Why is Toyota in NASCAR?

NASCAR, or the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, is involved in holding various races across the U.S.  It is famous for being an “All-American” auto car racing involving American-made cars and trucks. The entry of Toyota in some of NASCAR’s racing series prompted many to question why this thing happened.  Toyota is a known Japanese car manufacturer, and so its entry in NASCAR is questioned by some people.  But if the experts are to be consulted with this concern, NASCAR rules actually allow all vehicles to compete in sanctioned races as long as they are “based on American vehicles.”  And since Toyota has manufacturing facilities in the U.S., it was allowed to be part of NASCAR.

Specifically, Toyota’s pickup truck called the Toyota Tundra became the first vehicle to join NASCAR from the said manufacturer.  This vehicle is said to be assembled and made in the State of Indiana, making it eligible to join the truck series of NASCAR.  The first season for this particular truck actually went successful by winning a couple of races for Toyota.  After this entry, Toyota has continued to join the ranks of the U.S. car giants in other races.  With Toyota’s increasing popularity and presence in NASCAR, many have voiced concerns over its effect on the supposedly American racing series.

Some have also voiced worries in terms of budget.  Toyota has been known to spend big amounts of money for their car racing team, for example, and their entry into a higher-level series would mean bigger spending requirements for the other manufacturers.  But despite some opposition, there are also those who support Toyota’s entry into NASCAR.  Supporters also argue that Toyota is more American than the other U.S. car giants as the former continues to create jobs by putting up plants in the U.S. while the latter continues to outsource operations into other countries.