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NASCAR more open to import brands
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At the recent NASCAR race in Michigan, NASCAR chief Brain France hinted that NASCAR might take a closer look at import manufacturers and perhaps even continue to talk to them.
Toyota is currently the only non-American based automobile manufacturer participating in NASCAR stock car racing the vehicles represented in the series are built in America. In this case, the Camry is built in Georgetown, Kentucky and the Toyota Tundra pickup truck used in the Craftsman racing series is built in Indiana. With the domestic auto manufacturers cutting racing budgets in response to slow sales, NASCAR has no choice but to look to the import brands for sponsorship.
"We have been talking to people off and on for a long time," France said. "These are decisions that would take a long time to evaluate and actually enter. We are the preeminent place in North America for car manufacturers to build their business with an auto racing group.
“Clearly there are some companies that are going to look at opportunities that may not have been there in the past but that may be there in the future," France continued. He also added that if import companies do participate in NASCAR those companies would be held to the same stipulation Toyota was, in that they must build their competitive models in the U.S.
"It is under a very clear set of circumstances that manufacturers come to NASCAR to compete, and that would not change," France added. Currently General Motors, the parent company of the Chevrolet brand is undergoing a bankruptcy restructuring and has withdrawn its racing series support and may well cut back on their racing effort altogether including individual car sponsorships.
Remember the government doesn’t like auto racing (but what about auto racing fans?) and the U.S. government (that’s us) now owns most of General Motors (Government Motors) and Chrysler. France, however, says they will be back. Let's hope he is correct.
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