you. IRL is in this for the long run with TONY in charge. His family fortune rely's on openwheel racing. He's not in the business to make a quick buck like others, who are business men first and racers second" END QUOTE:

There are SO MANY things wrong with this post and point of view that I cant believe this person has any concept as to what has been going on for the last 10 years....

I know I shouldn't even look over there, cuz it hurts my head, but these guys are UN-Friggin-Be-Lieve-ABLE.....

coolhand
06-28-05, 09:36 PM
the most unbelievable posts are by the administration of that board.

people think that Tony is in this to preserve the Hulman family business :rolleyes:

even if CART asked for a sanctioning fee it would cost Tony far less than it did to run the IRL. Smart man. :shakehead

DaveL
06-28-05, 09:48 PM
The DaveL CCWS Cheerleading squad will now perform their newest routine. Hit it gals...

"We've got engines yes we do, we've got engines how 'bout YOU?"

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

oddlycalm
06-29-05, 01:45 AM
Finding engines to run in their cars is fairly simple, finding a way to replace the money that Honda and Toyota brought will be impossible. So much for the four car teams, big team budgets and back to struggling to find a full grid.

oc

SurfaceUnits
06-29-05, 10:09 AM
Toyota Retires From the IRL
Manufacturer says it will no longer supply engines to open-wheel racing organization after the 2006 season.

By Shav Glick, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/sports/motorracing/la-sp-motors29jun29,1,1919303.story?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true

This leaves Honda as potentially the only engine builder involved with the IRL in 2007, a situation the Japanese manufacturer does not relish.

"Obviously we are disappointed to learn of Toyota's decision," said Robert Clarke, president of Honda Performance Development in Santa Clarita. "Coupled with Chevrolet's previously announced decision to leave the IRL, this puts Honda and the IRL in a difficult position. From the very beginning of Honda's IRL program, one of the attractions of this series for us was the opportunity to compete on the track against other major automobile manufacturers.

"We remain committed to the IRL and Indy Car racing through the 2006 season, but we will need some time to evaluate the effects of Toyota's announcement. "

Jag_Warrior
06-29-05, 09:07 PM
"but we will need some time to evaluate the effects of Toyota's announcement. "

Sounds like another announcement may be on the way. :cry:

Ed_Severson
06-29-05, 09:59 PM
Finding engines to run in their cars is fairly simple, finding a way to replace the money that Honda and Toyota brought will be impossible.

Not impossible ... just a 1 in 120,526,771 chance. True story:

Yesterday, I had a happenstance encounter with The Inheritor at a convenience store. After deciding I was better off waiting behind him in line instead of in front, lest he stab me in the back yet again, I watched as he approached the clerk. His purchase? A tin of Skoal (it beats coke, I guess) and a Powerball ticket.

Times are tough, or so they say. :gomer:

dando
06-29-05, 10:24 PM
Jeebus, it's like Christmas in June! :gomer: :laugh: :rofl:

How low can this go?!? :shakehead

-Kevin

Jervis Tetch 1
06-30-05, 12:41 AM
It's amazing how the Cracksters at the Cracker Forum, who once sang ToYoda's praises are now saying "good riddance." You can't tell me that if Yoda did an about face and said "we're changing our minds and will sign a 10-year deal" that those morons wouldn't cream their pants and bend over for the yen.

What a bunch of pathetic creeps. :shakehead

Andrew Longman
06-30-05, 09:31 AM
A tin of Skoal (it beats coke, I guess) and a Powerball ticket.

You've got to be kidding. He chews? He plays the lottery? What for? He doesn't need the money and besides he already hit it once at birth.

Maybe it was for a friend ;)

Ed_Severson
06-30-05, 10:04 AM
You've got to be kidding. He chews? He plays the lottery? What for? He doesn't need the money and besides he already hit it once at birth.

Maybe it was for a friend ;)

What friend? :)

I kid you not, on either count. The chewing doesn't surprise me much, although I admit that I was surprised to find someone with so much money addicted to such a crappy vice.

As for the lottery, the only thing that went through my head was "what sort of @sshole millionaire plays Powerball?" I think the lottery is as stupid a concept as chewing tobacco, but if you own the largest racing course in the world, you should at least have the decency to leave the potential for winning the lottery to those who could either use the money or have proven they can use it responsibly.

