Important Read For all in my opinion

[Justin Bimmer]

Hello all,

First, I am still alive. I have been battling health issues since around the 4th of July and the doctors just NOW decided to draw blood which kinda frustrates me. Hopefully I will start feeling better once they figure out what is wrong with me.

Now to all the mods out there, what is to follow please move if you deem it appropriate for GM to see because I am very upset right now.

I have been a NASCAR fan since 1993. I was immediately drawn to the number 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet that Dale Earnhardt drove because of the sponsor, the number and the color of the car. I was an Earnhardt fan after that and I still proudly display a Goodwrench/Earnhardt licence plate frame on my 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix.

Fast Forward to 2003 where I am working at a locally sanctioned NASCAR track in Madera Ca., where I had worked for about 4 years at the time. Tony Stewart, the defending Winston Cup Champion is going to visit our track and race there during Easter weekend. From my personal experience with him which involved eating with him and his manager, playing some cards with him and interviewing him multiple times in front of thousands of people, I began to see that Stewart was a regular guy that just happened to have an amazing talent involving racing. I was proud that I drove the same car he did in NASCAR.

I have been a Tony Stewart fan ever sense. When I found out today that my greatest fears had come true and his owner, Joe Gibbs, who is a self proclaimed AMERICAN CHRISTIAN has decided that siding with a Japanese company, the same country that devastated us during World War II and has still not been an equal trading partner ever since has enticed this all American Christian to join their team.

Although there were some reports that Stewart was against abandoning his nearly decade long association with General Motors, he had no choice but to go to Toyota with his car owner.

Now with this back story I have three major issues:

1) If Tony Stewart is truly trying to extend his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, he does not mean what he says because ANY Chevrolet team would be ecstatic to sign him.

2) Tony Stewart claims that he hopes GM continues to get support in his sprint car programs, but why should they if he isn't able to show them any support on national television as one of their drivers and supporters of equipment.

3) This may be my most important issue regardless of it's third position. Why does General Motors feel the need to continue the support of their contract with JGR? I am a law student and it was explained to me in pretty plain English that if the contract no longer benefits you that it is best to breach the contract and just deal with the consequences later. JGR has basically told GM that they are not what they want anymore. So I don't see why it is important that GM support the two teams JGR is going to have in the "Chase" just to help them win. It would be a great statement if they stopped factory support and recalled their block and head cores and told JGR that they are on their own and good luck. There needs to be consequences in NASCAR.

I greatly fear that within the next ten years, that Toyota is going to do the same thing that they have done to almost every form of American motorsport that they have joined. They will spend any amount of money to become the dominant factor and then get board of being the sold successful manufacture and then abandon the sport.

NASCAR and GM, I hope you are aware of my feelings.

Sincerely,

Justin Loyear

Fresno, California

[z28luvr01]

I hope all turns out the best for you, Justin. I'm praying for a quick diagnosis of your problems and as well as a return to good health.

I'm moving this to "To General Motors", because frankly I want GM to see this. I'm surprised GM isn't pursuing legal action against both JGR and Toyota. This situation is like a baseball player who announces that he is going to play for the Yankees next year, while he is still under contract with the Red Sox for the rest of the season. I know there is a legal term for this but I forgot it.

NASCAR's all about the $$$$$$. I'm sure we'll soon be hearing soundbytes from Stewart about how Toyota is just as American as GM and how they provide jobs for Americans and blah blah blah blah. The best thing GM (and Ford) can do is pull out of NASCAR. Let Toyota have it and race against themselves, or better yet, let Honda and Nissan in. That'll alienate their core fanbase and cause the league to tank. Let the Big 3 throw their NASCAR money towards an existing racing series (ie: bring V8 Supercars stateside :AH-HA_wink:), or help fund the creation of a new stock car league that stands for what NASCAR used to.

[Hudson]

As stated in the above post, I hope all of your health issues are treated and you come out of this stronger. Good luck to you!

...the same country that devastated us during World War II...

The people who "devastated us" 65 years ago are, for the most part, dead. Japan barely acknowledges these events even to their own people...it's a different country today. Japan is our ally, not our enemy. And while it may seem that the barriers to trade with Japan are major, the biggest problem comes from our own products. For the most part, Japanese patriotism and the American's lack of competition (the Big3 don't make products suitable for the Japanese market) are the biggest barriers.

That aside, GM has a problem with breaking contracts in NASCAR. If you start breaking contracts with people that the fans like (Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs, etc), then you risk alienating the people you're trying to impress with your participation in NASCAR. Your dedication to GM is admirable, but competition is competition and most fans see it that way. If GM were to walk away from Joe Gibbs Racing and Tony Stewart before the end of their contract (and more importantly, before the end of the season), won't fans be upset...especially if it affects the drive for the Cup?

