When Toyota announced that it would debut a Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2004 it rocked the world of the long-time 100% American NASCAR fan. It shouldn’t have. Toyota had already been in NASCAR since 2000 fielding Celicas in the Goody’s Dash Series.
Joining NASCAR was a natural for Toyota, which has been a part of American Motorsports since 1967; Toyota has paired with such legends as Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby. It has been researching and developing and sponsoring racing for years from CORR Off-Road to Champ Car to the IRL. Why not NASCAR?
But what is in it for Toyota? Are all the programs it enters something that will offer it a return on its investment? One has to wonder about one certain event, The Toyota All-Star Showdown.
There is no doubt Tundra sales will be boosted by Toyota’s involvement and exposure in NASCAR but Toyota has gone above and beyond to gain NASCAR recognition. It went right to the soul of NASCAR and made a commitment to the grassroots of NASCAR, the regional racing. What benefit will Toyota derive from this contract?
In 2003 NASCAR presented the All-Star Showdown, billed as the biggest event in the history of NASCAR regional racing. Toyota stepped up to sponsor it and because of Irwindale Speedway's close proximity to Toyota’s two Southern California Research and Development plants in Costa Mesa and Tustin; it made sense for that track to win the bid to host it.
How big a success was the All-Star Showdown? With the power of live TV, fans were able to watch an event that reached nationwide, a show of NASCAR's best regional touring drivers competing in the invitation only event to prove who was best of class. There was a lot for the race fans, a lot for the racers, a lot for NASCAR, a lot for the track, but was there a lot in it for Toyota?
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said, "It's a world-class event, and I think the Toyota All-Star Showdown symbolizes NASCAR's commitment to our regional touring divisions."
The Toyota All-Star Showdown was the recipient of two awards. NASCAR presented Irwindale Speedway a "Best Special Event at a NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series track" award and Speedway Illustrated magazine awarded NASCAR the "Best Specialty Racing Promotion of 2003" award.
Earlier this year Irwindale Speedway Vice President and COO Bob DeFazio said, "We're absolutely thrilled to be again hosting the second edition of this important NASCAR event.”
Sounds like everyone is happy. But I have to wonder is Toyota happy?
Irwindale Speedway explains on its website that, “Over 11 million people live less than an hour’s drive away (from Irwindale Speedway”, yet the track only offers grandstand seating for 6,500. If the Showdown truly was the award-winning, ground shattering, all powerful event it was hyped up to be, why were there so many empty seats?
Could it be that both NASCAR and Irwindale Speedway took the money and ran? Surely the executives at Irwindale Speedway knew at some point in time that they were not even nearing a sell out. Why then would they not work to sell those remaining tickets? Did NASCAR and Irwindale Speedway feel it was the responsibility of the event sponsor, Toyota, to sell tickets?
NASCAR and Irwindale Speedway received the kudos, the thanks and the awards for the Showdown. You have to wonder what was in it for Toyota, who presented the financing that made it possible for NASCAR and Irwindale Speedway to bring to the fans the biggest success story of regional racing in 2003.
Is it enough for the fans of grassroots racing to say thank you Toyota? Because we most certainly do.
