Obama Orders Chevy & Dodge out of NASCAR

From Car and Driver (sorry if this is a repost):

Obama Orders Chevrolet and Dodge Out Of NASCAR - Car News

With their racing budgets deemed "unnecessary expenditures," GM and Chrysler are ordered to cease racing operations at the end of the season.

BY JARED GALL, ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC WOODWARD April 2009

In a move sure to spark outrage, the White House announced today that GM and Chrysler must cease participation in NASCAR at the end of the 2009 season if they hope to receive any additional financial aid from the government. Companies around the globe-Honda and Audi, to name two-have drawn down racing operations, and NASCAR itself has already felt the pinch in the form of reduced team spending. A complete withdrawal from America's premier racing series is expected to save more than $250 million between GM and Chrysler, a substantial amount considering the drastic measures being implemented elsewhere.

"Automakers used to operate on the principle of 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday,' but the Auto Task Force's research just doesn't validate that as true," said the statement from President Obama. While fans have decried the Car of Tomorrow for heavily limiting what little personalization the cookie-cutter series had previously allowed to participating manufacturers, and drivers have slammed its brick-like aerodynamics and unpredictable handling, even the governmental oversight committee sees that the full-scale regulation of the cars leaves the manufacturers very little space for research and development. "NASCAR is a racing series that regulates down to the smallest detail of the cars, where a car badged a Chevrolet or Dodge differs only marginally from a Ford or a Toyota. There's no technological development to speak of."

The statement goes on further to say the same demand will be made of Ford if it asks for government assistance. "In order to receive this money, corporations must demonstrate they will spend it wisely. Racing has been said to improve on-road technology, but frankly, NASCAR almost flaunts its standing among the lowest-tech forms of motorsport. NASCAR is not proven to drive advancements that transfer from the racetrack to the road, and this nation's way forward does not hinge on decades-old technology. We need new, and we need innovation."

The President realizes this will be an unpopular call, but stands behind the decision, saying, "This is an obvious cut to make, but it is not an easy one. This administration is not ignoring the tremendous sentimental value and emotional appeal NASCAR holds for so many Americans. But now is not the time for sentiment and nostalgia; now is a time for decisive financial action. If our automotive industry is to emerge from this recession intact, then these difficult decisions must be made."

Both Chevrolet and Dodge see the move as only temporary, and fully expect to resume racing in NASCAR as soon as they have stabilized and the government's hand in their operations is minimized. "There is nothing really to say at this point," said one representative, who wished to remain anonymous. "We've been doing this since the beginning, and we always assumed we'd be doing this until the end. Heck, nobody ever thought to think that there would be an end. But we ain't done. As soon as this is over, we're taking back our spot at the top."

NASCAR officials remain tight-lipped about the call, but sources say series president Mike Helton and team managers are exploring several options, including other manufacturers to fill Chevrolet and Dodge's vacated positions. Given the company's recent interest in motorsport and the steady cash-flow and V-8 engine provided by its new Genesis sedan, sources indicate that NASCAR is pinging Hyundai to gauge the Korean company's interest in occupying a spot in NASCAR. "Toyota was not well-received their first year in the sport, nor was their first season an easy one," the source says. "But they learned, they applied the lessons, and they have proven very competitive this year."

If Hyundai does indeed join the series, there will no doubt be a steep learning curve, and the move would leave Ford the lone domestic battling a pair of Asian makes in America's most popular racing series. We wonder, however, how long NASCAR could hold that title without two of its most storied participants.

Note: Had to hotlink the photo illustration from Jalponik since C&D won't let me:

Hopefully, on this board, this comment won't get me run out on a rail...but I can only hope that NASCAR collapses without enough competitors. What a silly racing series.

whoa, whoa. Is this an April Fool's joke? I'm not the biggest NASCAR fan but something seems wrong to demand Chevy and Dodge drop the series. Unless its just a ploy to loose the COT and make the manufacturers race the actual cars they sell, like the NASCAR from way back when.

April Fools!

NO WAY.....

April Fools joke but damn was I FOR it! All the points made are 100% correct...

good joke.

Dang it! I was so hoping!

fans have decried the Car of Tomorrow for heavily limiting what little personalization the cookie-cutter series had previously allowed to participating manufacturers, and drivers have slammed its brick-like aerodynamics and unpredictable handling, even the governmental oversight committee sees that the full-scale regulation of the cars leaves the manufacturers very little space for research and development. "NASCAR is a racing series that regulates down to the smallest detail of the cars, where a car badged a Chevrolet or Dodge differs only marginally from a Ford or a Toyota. There's no technological development to speak of."

I see nothing wrong with that statement at all.

Twin_Cam wrote: Hopefully, on this board, this comment won't get me run out on a rail...but I can only hope that NASCAR collapses without enough competitors. What a silly racing series.

Yes, I got a bite! My work is done here...

