Editor’s Note: In a nod to our 91 years of history, each week SPEED SPORT will look back at the top stories from 20, 40 and 60 years ago as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News.
20 Years Ago — 2006
News: Toyota announced it will enter NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series racing beginning in 2007.
Dave Illingworth, senior vice-president and chief planning and administrative officer for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., made the announcement as the annual Lowe’s Motor Speedway Media Tour stopped at the NASCAR Research and Development Center.
“Next year — 2007 — will be a special year for Toyota in more ways than one. Toyota will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in the United States, and we will be joining the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series — America’s premier racing series,” Illingworth said.
“Toyota has been an important part of the U.S. motorsports community for almost 25 years. We’ve competed and won in different series and on tracks across America. Toyota drivers and teams have won championships in a variety of different series. But, if you want to compete against the best in America, that means NASCAR.”
Toyota’s car of choice will be the Camry.
“Both the Nextel Cup and the Busch Series teams will be racing the most popular car in America — the Toyota Camry,” Illingworth said. “More than 6.5 million Camrys have been sold in the U.S., and it has been the best-sold car in America for eight of the last nine years. It is built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown, Ky.”
Toyota entered NASCAR competition five years ago with an entry in the Goody’s Dash Series and three years ago moved to the Craftsman Truck Series.
Illingworth explained that Toyota’s Cup and Busch programs will differ slightly from its truck arrangement.
“For the past two years in the Craftsman Truck Series, we have been trying to learn everything we can about NASCAR racing. When we first entered the series, none of our teams had any experience in truck racing, and several were all new to NASCAR,” he explained. “So, Toyota Racing Development builds the Tundras from the ground up and then works side by side with the teams.
That will change as Toyota enters the Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series.
“Many of these teams have their own engine, chassis and body programs, and we expect they will continue with those programs, so like other manufacturers we will provide technical support that varies depending on the needs of the individual teams. Another change, there will be no Toyota branded or sponsored cars racing in the Nextel Cup Series. The teams will bring their owns sponsors to the starting grid.”
NASCAR CEO Brian France was also on hand for the announcement.
“NASCAR welcomes Toyota to the greatest auto racing in the world,” France said. “Toyota’s entry into the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the NASCAR Busch Series is good for drivers, teams and the fans. This move provides for even more intense competition on the track between drivers and manufacturers, which will provide more excitement and fan interest. Toyota’s entry also provides more options for drivers and teams, which will increase the competition between manufacturers.”
Winners: Levi Jones began his career with Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises in bittersweet fashion Saturday in the season opener for the USAC-CRA Sprint Car Series at Manzanita Speedway.
Jones celebrated with a right fist pump under the checkered flag after winning his first race with the team, just moments after trailing his teammate, Josh Wise, flipped violently while leading the 30 lapper.
Jones assumed the lead from Wise after the accident on lap 14 but held it for less than a handful of seconds.
Jesse Hockett slipped under Jones on the restart and glided to a short lead. But Jones held back little.
Waiting for Hockett to make any miscue over the final 10 laps, Jones pounced on lap 25 after getting a good run off the second turn.
Once in front, Jones endured the pressure from Cory Kruseman, who caught the front of the field after Hockett’s engine blew on lap 29. The restart proved of little worth as former World of Outlaws standout Johnny Herrera flipped in the first turn.
Jones drove off when the green flag waved again and was never headed, despite a charging Kruseman.
Kruseman finished second, ahead of Darren Hagen, Damion Gardner and Danny Sheridan.
“Kruseman is one of the best in the business, and I knew he was right behind me,” said Jones. “This is a great start to my year. Obviously, I haven’t been in this seat before, but we had a well-enough prepared car to put it in victory lane.”
40 Years Ago — 1986
News: The largest purse in stock car racing history —$1,468,715 — has been posted for the 1986 Daytona 500 NASCAR Winston Cup stock car race on Feb. 16.
The announcement was made Monday by John Riddle, general manager of Daytona Int’l Speedway.
The purse represents an increase of more than $180,000 over the previous high, $1,286,915 for the event last year. ·
The total posted for first place is $127,815, up from 1985’s $119,600. The winner’s share, however, could be higher depending on his performance in qualifying, number of laps led and other contingencies. Bill Elliott won a record $185,500 last year.
The Daytona 500 climaxes the 28th annual Daytona Speed Weeks which begin Feb. 1-2, with the $200,000 SunBank 24 at Daytona for IMSA Camel GT sports cars.
The stock car portion of Speed Weeks begins Saturday, Feb. 8, with Busch Pole Qualifying for the Daytona 500. On Sunday, Feb. 9, are the $180,000 Busch Clash and $83,700 ARCA 200.
The 7-Eleven Twin 125-mile qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 14, complete the 500 field.
The opening round of the 10th annual Budweiser International Race of Champions highlights activity on Friday, Feb. 14. Also on the program is the $80,925 Komfort Koach 200 Charlotte-Daytona Dash Series race.
The $318,555 Goody’s 300 Busch Grand National Series race for sportsman cars will be held Saturday, Feb. 15.
Winners: Johnny Parsons was in mid-season form Sunday afternoon at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum as he won the Indoor Hoosier 100 USAC Jolly Rancher Candies midget race with a super performance.
The victory was his first here since 1973 and came in the Rollie Helming-owned, Harold’s Supermarkets VW No.4. The car ran to perfection as Helming turned the wrenches with an assist from his former driver, John Andretti. The engine came from the Mel Kenyon shop.
Parsons also won the indoor point title, his second, over Tom Bigelow on the strength of a heat race triumph.
JP was running strong all afternoon as he had the fastest unofficial time in hot laps, qualified seventh quick, won his heat race from fifth and then came from fourth in the main. Some of his passes were of the textbook variety.
In the victory lane interview, Parsons said, “This was a real shot in the arm to be back in the winner’s circle so early in the year.”
Terry Wente finished a surprising but solid second in the Skoal Bandit VW No.33.
60 Years Ago— 1966
News: A group of Detroit businessmen have formed a corporation to build a $6 million speedway for auto racing in the Battle Creek-Sturgis area that will be the largest in the country.
The racing plant to be known as the Great Lakes Int’l Speedway, will be a two-mile paved track with 17 degree-banking and a seating capacity of 75,000.
Corporate plans have already been filed in Lansing with initial capitalization of $6 million.
Head of the group is Ralph T. Kirchner, president of a Detroit investment firm. Financing of the huge racing facility is expected to come from stock sale to the general public.
Construction is planned for next summer. Hopefully, the track will be complete in time for the 1967 racing season. Both USAC and NASCAR are reported to have been wooing the group for sanctioning rights to the events.
Winners: Jimmy Maguire proved that the sprint car accident of 1964 which cost him his right arm, has not stopped his winning ways.
The 23-year-old driver handily won the three-quarter-midget feature inside Atlantic City’s Convention Hall before a crowd of 4,000.
Maguire qualified for the main event in the Povelson Crosley Roadster by finishing second in the third semifinal. That gave him 11th starting position in a record field of 26 cars that started the 35-lap feature.
Frank Coman took the lead from the pole and led until the seventh lap when Bobby Hamilton took the lead. Hamilton set the pace until the 17th lap when his car locked up and triggered a three-car accident.
Hamilton’s misfortune became Maguire’s good fortune as he inherited the lead. Maguire made no mistakes in leading the final 18 laps and beating Bobby Courtwright by two car lengths.