I was just glad I got out of there before my temper got the best of me. I had taken my Champ Car hat off before I left the house; if I had it on when we met, he might have given me the look and earned himself some fists of fury! :gomer:

devilmaster
06-30-05, 10:13 AM
awww Ed!

We woulda passed the hat for your bail and defense fund...... :D

sundaydriver2
06-30-05, 10:40 AM
Yesterday, I had a happenstance encounter with The Inheritor at a convenience store. After deciding I was better off waiting behind him in line instead of in front, lest he stab me in the back yet again, I watched as he approached the clerk. His purchase? A tin of Skoal (it beats coke, I guess) and a Powerball ticket.

Times are tough, or so they say. :gomer:

Maybe he needs to win Powerball to cover the USGP losses. :laugh:

Next time you see him, kick him in the nuts and run like h3ell!

:thumbup:

Andrew Longman
06-30-05, 10:40 AM
Ed, if I had throw that can at him a few years back at Nazareth perhaps we could have shared a cell. :D

pchall
06-30-05, 01:53 PM
I just want to start hearing rumours about the effects of reduced budgets and problematic engine availability... I wonder if Honda will do a "Chevy" and supply one team with the good stuff next year and let the others dangle trying to snatch stray ¥en.

Insomniac
07-01-05, 10:21 AM
It's amazing how the Cracksters at the Cracker Forum, who once sang ToYoda's praises are now saying "good riddance." You can't tell me that if Yoda did an about face and said "we're changing our minds and will sign a 10-year deal" that those morons wouldn't cream their pants and bend over for the yen.

What a bunch of pathetic creeps. :shakehead

Hehe, we can flip pretty quickly. If Honda came back, fHonda would stop in a heartbeat. And when someone leaves f??? starts pretty fast. We just don't have the awesome Kool-Aid. :)

NismoZ
07-01-05, 03:09 PM
The IRL is not Formula Honda and not even Honda wants it that way. Yes, they ARE disappointed Toyota is leaving because they KNOW the only thing that improves the product is competition. (How long will Corvette stick around if Aston totally kicks their ass next season? "GM can no longer justify the expense of a race/development program, so, blah, blah, blah." You hate Honda for what they did as regards open wheel competition but I already sense a sort of grudging admiration for them if they decide to take on Porsche and Audi in ALMS? Excuse me, but I clearly remember 1964 when F-1 laughed at them for taking on the world and things just got better after that. Honda doesn't run a race series but they certainly have a nose for which series they'd like to be a success in. Has Honda won LeMans yet? They want to (again?...seriously, I've forgotten!) I also think the split they helped create/perpetuate may in part be repaired by their efforts to work with interested people like The Rog, Mario, FTG and our own beloved KK to run in a viable open wheel series with real competition. Is Cosworth willing to take on Honda? Is Hyundai? I'd sure as hell rather beat Honda than Toyota...or Chevy.

nrc
07-01-05, 03:36 PM
Hehe, we can flip pretty quickly. If Honda came back, fHonda would stop in a heartbeat. And when someone leaves f??? starts pretty fast. We just don't have the awesome Kool-Aid. :)
Nope. Honda will have to do at least ten years of penance to make up for what they tried to do to Champ car. If they bring Tony George down in flames I'll consider taking a year or two off that.

The same with all of the turncoats and back-stabbers that have nearly destroyed our sport.

KLang
07-01-05, 03:41 PM
The same with all of the turncoats and back-stabbers that have nearly destroyed our sport.

There is no way I can ever forgive Rahal or Fernandez for their stunt in January of 2004. :mad:

Don Quixote
07-01-05, 05:16 PM
Nope. Honda will have to do at least ten years of penance to make up for what they tried to do to Champ car. If they bring Tony George down in flames I'll consider taking a year or two off that.

The same with all of the turncoats and back-stabbers that have nearly destroyed our sport.
Amen!

Insomniac
07-02-05, 09:20 AM
Nope. Honda will have to do at least ten years of penance to make up for what they tried to do to Champ car. If they bring Tony George down in flames I'll consider taking a year or two off that.

The same with all of the turncoats and back-stabbers that have nearly destroyed our sport.

I'm sure there are some clear areas where most wouldn't change their stance, but look at Honda. People are already excited about the leaving the IRL for ALMS. The ALMS doubleheaders with CCWS and then the reentry of Honda into CCWS. People like them more when they're on their side. :)