I got the full text off of Fark. C&D took it down because NASCAR fans were going ape-E36 M3 despite the APRIL FOOLS! written in big green letters on the original site. And when I say ape-E36 M3, I mean death threat-level ape-E36 M3.

Seems like a good move to me. I guess the joke is that they won't

RexSeven wrote: C&D took it down because NASCAR fans were going ape-E36 M3 despite the APRIL FOOLS! written in big green letters on the original site. And when I say ape-E36 M3, I mean death threat-level ape-E36 M3.

And you'd have thought they could take a joke, after all they watch Nascar.

I agree with it. Their is nothing on the cars that relate to an actual street car.

To many NASCAR isn't a sport, it's a religion and that's just sad.

Nascar is the Professional Wrestling of the automotive world.

ignorant wrote: Nascar is the Professional Wrestling of the automotive world.

Of the two, I think I would rather watch the wrestling. The only thing nascar is good for is a Saturday afternoon nap. The engine drone puts me right to sleep.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/03/gm-and-ford-to-announce-powermax-diesel-partnership.html

Gm and Ford working on a collaboration engine called the "powermax" with "compressionboost"

Most nascar fans have never turned right. once they do, they will head to Road Atlanta, or Barber. Where they will witness real racing. I have been a NASCAR fan for 20 years. But being involved as crew chief for a BMW race team, I can honestly say, road racing rocks!

SO LEMME GET THIS STRAIGHT... all of these companies are looking at bankruptcy, cannot get loans from banks because they have basically been deemed failures-in-advance, and yet they still have cash to sponsor a program that does exactly what for them? Hell, Subaru and Suzuki both pulled out of the WRC, which actually develops real technology for road use.

Sad thing is this realy is something that could come from this administration

porksboy wrote: Sad thing is this realy is something that could come from this administration

That would be awesome.

Car and Driver strikes again. But it seems like this one reach a little further than their usuall April Fools joke

CD Web Link

porksboy wrote: Sad thing is this realy is something that could come from this administration

Atleast its not as bad as Teddy Roosevelt hammering out specific union contracts between miners and mine owners.. thats a weird one.

porksboy wrote: Sad thing is this realy is something that could come from this administration

why would that be sad? "lets spend a kagillion dollars to go fast a nd turn left...and get nothing in return" doesnt seem like a financially responsible decision. I dont see anything wrong with the idea to force GM and Chrysler to spend wisely and cut funding to their nascar teams, and am all for it. If the team is worth anything, theyll find funding elswhere...or perhaps GASP become more grassroots ( the way nascar was originally born by the way) and find creative solutions to their spending needs. If the govt becomes a major shareholder with their bucks in the company, and they dont see any gain to be had from investing in a racing team, and they decide to pull the plug, thats smart business...something GM and Chrysler needed to be practicing decades ago. Its no different than a mom and pop business deciding not to put bucks into advertising in the local paper if they dont see a cost:benefit ratio thats favorable in their direction.

Nascar woulda probably been cool as hell watch in the 60s and 70s...bigger motors and HP than ever before seen in the US on the track in nearly the same trim as the fans drove up in?!?! That would be awesome. Too bad I was swimmin in my dads shorts while he was in Highschiool at the time. Ever since then, its gone waaaay downhill as far as I can see.

Imagine if stock class autoX were as big as NASCRAP...regulation keeping cars as stock as possible with todays innovations...it would be the friggin E36 M3!!! But todays pansy arsed, cookie cutter, crazy budget cars are indeed nothing like the cars the represent. The comments about subie etc dropping WRC is in reality a bigger hit to the respective companies R&D than this phony article would be, and I still see the financial rationality of that decision to drop out versus the decision for detroit to stay in Nascar.

Im just sayin

I'm so fed up with all the anti-racing sentiment. Really guys. You're upset that there's a racing series popular enough to be broadcast on network television?
You generalize nascar fans as some sort of mouthbreathing, redneck hillbillies. This is stupid. I'm more of a Nascar fan that most folks I know (but have a hard time recognizing drivers or car numbers). Am I a mouthbreathing, redneck hilbilly?
I think circle track racing pales in comparison to roadracing in terms of fun/excitement. However, given the chance to put together a dirt circletrack car or an autocross car for one season. The dirt circletrack car would provide more fun (for me). Now...If the comparison where between w2w road racing and circle track racing...forget it. Road racing is where it's at.

But let's face it. The reason road racing is not more popular is because (many) folks don't get into it. They can't see the whole track from a grandstand, they can't afford to go buy the models of cars they see driving around. I'm not saying those are VALID points...but they're reality.

Now...I'm going to call you all out. Who watches footbal, or basketball, or any of that other stuff? If you can get into athletic sports to the level that you wear a jersey, fill out a bracket, or set your DVR...you would be a total hypocrite to bash NASCAR.

I'm just sayin' (and yeah, I've said it before) Clem

Sorry Clem, I hate watching sports on TV (or in person) too.

Joey