John Shiels

Watching the race Brian France was quoted on the ticker at the bottom of the screen saying due to economic conditions they may not be able to continue in NASCAR but NASCAR transcends more than one manufacturer.


Guess it will be Toyota vs Subaru

robvuk

It wouldn't bother me if they ALL pulled out.

OzCop

I wouldn't give a nickel to watch Toyota vs Toyota. NASCAR pissed me off when they accepted Toyota...Of course, I'm just a casual watcher, never been a real NASCAR fan...

LehmanZ06

I autocross.

NASCAR out of business....boo hoo

TDBurke

That would be just about the worst thing for all motorsports in the USA. Every other sanctioning body wants to be what NASCAR is, if the benchmark for all domestic motorsport dies, that is not a good thing for ANY series a Corvette races.
As for the Toyota comment, I'm stoked they are in there, they pretty much build all their vehicles in the lower 48 now and they have $. You need manufacturers that are liquid to have any type of series worth occupying that much TV time.

Lancer033

it's a spec series anyways, who cares what name is on the cars.

Jason Staley

Why? It's not like Ford and GM are running rear wheel drive cars anyway that even remotely resemble the street versions. They are all basically the same car with some decals slapped on the front and back. You've got to love the COT .

Its a sign of the times, and not in a good way. Just shows how bad off the big 3 are.



I'm not a huge fan of NASCAR anymore, but their races are still entertaining some times.

John Shiels

no matter if you like NASCAR or not it is showing you whrere they are headed in ALL their racing programs unfortunately.

Oyishdog

There is no development in nascar...so they brought the COT to the series, so what! now you cannot tell what is what and who is who...even the top drivers change sponsors every other week for their car, so whats the point?

At least the ALMS is trying to make the series a true R&D with impact on street cars. Granted, the LMPs look nothing like any street car, but at least the concepts are reaching the streets. And the GT cars at least look like the cars the company sell...wow, what a novel idea. I know nothing about the finance piece between the Big 3 and the nascar teams, but my point of view tells me it is just a money pit with no real returns.

Z06_BluByU

Now NASCAR has officially completed its transformation as the new IROC series!!

Who watches either one anymore?!!

John Shiels

you are very mistaken where they build all their vehicles or assemble major components from Japan.

racerbob4

That is so true. They all look alike, drive alike and the few changes that the teams are allowed is so limited as to be regressive at best.

Now the manufacturers want $25 B to bail out their bad deals with their unions and they want us to pay for it. Thats kind of hard to swallow. Would filing for bankrupsy allow the car makers to bail on the unions like the airlines have done. That may be the only answer to their survival.

TedDBere

NASCAR is just an advertising expense for the big three. There is no significang R&D going on in that series.

With the Big three in trouble, advertising budgets get slashed. The fans don't care which cars run, they just treat it like football...tailgate/party and pull for their favorite driver.

R&D is in the other series that use real cars...ALMS, etc. IMHO

xsiveone

NASCAR even said that they don't need the automakers. They don't. These are spec cars with different manufacturer's stickers on them.

Someone said on Wind Tunnel last night that NASCAR should bail out the automakers. Sounds like a good idea to me.

This news doesn't help GM either. Downgraded from hold to sell with a price target of 0. Ouch!

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...D&siteid=yhoof

The stock is trading around $3 this morning. Down more than 25% just today.

The worst case scenario is that GM goes under and the rest of the cards will fall (Chrysler and Ford) along with them. If that happens, NASCAR is the least of their problems.

The best scenario for GM is a bailout. If that happens, I don't know how favorably the government will look at GM's participation in racing.

OzCop

It goes back to the 90's when Chrysler wanted to get back into NASCAR but were denied. They wanted to campaign the Dodge Avenger, a car built in the US, alongside a Mitsubishi of the same chassis. Reason; not enough US domestic content. 70% vs 75% as required by France and company.

I know they have become spec cars, the difference being marque drive trains, built under the NASCAR rule set. This is just another reason I'm not a true fan of this series. I root for the marque, not so much for the driver unless he's driving the marque I like. I would not pay to watch a blue car vs red car vs green car, etc...

I am impressed with how safe they have made these cars over the years, as well as the engineering that have made them what they are. However, the lack of unique marque recognition might be one of the causative factors for the loss of domestic backing in the long run...
Just my opinion...

John Shiels

the domestics threaten to pull out a few years back if they didn't get cars that looked distinctive to their brand. They should have all waliked then. I bet their contract do not expire at the same time so nobody ones to be first to leave. They may have no choice soon.

Jason Staley

I miss the days in NASCAR when there were more marque's in the series. I loved watching TRUE Pontiacs and Oldsmonbiles running with Chevys and Fords. All with at least some of the correct sheet metal and engines (even chrome grills).

xsiveone

Now NASCAR can take it or leave it because they've set it up with the COT where it doesn't make much of a difference at all if the manufacturers pull out. I'll have to give them some credit on that one. That was a pretty smart move on their part.

How many of you NASCAR fans would honestly stop watching NASCAR if the manufacturers were to pull out? I'm not much of a NASCAR fan, but I will say that I can care less who drives what brand because of the COT.

Z06_BluByU

I quit watching in '01

John Shiels

I think some would leave otherwise IROC would still be around. I think seats will be more empty next year and sponsors will pull back. They were having problems getting sponsors in Nationwide this year and filling the field.