I, personally, haven't liked NASCAR since they stopped using stock bodies (it is the National Association of STOCK CAR Auto Racing, isn't it?). I don't care which driver wins, I care more about which brand wins and NASCAR has gone out of their way to make sure I don't matter. All the cars are the same except for the decals. Boring!

But as a professional in the automotive industry, I can see how the NASCAR fans (a large group of people) are a necessary subset of the buying public. Toyota, as a competitor in the industry, sees this group as a missed target audience, just as Chrysler did five years ago and as Honda and Nissan may see in the future.

Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing see it just the same way. If Toyota is going to invest more in the teams, which are very expensive to run, then you go where the money is. Perhaps when Toyota's NASCAR investment has reached a point where they no longer see any benefit, GM or Ford or Chrysler (or Nissan or Honda) will be where the money is. But I can't fault the racers and team owners from working toward a profitable business. NASCAR stopped being racing a long time ago and is all about business. It's not Tony Stewart's job to sell Impalas...it's his job to win races.

[Intrepidation]

NASCAR's all about the $$$$$$. I'm sure we'll soon be hearing soundbytes from Stewart about how Toyota is just as American as GM and how they provide jobs for Americans and blah blah blah blah. The best thing GM (and Ford) can do is pull out of NASCAR. Let Toyota have it and race against themselves, or better yet, let Honda and Nissan in. That'll alienate their core fanbase and cause the league to tank. Let the Big 3 throw their NASCAR money towards an existing racing series (ie: bring V8 Supercars stateside :AH-HA_wink:), or help fund the creation of a new stock car league that stands for what NASCAR used to.

I agee, GM, Ford and Chrysler should just pull out of NASCAR. All NASCAR is about anymore is whoring themselves out to the guy with the most cash anyway.

Home you get well Caddy.

[toesuf94]

Good luck with the health issues. I wish you a speedy recovery.

GM NEEDS to pull the technology out of there NOW. Look at what Toyota has done in F1 and you will see that they are not above 'buying' competitors technology through buying teams, drivers, and support staff. Many a red flag has been flown in protest into what Toyota has done in the F1 circuit, and I guarantee that is the game plan with Nascar.

GM should spend the money now to DEFEAT JGR in the chase for the cup with the teams that they have signed for next year. Show JGR that they made a bad descision to leave and make them pay for it.

As a fan, it is our duty to protest the fact that Toyota has bought into the fray by NOT supporting the sponsors. That means no Home Depot, No UPS, No Fed Ex, No Interstate Batteries. Do not support the sponsors that support a Non-American team. Don't buy the Tony Stewart merchandise to replace the old stuff - just keep your hands in your pockets and hurt them where it counts - financially. Toyota will not be able to foot the entire bill.

Lastly, as for Nascar in general - the car of tomorrow may be safer but it is making the series a spec series and not the 'run what you brung' factory efforts of it's roots. Personally, I think the COT sucks and making everyone equal is not the answer - innovation that brought us the Daytona Superbird, fast back Monte, and Talledega Torino is - and you just killed it. You lost my viewership. I am done.

[Camino LS6]

Just a reminder to anyone posting in this thread. Your post will not appear until approved by a Mod.

There is no need to re-post when you don't see it the first time.

Thanks.

[Sixty8panther]

Holy cow dude, first and foremost good luck with your health. Seriously!

Now as far as NASCAR & Toyota... well mostly I agree with you.

Toyota is a despicable corporationj and I go out of my way to educate people aboutn it!

[Justin Bimmer]

As stated in the above post, I hope all of your health issues are treated and you come out of this stronger. Good luck to you!

The people who "devastated us" 65 years ago are, for the most part, dead. Japan barely acknowledges these events even to their own people...it's a different country today. Japan is our ally, not our enemy. And while it may seem that the barriers to trade with Japan are major, the biggest problem comes from our own products. For the most part, Japanese patriotism and the American's lack of competition (the Big3 don't make products suitable for the Japanese market) are the biggest barriers.

That aside, GM has a problem with breaking contracts in NASCAR. If you start breaking contracts with people that the fans like (Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs, etc), then you risk alienating the people you're trying to impress with your participation in NASCAR. Your dedication to GM is admirable, but competition is competition and most fans see it that way. If GM were to walk away from Joe Gibbs Racing and Tony Stewart before the end of their contract (and more importantly, before the end of the season), won't fans be upset...especially if it affects the drive for the Cup?

I, personally, haven't liked NASCAR since they stopped using stock bodies (it is the National Association of STOCK CAR Auto Racing, isn't it?). I don't care which driver wins, I care more about which brand wins and NASCAR has gone out of their way to make sure I don't matter. All the cars are the same except for the decals. Boring!

