 | | Debuts for Toyota and the Car of Tomorrow will be highly anticipated in 2007. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images |
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
January 2, 2007
02:29 AM EST (07:29 GMT)
1. Toyota's Nextel Cup debut  |  | | Toyota has held the headlines since it announced a move to the Cup Series in January. Credit: CIA Stock Photo |
| |  | TOYOTA TO CUP | NASCAR and Toyota announced in January the manufacturer's plans to compete in the Nextel Cup and Busch series in 2007, running the Camry model.
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| REACTIONS | Toyota's decision to go Nextel Cup racing will fire up the competitive juices of teams representing the series' longstanding three makes.
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| LOOKING UP AT TOP 35 | Toyota's biggest problem is actually a Web page on NASCAR.COM, writes Ryan Smithson. It's called the 2006 Nextel Cup owner standings.
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Toyota's entry into Nextel Cup in 2007 represents the first full-time foreign manufacturer in NASCAR's top-tier series. How will Toyota fare in its first season? With a roster that includes a mix of veterans such as Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Jeremy Mayfield and Dave Blaney, coupled with younger drivers like Brian Vickers, David Reutimann and A.J. Allmendinger, the pieces are in place to have some success in 2007. Blaney's the only one of that group with owner points carrying over from 2006. So with the possible exception of Jarrett's past champion's provisional, the others will be forced to make at least the first five races of the season on qualifying speed -- or in the case of the Daytona 500, through the pair of qualifying races. Still, based on Toyota's track record in the Craftsman Truck Series, where Tundras won nearly half of the 25 races in 2006, the ability of its teams to add key crew chiefs and other personnel, and its reputation in other forms of racing, the Camry could be a formidable foe. In addition, how will long-time fans take to the idea of a Japanese-owned make in Nextel Cup, even if many of the Toyotas on the road are manufactured in the United States? Will Toyota's presence cause a domino effect for other manufacturers, both inside and outside of NASCAR? 2. Car of Tomorrow phase-in NASCAR's vision of the racing chassis of the future is scheduled to make its debut at Bristol in March, the first of 16 races in 2007, followed by 26 more in 2008. With built-in safety features and the ability to run at multiple tracks with a minimum of modifications, NASCAR officials believe the Car of Tomorrow will save teams money over the long term. However, opposition to the plan has steadily gained momentum. But how many of the complaints are because of resistance to change, and how many are actually valid? Teams are still having to build two types of cars for the next two seasons, so some owners wonder where the cost savings are coming from. A few take issue with what they feel is a step backwards in technology. Some drivers have criticized the new car's handling characteristics, others don't like its look. How will fans take to the new design? There was little revolt when NASCAR downsized its fleet in the early '80s. And the current templates make the differences between the present makes almost impossible for the casual fan to see. 3. The return of ABC/ESPN Much has been made of the new television contract, which takes effect in 2007. NASCAR says so long to NBC and returns to ABC and ESPN for the first time in six seasons. Fans who have criticized the current television partners for everything from the number of commercials to giving some drivers too much air time are expecting a return to what they claim are the "good old days" of race coverage. How will ABC and ESPN handle expectations from NASCAR, the teams and the fans? Can its on-air team deliver insightful commentary? Can its production team keep both viewers and sponsors happy? In a sport where it seems nearly everything has been done before, is there anything new to show? We'll find out at Indianapolis in July -- and during Busch Series events all season. 4. The future of the Busch Series With Anheuser-Busch's long-time sponsorship of NASCAR's No. 2 series ending with the 2007 season, there are a number of questions left to be answered: Who will be the new title sponsor, and how will ESPN's role in the selection process play out? Will the new television contract and title sponsorship provide increased trickle-down revenues for teams and tracks? How does NASCAR deal with the continuing "Buschwhacker" issue? How can under-funded smaller teams compete with the influx of Cup teams? Is there a Car of Tomorrow-type chassis in the series' future? Is the series still the best place for talented younger drivers to gain much-needed seat time? How will the addition of a race in Montreal affect future scheduling? A new sponsor and new television partner could give NASCAR a perfect opportunity to make wholesale changes to the series. At the same time, it's difficult to see NASCAR meddling with what it promotes as the No. 2 motorsports in the United States. 5. Changes to the points and Chase In June, NASCAR chairman Brian France promised slight changes to the Chase for the Nextel Cup format, hoping to add more drama to the 10-race title hunt. "What I have always said about the Chase was we needed a few years under our belt to see how it evolves, how it changes in strategy, see how the actual formula we have really works," France said. "Now in our third year ... it's the ideal time for us make adjustments." Will more drivers be added to the Chase? Will drivers receive more points for winning? Any change may be a good thing, since the 2006 Chase became a testimony to cautious and conservative driving, both on the part of Chase drivers and those outside of the top 10. With the exception of Vickers' last-lap spin of Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win at Talladega, the Chase seemed to suck the intrigue out of most of the final 10 races. Even with five drivers mathematically eligible for the championship at Homestead, Johnson seemingly had things well in hand all day. 6. A repeat champion Can Johnson avoid the misfortunes that have followed recent champions? The Chase for the Nextel Cup significantly lessens the chances of a repeat championship. First, you must make the Chase -- which proved to be Tony Stewart's undoing in 2005. Second, you must avoid a situation like Matt Kenseth in 2004, when his championship chances came to a crashing halt at the end of pit road. However, two things could be in Johnson's favor. The last driver to repeat as champion -- Jeff Gordon -- did it in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. In addition, Johnson has never finished worse than fifth in the standings in his five full-time seasons. In fact, Johnson didn't even have his best season in 2006. Instead, it was in 2004, when he won eight times -- including four Chase races -- and posted 20 top-fives. 7. Juan Montoya's impact How big an impact will former Formula One and Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Montoya have in NASCAR? It's a huge feather in NASCAR's cap to add a driver of Montoya's prestige and world-wide popularity. It's something akin to when Emerson Fittipaldi left Formula One to drive open-wheel cars in the United States -- a move that paved the road for many other foreign-born drivers in the sport. It's impossible to imagine his popularity in his home country of Colombia, where he is considered a national hero. Some of his most fanatical supporters have traveled thousands of miles to see him race in person. Still, it's going to be difficult for Montoya to live up to expectations, for several reasons. First, he's facing a steep learning curve. He's run less than a dozen stock car races in his career. He's made exactly one Nextel Cup start -- and finished 34th after crashing. Second, Chip Ganassi Racing has won five Cup races -- and none since Jamie McMurray took the checkers at Lowe's as a fill-in for the injured Sterling Marlin. The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. | 
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