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Toyota's on-track success just part of marketing equation
Jun 8, 2008
Toyota on top in NASCAR standingsBy Sean M. Wood | San Antonio Express-News
Toyota is sitting on top of the NASCAR world.
The company's first year in the Sprint Cup series — the top tier of NASCAR — wasn't very successful. The company had two top 5 finishes and one start from the pole position in 36 races in 2007.
Toyota drivers already have five wins and 28 top 10 finishes after 13 races in 2008. A Toyota has started in the pole position three times.
Three Toyota drivers — all with Joe Gibbs Racing — are in position (known as the “Chase”) to compete for the Sprint Cup. And the overall points leader, Kyle Busch, drives a Toyota.
The only thing that could cloud this pretty racing picture is that Busch is the most hated driver in the sport.
“I don't think that's necessarily fair,” Busch said during a recent conference call with reporters. “My job is to win races.”
And Busch wins races. He's won four Sprint Cup races, four races in the Nationwide Series — the NASCAR series just below Sprint Cup — and two races in the Craftsman Truck Series, which Toyota had dominated the last two years.
But the NASCAR nation loves to hate the new guy. They did the same thing to Jeff Gordon a few years ago.
The NASCAR fans' venom for Busch came to a head during a race at Richmond International Raceway last month. Busch knocked fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. out of first place with just three laps to go. It would have been “Junior's” first win in more than 70 races. Race fans hated seeing their man being denied a shot at victory.
That incident is just one in a number that has soured NASCAR fans on Busch, according to Ernie Saxton, a motor sports marketing consultant.
“Kyle's pushed it considerably more,” Saxton said. “I think he's had a couple of incidents, even in the trucks. It's acceptable to move somebody out of a lane of traffic, but not hit him so hard to put him out of the race.”
Hated or not, officials with Toyota Motor Sports would much rather be in the position they're in this year in the Cup Series.
“It's no surprise to us that the NASCAR fan base is very driver-focused,” said Les Unger, national motor sports manager for Toyota. “We think it's awesome that Kyle is partnered with Joe Gibbs and Camrys and TRD (Toyota Racing Development) power is involved. We're just pleased that we've got a driver that's generating that much recognition.”
Winning ultimately helps the manufacturer, though a manufacturer's place in the pecking order with drivers and sponsors has fallen down the list from the early days of the sport.
“Fans used to come out and get into discussions, probably even fights, about Chevys, Dodges, the Fords and Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Buicks,” Saxton said. “I don't think we see that as much because the fans come out to see their favorite drivers. Fans come out to see their favorite sponsors. I don't think there are as many fans who come out to see the cars.”
The impressions from the manufacturers are made off the track through promotions that are held during the days leading up to a weekend's race. Performance on the track is just one part of the equation, according to Mike Mooney, vice president of Millsport Motorsports.
“When you consider the mass of people that converge upon NASCAR events on event weekend, there are people who camp out two to three days beforehand,” Mooney said. “You have 200,000 people milling around looking for things to do. They're looking for activities. So manufacturers take these huge mobile displays. They can then educate and entertain these fans over a few days.”
For Toyota, NASCAR was a way to get its new Tundra in front of loyal drivers of General Motors, Ford and Dodge pickups. The company rolls out its “Prove It” tour display for the Tundra pickup. It allows people to get in a Tundra to see how it drives, tows and hauls.
They have a massive grill that they drive around with the truck, trying to win people's hearts through their stomachs.
Toyota also has a “Frozen Tundra” promotion on race weekends. They will take a Toyota driver, when possible, and drive around the infield in a Tundra with a bed full of ice. They deliver the ice to those camping out over race weekend.
“We want to generate greater awareness for the product, in particular, the Toyota Tundra,” Unger said. “We want the fan to appreciate that we're in the sport, too.”
And, they're winning.
