Just saw this post on another site and thought I'd bring it here. Any truth to this?

"Sorry if this is old news.
I was told yesterday, that some Pro Sport Compact racers, the Scranton Bros, will be going NHRA Pro Stock racing this year in a Pontiac, with funding by Toyota!
Plans are to begin a learning curve while a 500" Toyota motor is being designed, developed and approved. The switch to a Toyota body and the new motor may happen by '08, '09 at the latest.
If Toyota is starting up with one race team, I'm sure there are others.
If this is true, how long before the other Sportsman classes are infiltrated?"

Hmmmm... Inroads already being established by Fuller and Bazemore to advance their goal of World Domination??

Hell, all Toyota has to do is sink a little more cash and R&D time into some of those Sport Compact teams, and by the time they get the OK from No Hot Rods Allowed, they'll have more on-track testing info than most of the teams out there already...

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Haven't several people already tried to get in with those and Hondas with fewer cylinders and turbos? Would be TAD and AFD all over again. 500 n/a would be interesting. Would they be willing to stick with pushrods, though?

If they can get in with 500", pushrods and carbs, then what's the problem? Diversity is always good. If Toyota is willing to spend some money in NHRA, it might not be a bad thing.
Besides.... Greg Anderson needs a break. Maybe all his bashers will bash the Toyotas instead... Just kidding...

actually, I'd love to see four valves, overcams, EFI, and fewer cubic inches. But the R and D costs would be way over the top, so I don't expect that soon. You'll see it first in comp.

Sounds like trickle up techonology.

Absolutely, Gary! If they're willing to build something within the rules, then bring 'em on!

Sean D

BAH!!!! Rules are for sheep!!!

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a.k.a. 98percentnitro

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The Toyota NASCAR 358 CID engines have pushrods and a carb. Not sure if what they have now in blocks could go to 500 inches? If they want to play bring em on!

Same cast iron rules as NASCAR.
If they allowed some modern technology (Does ANY MANUFACTURER use Carbs anymore) NHRA could FINALLY be on the leading edge instead of the usual me-too deal.

Yep, this is old news......for some of us!

Most of the Toyota Sport Compact teams have known this for a while. Both of Scranton's '06 Solaras are for sale.

toyotaturbo

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"When I die, I want to die like my grandfather, who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming in panic like the passengers in his car."

If any of this is true...Toyota will be allowed to make a carb'ed 500cid engine specifically for Pro Stock racing.I'm sure they will do as they did in their Neckcar engines,and use the best of all other mfgrs designs.

DeGidio San - Ah So - Honorable Japanese concept . . . "Reverse Engineering"
That being said, there is a lot more to P/S racing than dumping a fortune into building a 500 cfi engine. And, trying to move an SC team into PS by using Pontiacs, unless they have enough money to entice an experienced (and extremely stupid) crew chief away from a current top ten team
Toyota is getting a very expensive lesson in NASCAR. Unless a miracle happens very quickly, all of the Toyotas will have to fight for the final six positions with 10 to 15 others cars at every race after Bristol. They are getting a payback for being convinced that Michael Waltrip could run their team. If they want to race Pro Stock, let 'em! Losing face in Japan is a bad thing -

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"The Counterfeiter"

I'm a bit confused...

Is GM, Chrysler or Ford building anything with a carb anymore? Even most of the crate packages have a suggested FI/ EFI induction system..

If not, then whats the dif if Toyoya DOES build one for P/S? Personally, I think its one step back for them (even though it will involve a ton of R&D on their part to make P/S power).

Not to suggest that P/S needs to blast lightyears into the future with FI- carburation technology is pretty darn amazing, especially in the past decade. If they can make it happen, I'll be very interested to see what bits are changed over the NASCAR motors.

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a.k.a. 98percentnitro

http://www.myspace.com/relentlesslightingdesign