But as a professional in the automotive industry, I can see how the NASCAR fans (a large group of people) are a necessary subset of the buying public. Toyota, as a competitor in the industry, sees this group as a missed target audience, just as Chrysler did five years ago and as Honda and Nissan may see in the future.

Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing see it just the same way. If Toyota is going to invest more in the teams, which are very expensive to run, then you go where the money is. Perhaps when Toyota's NASCAR investment has reached a point where they no longer see any benefit, GM or Ford or Chrysler (or Nissan or Honda) will be where the money is. But I can't fault the racers and team owners from working toward a profitable business. NASCAR stopped being racing a long time ago and is all about business. It's not Tony Stewart's job to sell Impalas...it's his job to win races.

Hudson, you are right in what you say about WWII and Japan and I guess I was just a litte too much on the soapbox on that but I think the reason why our products are "inferior" there is more to do with thier ability to advance technology, advertising, and distribustion at a much much much faster rate due to their much smaller country. Cell Phones is a great example of that. Could Verizon or AT&T roll out gen III systems here with national advertising if they haven't spent a lot of money upgrading all the infastructure throughout the country? Just a though.

But your comments regarding GM pulling out would look bad. In my opinion, JGR is creating the breach the second they announce that they are moving to Toyota. Honestly this problem is throughout NASCAR because drivers and sponsors and everybody can breach and start and re-sign whenever they want. It's very bizarre but NASCAR lets it happen. It would be nice if somebody would eventually say "hey they are really hurting my credibility by switching to something else and I have enough money and sponsorship or whatever already invested in this sport that pulling out some money and support isnt going to do much"

But on the other hand I guess it could backfire and create others to want to consider other options because they don't want it to happen to them. I think what needs to happen is no official announcements of anything until the end of the season. There should be a gag order or something to prevent these things from happening. But NASCAR is truly a franchise system running as an Independent Contractor System.

I really hate companies that try to exclusively use independent contractors.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

The people who "devastated us" 65 years ago are, for the most part, dead. Japan barely acknowledges these events even to their own people...it's a different country today. Japan is our ally, not our enemy. And while it may seem that the barriers to trade with Japan are major, the biggest problem comes from our own products. For the most part, Japanese patriotism and the American's lack of competition (the Big3 don't make products suitable for the Japanese market) are the biggest barriers.

The people who built unreliable american cars have long since retired as well, but I don't see anyone cutting the big 3 any slack on that. Yet in typical self-loathing fashion, we elevate others (Japan) at the expense of our own. And in this particular case, it's 'others' that perpetuated actions which cost us dearly. What do we get in return? In return of our ELEVATING their economy out of the gutter? Nothing... Not even fair trade. Just arrogant companies with arrogant officials (government and otherwise) who will not be happy until they passive aggressively destroy our industry. It's almost as if they had the goal to do this all along; it just falls into place and Japan, with tongue in cheek, says "aw shucks, we're just trying to survive."

This country reeks of cowardice and betrayal, it's sickening.

That aside, GM has a problem with breaking contracts in NASCAR. If you start breaking contracts with people that the fans like (Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs, etc), then you risk alienating the people you're trying to impress with your participation in NASCAR. Your dedication to GM is admirable, but competition is competition and most fans see it that way.

Haven't been around NASCAR too much, have you? The fans are usully very loyal (albeit, that loyalty is dieing out as the sport turns into a soap opera that attracts housewives and pale faced pencil pushing men from 'the club')

I, personally, haven't liked NASCAR since they stopped using stock bodies (it is the National Association of STOCK CAR Auto Racing, isn't it?). I don't care which driver wins, I care more about which brand wins and NASCAR has gone out of their way to make sure I don't matter. All the cars are the same except for the decals. Boring!

Agreed

*** This is especially sad to me as well. I was a huge Dale Sr. fan and while I haven't been into NASCAR for quite some time, I could always relate to Tony Stewart as "my driver" now because he has attitude and a personality (Unlike all of the other talking heads) Guess I don't have a driver anymore, because it'll be a cold day in hell before I'll support Toyota in anything, regardless of WHO they buy off.

[knightfan26917]

I have been battling health issues since around the 4th of July and the doctors just NOW decided to draw blood which kinda frustrates me. Hopefully I will start feeling better once they figure out what is wrong with me.

GOOD LUCK, Justin.

Thoughts/prayers coming your way.....

As for NASCAR ... I, too, haven't been much of a fan since stock cars are no longer used. But, with all of the announcements of changes next year, it's a wonder they are striving to finish this one.....

*shrugs*

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

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"Now you know the truth is in the way you feel inside" ... Johnny Lee and Lane Brody ... 'Yellow Rose Of Texas'