Autoweek: Riley, GM Close to Settlement/Wesoloski Firing
05-06-2009, 08:40 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Autoweek: Riley, GM Close to Settlement/Wesoloski Firing
The May 4 print edition of Autoweek is reporting that Riley & GM are close to settling Riley's $14M lawsuit over the Riley/PM FIA GT2 homologation. The story reports that Bill Riley told AW that a settlement is expected within days. No further details were reported.
AW also reported on Steve Wesoloski being fired by GM (this is the first automotive press report that I've seen on this subject). No reason was given for the split. GM Racing Director Mark Kent will assume Wesoloski's reponsibilities:
"Kent denied to us that this move is any indicator of a reduced - or even cancelled - Corvette Racing effort, saying that GM's original intentions for the program remain in place"
"Its contracts with sponsors, and partner Pratt & Miller, which builds the race cars, run through 2010."
I couldn't find a link to either story at the AW website at this time.
AW also reported on Steve Wesoloski being fired by GM (this is the first automotive press report that I've seen on this subject). No reason was given for the split. GM Racing Director Mark Kent will assume Wesoloski's reponsibilities:
"Kent denied to us that this move is any indicator of a reduced - or even cancelled - Corvette Racing effort, saying that GM's original intentions for the program remain in place"
"Its contracts with sponsors, and partner Pratt & Miller, which builds the race cars, run through 2010."
I couldn't find a link to either story at the AW website at this time.
05-06-2009, 09:55 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
05-07-2009, 11:45 AM
#7
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05-07-2009, 01:00 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
05-07-2009, 01:04 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
One report says that Mr Wesoloski was one of 1,600 white collar
workers who were made redundant in an April round of cut-backs.
davidfarmer posted that "apparently GM Road Racing boss Steve
Wesoloski was fired last week, and [this was] announced during
the Long Beach race."
Todd Benne wrote at americanlemansfans.com that he'd heard a
rumour that "Steve Wesoloski was fired and escorted from the
building last week." To which Murphy replied that:
"Steve Wesoloski is in fact no longer employed by GM. The
description above would imply something not in the record, however.
All management dismissals are done in the manner described, even if
for reasons having nothing to do with performance. It's one of those
apparently unavoidable outcomes of our litigious society.
Wesoloski had management responsibility for all "GM road racing"
programs. With the dropping of most support for SWC, the Grand Am
Pontiacs, etc., the position had just one significant "reporting to"
entity...Corvette Racing. Thus the position became reduntant (in both
the British and US English meaning). (The Bear was going to cover this
in the coming week, but...)
.
description above would imply something not in the record, however.
All management dismissals are done in the manner described, even if
for reasons having nothing to do with performance. It's one of those
apparently unavoidable outcomes of our litigious society.
Wesoloski had management responsibility for all "GM road racing"
programs. With the dropping of most support for SWC, the Grand Am
Pontiacs, etc., the position had just one significant "reporting to"
entity...Corvette Racing. Thus the position became reduntant (in both
the British and US English meaning). (The Bear was going to cover this
in the coming week, but...)
05-07-2009, 02:27 PM
#11
Racer
Mayby Lou will be able to recoupe his investment in the GT-2 car with the settlement since the Riley chassis GT-2 car would be rendered unable to compete if the Pratt/Miller chassis is the only approved maker.
That would be nice for him to get a break.
It would be interesting to know how that works out but not really any of our business; and when has that ever mattered!
That would be nice for him to get a break.
It would be interesting to know how that works out but not really any of our business; and when has that ever mattered!
Last edited by Locke; 05-07-2009 at 02:32 PM.
05-07-2009, 04:58 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Since LG first "broke" the story by posting on the CF on 4/18, AFAIK the only references to it have been on internet blogs/forums. Autoweek's article is the first I've seen from a mainstream automotive publication. Autoweek reports that Wesoloski was "fired", not layed-off as part of the 1600 white collar employees let go.
05-07-2009, 05:31 PM
#13
Does an organizational chart exist anywhere on the web for GM, GM Racing (ALMS, NASCAR, etc.), Chevrolet Division and Corvette (racing and otherwise)?
I'm ignorant about the organization relating to all of the foregoing, but where does Doug Fehan figure in all of this. He was the person who announced Tom Wallace's retirement yet he would seem to be subordinate to Tom Wallace. Who did Fehan report to? Who did Weseloski report to?
I'm ignorant about the organization relating to all of the foregoing, but where does Doug Fehan figure in all of this. He was the person who announced Tom Wallace's retirement yet he would seem to be subordinate to Tom Wallace. Who did Fehan report to? Who did Weseloski report to?
That's funny.
05-07-2009, 06:59 PM
#16
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Does an organizational chart exist anywhere on the web for GM, GM Racing (ALMS, NASCAR, etc.), Chevrolet Division and Corvette (racing and otherwise)?
I'm ignorant about the organization relating to all of the foregoing, but where does Doug Fehan figure in all of this. He was the person who announced Tom Wallace's retirement yet he would seem to be subordinate to Tom Wallace. Who did Fehan report to? Who did Weseloski report to?
I'm ignorant about the organization relating to all of the foregoing, but where does Doug Fehan figure in all of this. He was the person who announced Tom Wallace's retirement yet he would seem to be subordinate to Tom Wallace. Who did Fehan report to? Who did Weseloski report to?
1. Matk Kent - manages all of GM racing, including roadracing
2. Steve Wesoloski - managed all GM roadracing, including Corvette Racing
3. Doug Fehan - manages Corvette Racing
As Chief Engineer, I believe Tom Wallace was responsible for the Corvette production vehicle with a separate reporting line within GM.
05-08-2009, 10:40 PM
#17
I've never seen an org chart, but from published info on job descriptions you can deduce the following hierarchy:
1. Matk Kent - manages all of GM racing, including roadracing
2. Steve Wesoloski - managed all GM roadracing, including Corvette Racing
3. Doug Fehan - manages Corvette Racing
As Chief Engineer, I believe Tom Wallace was responsible for the Corvette production vehicle with a separate reporting line within GM.
1. Matk Kent - manages all of GM racing, including roadracing
2. Steve Wesoloski - managed all GM roadracing, including Corvette Racing
3. Doug Fehan - manages Corvette Racing
As Chief Engineer, I believe Tom Wallace was responsible for the Corvette production vehicle with a separate reporting line within GM.
What I found odd was that Fehan announced Tom Wallace's retirement.
Last time I heard, Gene Stefanyshyn, was the vehicle line executive of rear-wheel-drive vehicles at GM and as such has the Corvette chief (Vehicle Line Executive) job.
I do not know if Corvette's Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter reports to Stefanyschyn or some engineering chief.
Whomever is Stefanyshyn's boss could have been expected to announce Tom Wallace's retirement. At one time that would have been a Chevy guy, but that no longer appears to be the case.
The answer may be that GM is in such a state of confusion and disarray that no one is sure who is going to be around tomorrow or what job is going to be on the ever changing organizational chart so they picked Fehan whose program looked semi-secure and who is a great presenter.
