The United States of America is not Formula 1. The heart of America is not found on soccer fields. Â Indeed, sushi is not an American staple. Chicken & ribs is more likely to be found on tables in Kansas tonight. Â American families could be watching their kids prepare for baseball season this spring and summer. Â And… America is NASCAR. Â Says who? Â
Says Toyota. Â Fortunately for Toyota, just days before a few dozen drivers attempt 500 miles of racing in Daytona, Denny Hamlin won one of the Gatorade Duels on Thursday. Â Tony Stewart, a fairly prototypical old-time American racer, finished second. Â Denny and Tony – them boys are Toyota boys. Â
True enough; these Gatorade Duels are just qualifying races. Â Toyota can’t take hold of the lead in the standings based on qualifying races like this. Â Points aren’t even handed out. Â However, it does put three Toyotas in the first three rows of the Daytona 500, significantly raising the massive Japanese automaker’s hopes on Sunday. Â This might not be news yet, but the news on Monday could be headlined by an ugly, V8-engined behemoth with a Toyota badge on the front. Backlash not mandatory, but possible. Â This is supposedly “The Great American Race”, after all. Â
