This is the entry level lens in this range -- it's entry level in every respect, and you probably don't want to shoot wide open or all the way at the extreme ends of the range. Without getting into pro glass, the top end is the 70-300 VR for around $500-600, which is a pretty good lens if you have light (since it has a f/5.6 max aperture at the long end).
If you want higher quality, you need to get into something like the 70-200/2.8 VR with a TC14E (to give you a 100-280/4), but you're at $2K retail for that. It's what I use to shoot auto races. Or the 300/4 prime for around $1K (an excellent lens), or the older 80-200/2.8.