General Motors made it official this week what they have been denying since last season. GM, only days after filing bankruptcy, is pulling their support from NASCAR’s Nationwide and Camping World Truck series.
.jpg) Speedy Thompson, driving for Carl Kiekhaefer, shares Martinsville's victory lane with a lovely trophy presenter after he won the first asphalt race at the 1/2 mile track in October 1956. (Photo Credit: Motorsports Images and Archives via NASCAR Media) |
With some estimating that automakers spend nearly $150 million to support auto racing, it was a financial liability that was ripe to take a hit. No matter that the automakers spokespersons and executives continually voiced their public support for NASCAR; in the end it wasn’t it up to them, it was up to people who look at only one thing; the bottom line.
Without publicly admitting it Chrysler has already quietly withdrawn most of its support and don’t be surprised if GM announces in the near future that they will also withdraw from the Sprint Cup Series.
So now what? If Ford and Toyota also withdraw what would happen if there was no more factory support in NASCAR at all? Could it spell doom for a sport that’s been around in an organized form since 1947?
Not hardly.
Factory support to teams comes in the form of technology, data gained by factory engineers and parts used to manufacture engines, along with of course money.
Most of that support however is given to the top teams. The smaller teams also benefit from some direct factory support but not nearly as much as the larger teams. The larger teams do share data with the smaller teams but with everyone competing against each other, the data isn’t shared nearly as much as it could be.
In the worst-case scenario should all the manufacturers leave one or more of the smaller teams might cease to exist. But the sport of NASCAR will continue.
Today’s fans need to realize though that there was a time in history when there was no factory support in NASCAR. In 1955, without factory support Carl Kiekhaefer’s Chrysler teams won 22 of 39 races.
The following year both Ford and GM spent $6 million in an effort to compete against the Chryslers. Kiekhaefer’s teams only won 30 of 56 races that year.
Then in 1957 citing record highway fatalities the Automobile Manufacturer's Association actually banned factories from supporting teams in racing. The following year, under the table, Ford provided parts to Holman-Moody, and GM through Pontiac to Smokey Yunick
The manufacturers slowly worked their way back into the sport, but in 1971 under another gloomy economic time in America, both Ford and Chrysler first cut back then withdrew support completely from NASCAR.
Don’t be surprised if the Big 3 automakers withdraw completely from NASCAR. But don’t be alarmed should that happen. The parts and pieces, the engines and chassis, along with the knowledge of the teams will still be there. Racers will still race and fans will still cheer.
In fact the gap between the big teams and the smaller may actually shrink. The competition will actually tighten and the racing will be better for everyone involved.
Besides the economy will recover, we will all buy news cars one day and it won’t be too long before GM and Chrysler will be right back where they started.
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