Democrats

Daytona 500 Is Automakers Battleground

February 18, 2007 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

The Daytona 500 lineup is set and the race is ready to roll. You have the Robert Yates duo on the front, and the past champs like Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett in the rear. Mixed into the field are various other drivers and car makes. The race for Daytona will begin and end on Sunday but the battle over Toyota and what is perceived as a foreign car invasion is just beginning and the battle will last an excruciating 39 weeks or so and even then it may still carry on to the next NASCAR season. The battle is waged by what many consider product loyalty. Hardcore NASCAR fans see Toyota as a sell-out brand that is traitorous to America. However, others say that more Toyota’s than Ford’s GM’s and Chryslers are actually made right here in America. Who is right and who is wrong is as vicious a battle as Roe versus Wade but one thing is for sure the Daytona 500 will be ran and a champ will be crowned. Lastly, the money from Toyota does not go back to Japan, it goes to shareholders who live throughout the world, same as Ford, and same as GM. All things considered I would much rather buy a Ford or GM but I would rather buy one made totally in America, can Ford or GM do that like Toyota does?

For many of us this is the race we have waited for since early November, for others it’s a way to watch their Americanism play out on national television. Many Toyota Camry owners are quick to point out that many of the Anti-Toyota fans will be at home watching the Daytona 500 on their big screen plasma televisions made in Taiwan and China. These Toyota defenders ask why the Toyota brand gets so hammered when A Erica allows al other types of imports a free ride. Many say these anti-Toyota bashers need to turn their hatred inside and consider their own lifestyles in regards to the selling out of America.

The argument does bring up a good point. With America losing more and more manufacturing jobs each day why is it so allowable for electronics, video games, Ipods, and all other forms of electronics and multi-media goods to be outsourced and imported but cars are inviolable? What makes cars so much more valuable to the argument than everyday items? We buy a car once every four to five years yet there are items we buy weekly that are total imports.

Many point out that the majority of Toyota’s sold to Americans are bought and sold in America while Ford and GM are assembled with foreign parts from foreign countries.

By the way has anybody noticed the NBA All Star Game is in Las Vegas? With all of the hype about Toyota and the Daytona 500 the all star game is a forgotten event.

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