Primetime announces,

[HORNDAWG]

Joel Feinberg's team will be at Sebring and contest the whole season. link

[Canada ALMS fan]

Interesting how he went out of his way to mention no factory support from Dodge, Kevin Doran has also mentioned his Fords were only being "tolerated" by the factory. And the American car manufacturers wonder why they're losing market share? They won't support programs that would lead to "RELEVANT" developments making their consumer products better. What better way to invest in R&D than road racing GT cars?

[John Thawley]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

What better way to invest in R&D than road racing GT cars?

Not if they can't win.

Domestic car manufacturers go where and when they can win. I recall in the last days of TransAm... Corvette would support privateers (maybe other than contingency money). Their rationale was simple... if we win in Trans-am, who have we beat? If we lose, who did we lose too? In their estimation, the Corvette did not compete with Mustangs on the showroom floor for sales. So... they felt that John Q public expected a Corvette to beat a mustang. So... no gain by doing so. But, if they didn't win, then John Q is going... "wow, check out the Mustang.. it can kick a Corvette's ass!"

There are lots of other marketing decisions go into these things... and I'll grant you, they are all to often sadly conservative.

JT

[Chris Clark]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

Interesting how he went out of his way to mention no factory support from Dodge.....

I thought I read somewhere that Dodge was killing off the Viper? Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the lack of factory support.

I honestly don't know why Manufacturers aren't more involved in Sportscar racing. I mean really: is NASCAR honestly more relevant? I think not. Hell, the engines in NASCAR aren't even made by Dodge, Ford, Chevy, etc... The are Yates, DEI, Roush, etc. All that money spent for what amounts to a vinyl sticker of a grill and some headlights. What a shame.

[John Thawley]

Originally Posted by Chris Clark

I thought I read somewhere that Dodge was killing off the Viper? Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the lack of factory support.

I honestly don't know why Manufacturers aren't more involved in Sportscar racing. I mean really: is NASCAR honestly more relevant? I think not. Hell, the engines in NASCAR aren't even made by Dodge, Ford, Chevy, etc... The are Yates, DEI, Roush, etc. All that money spent for what amounts to a vinyl sticker of a grill and some headlights. What a shame.

I don't think you can consider any of the normal "relevance" or car related arguments when it comes to using NASCAR as a marketing tool.... not any more. Marketing to NASCAR is about entertainment numbers and demographics. For a car company, advertising (participating) with NASCAR is no more related than them advertising in golf, basketball, or Hockey NIght in Canada. It's simply about eyeballs.

You're asking marketing people to think and be creative. Not going to happen. Consider this... these people go to work for a major ad agency. They don't need "results" to get their check on Friday. They need to simply cover their collective asses. Don't make a mistake... keep your job... get your check. RISK? Oh, no... we can't take a risk... this is our biggest account. We built this agency on their billings and commissions. Let's not do anything that might rock the boat.

So, it's not about targeting an audience... it's about finding an audience with a big enough target. HEAD ON... apply directly to the forehead. HEAD ON... apply directly to the forehead... HEAD ON ...

You get the picture. It ain't about car racing.

JT

[Canada ALMS fan]

John, I fully agree with you from a marketing perspective. I was thinking more along the lines of using the ALMS as a real life R&D department to make cars which are more competitive in a global market. The truth is if you walk in to a domestic's dealership you will most likely test drive a vehicle that offers an inferior driving experience to its' competitors from either Europe or Asia.
If we must look at it from a marketing perspective, ALMS fan demographics show for the most part higher income, well educated, and tend to be early adopters. What better place to show off your higher end, higher margin products to a captive audience? Yes, the numbers are much smaller than a NASCAR, but the products you sell the average sportscar or open wheel fan are likely to be more profitable than the Camrys and minivans to the NASCAR fans. Showing Hybrid and alternative fuel cars is IMO brilliant to the ALMS crowd as we are exactly the folks most likely to purchase them. A lot of NASCAR fans probably can't even spell hybrid. I'd be curious to know how many Malibus Chevy has to sell to equal the profit of a single Vette?

[Chris Clark]

Originally Posted by John Thawley

I don't think you can consider any of the normal "relevance" or car related arguments when it comes to using NASCAR as a marketing tool.... not any more. Marketing to NASCAR is about entertainment numbers and demographics. For a car company, advertising (participating) with NASCAR is no more related than them advertising in golf, basketball, or Hockey NIght in Canada. It's simply about eyeballs.

JT

I thoroughly agree with the marketing aspect. I was speaking more along the lines of being relevant to R&D. I honestly would be surprised if there was a single part on todays NASCAR that can be seen on any of the manufacturers road cars. Add to that the fact that the average new car, fresh from the showroom, is going to be more technologically advanced than a Cup car, so they aren't even getting the benefit of advanced racing technology trickling down to their road cars.

I guess my point is: why wouldn't a manufacturer throw a bone or two to a privateer who is campaigning their product? It doesn't have to be a full factory effort, supply some engineering support, some parts, and a little cash and you get a test bed for future tech/parts for relatively little investment. Add to that if the team is successful... voila' .. a marketing opportunity presents itself. Everybody wins.

[Canada ALMS fan]

I guess my point is: why wouldn't a manufacturer throw a bone or two to a privateer who is campaigning their product? It doesn't have to be a full factory effort, supply some engineering support, some parts, and a little cash and you get a test bed for future tech/parts for relatively little investment. Add to that if the team is successful... voila' .. a marketing opportunity presents itself. Everybody wins.

Exactly what I was trying to say in my first post on this thread!

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Chris Clark

I guess my point is: why wouldn't a manufacturer throw a bone or two to a privateer who is campaigning their product? It doesn't have to be a full factory effort, supply some engineering support, some parts, and a little cash and you get a test bed for future tech/parts for relatively little investment. Add to that if the team is successful... voila' .. a marketing opportunity presents itself. Everybody wins.

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

Exactly what I was trying to say in my first post on this thread!

Because there is much more possibility for negative publicity when you go against the likes of Porsche and Ferrari (works) favored teams. And the allowance from the Board Room for racing is only if it gives positive press and sells cars! I don't like it nor do I fully agree with it but that is the realities of it!

[Canada ALMS fan]

Horndawg, the business man inside of me understands, but the racing enthusiast inside me wishes it were different. Having said that, does the average race fan fully understand the difference between a small privateer being beaten from lack of budget (not getting the most out of the car) and a full factory effort losing because of an inferior car? I don't think there is any real way to quantify that.