A Glimmer of Hope: Toyota Takes First NEXTEL CUP NASCAR Pole

A Glimmer of Hope: Toyota Takes First NEXTEL CUP NASCAR Pole
Dave Blaney has won the first-ever pole position for Toyota in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup competition. His lap at 129.437 miles per hour at the New Hampshire International Speedway topped all other competitors and represented one of the few bright spots for Toyota in its first season as a Nextel Cup competitor. Blaney drives for Bill Davis Racing, one of the first Nextel Cup teams approached by Toyota in anticipation of a full-scale Cup effort.

However, Toyota driver and past champion Dale Jarrett, now out of past champion provisionals, failed to qualify for the race, as did Michael Waltrip and A. J. Almendinger, continuing a pattern of failures to qualify that has dogged the Toyota teams all season. The failure of Toyota, as a brand to qualify in Nextel Cup competition must be particularly galling to the sponsors of the teams, which include two of the largest in NASCAR: United Parcel Service (Jarrett) and NAPA (Waltrip).



Agent009Agent009 - 7/2/2007 12:39:13 PM
+2 Boost
Great news for the Toyota team, however the weekend continued Toyota's bad luck in Nextel racing. The top Toyota finisher was 29th.




drew630drew630 - 7/2/2007 12:45:35 PM
+2 Boost
And then quickly falls a lap down.


EL34EL34 - 7/2/2007 3:03:29 PM
+2 Boost
Toyota get ready to meet the wall.

lol


Will_Will_ - 7/2/2007 4:01:55 PM
+2 Boost
Toyota and NASCAR just don't mix. The funny thing is Toyota could care even less. Sure, success would be welcome, but this was more of a marketing venture to spread word of mouth about the Tundra.


toolatetoracetoolatetorace - 7/2/2007 10:21:41 PM
0 Boost
Will, that was not their intention when they first embarked on the venture . They hoped they were going to be like Dodge an occoupy the front row like they did straight out of the box . Mike Waltrip knew that was not going to be the case so, that had to resort to gooping up the intake manifold with some go fast gel


Will_Will_ - 7/3/2007 7:40:29 AM
-1 Boost
Moving Tundras off the lot was their goal from the get-go, regardless of cheating after-the-fact, and your needless rehash of that fact.


1970toyotamarc1970toyotamarc - 7/2/2007 4:08:42 PM
0 Boost
A Nextel Cup pole, a few top fives in Busch, and, of course, domination in Craftsman Truck. Now there's talk of Gibbs moving to Toyota next year. It's happening , no one said it would be overnight.


toolatetoracetoolatetorace - 7/2/2007 10:35:11 PM
0 Boost
Just goes to show Toytie can never figure out how to go fast by themselves , they need to copy ideas or team up with a winning team ,. Thing is, the Gibbs operation is / has been on top for quite awhile and could wind up like the Jack Rouch stable after they were king of the hill ,fighting for a good finish for their team(s) Why don't they stick with what they have and keep nurturing them so they can get to the top like the others have and I don't mean DW and DJ . These drivers were hired for their mass appeal to get Toytie to be better accepted and nothing else .


rockerrocker - 7/2/2007 4:27:36 PM
+2 Boost
Chevy 10 of the top 12 positions. Toyota - 29th, 38th and 40th. How about that.


SevorbeupstryIsBackSevorbeupstryIsBack - 7/2/2007 4:55:54 PM
+3 Boost
Finally Toyoda wins something!


adoptgreyhoundsadoptgreyhounds - 7/2/2007 8:40:15 PM
-1 Boost
Most lexus/Toyota fans will think you missed spelled the name. Did you know his son works in my home state of Indiana at the heavy industry plant, and drives a base ES350.


SevorbeupstryIsBackSevorbeupstryIsBack - 7/3/2007 3:59:08 AM
+1 Boost
That's genuine interesting.. what does he do exactly?


adoptgreyhoundsadoptgreyhounds - 7/3/2007 10:31:40 PM
0 Boost
He's plant mgr. Unlike most companies he must work his way up. Mr. Toyoda started as a janitor there on the production floor.


sewingmachinesewingmachine - 7/2/2007 10:33:57 PM
+1 Boost
round and round we go. just watch the last 5 laps to see the winner.


Htay7500Htay7500 - 7/3/2007 11:21:53 AM
0 Boost
F1>NASCAR


2JZSoarer2JZSoarer - 7/3/2007 11:29:43 AM
0 Boost
Well you can't expect a Japanese company like Toyota to go into a redneck sport and dominate over night,but they are the only import company to have the gust to compete in Nascar...


2JZSoarer2JZSoarer - 7/3/2007 11:31:08 AM
0 Boost
Mistype:but they are the only import company to have the guts to compete in Nascar...



bevisroybevisroy - 7/5/2007 6:11:32 PM
0 Boost
Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz show 5.4 in their specs)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the (REPREHENSIBLE) Toyota/Lexus people.....
Copyright 2026 AutoSpies.com, LLC