Ford Mustang series kickoff at SEMA

[G.]

Autoweek (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200710301745/FREE/71030011)

Run some with CC.


Ford made several motorsports announcements at the SEMA show in Las Vegas today, topped by news of a new Mustang race car and dedicated "spec" racing series.

The new Mustang FR500S will be built at Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan, Mustang assembly plant and be available directly from dealers. Priced at $75,000, the FR500S is intended to compete in the all-new Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup--that's "Miller," as in Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City.

[Sean Malone]

Not to derail the topic but...
I've often wondered why NASCAR never embraced the pony car. I'm quite sure that there are more 'fans' of Mustang/Camaro/Challenger than Fusion/Monte Carlo/Avenger.
Sure NASCAR is supposedly about "intermediate" sized stock car racing, but they make their own rules i.e. forgoing production chassis, body template, sedan production 'counterparts'. It's not a size issue any more either. Ever stood next to a Cup car? they are quite small and a Mustang is every bit as big, if not larger than the new Avenger. At least a production Mustang (as will the new Camaro/Challenger) has a RWD V8 unlike any of NASCAR's 'stock cars'.
Why wouldn't Ford/GM/Dodge push to have their pony cars, cars with long histories and passionate fans/owners, in front of the largest audiences in the country instead of a support spec series for wealthy weekenders?

[KLang]

I thought the original plan/talk/rumor was to run this series with Champ Car. Before, of course, the 'split' with Ford. That never made sense to me. :confused:

[extramundane]

I thought the original plan/talk/rumor was to run this series with Champ Car. Before, of course, the 'split' with Ford. That never made sense to me. :confused:

The series that Dan Davis floated to run w/ CC would have used the FR500GT, which is around $200K. The pricetag alone would have probably doomed that venture from the start.

[Rogue Leader]

Not to derail the topic but...
I've often wondered why NASCAR never embraced the pony car. I'm quite sure that there are more 'fans' of Mustang/Camaro/Challenger than Fusion/Monte Carlo/Avenger.
Sure NASCAR is supposedly about "intermediate" sized stock car racing, but they make their own rules i.e. forgoing production chassis, body template, sedan production 'counterparts'. It's not a size issue any more either. Ever stood next to a Cup car? they are quite small and a Mustang is every bit as big, if not larger than the new Avenger. At least a production Mustang (as will the new Camaro/Challenger) has a RWD V8 unlike any of NASCAR's 'stock cars'.
Why wouldn't Ford/GM/Dodge push to have their pony cars, cars with long histories and passionate fans/owners, in front of the largest audiences in the country instead of a support spec series for wealthy weekenders?

The Busch Series for 2009 Is going to be Pony Car based with the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger.

[NismoZ]

Probably, and with serious restrictions on 'Cup drivers participation. FINALLY!

[opinionated ow]

Probably, and with serious restrictions on 'Cup drivers participation. FINALLY!
why should the cup drivers be restricted from competing? thats like telling a sprintcar driver he can't race a midget also

[NismoZ]

Because it restricts opportunity for both team owners and aspiring younger drivers, allows the rich to get richer, makes a mockery of the training or feeder series concept and makes it difficult for (some) fans to differentiate from NASCUP. What will it be, The Nationwide Series? (Time was when Busch was actually faster than 'Cup at the plate tracks and the description of the cars I heard made them sound more like pushed up and forward COTs with the same greenhouse. Safety first) Can't see how they could be called Mustangs or Camaros but I guess the stickers can work wonders.

[G.]

Probably, and with serious restrictions on 'Cup drivers participation. FINALLY!What is this "'Cup" that you speak of? Is it any good?:p

[Rogue Leader]

why should the cup drivers be restricted from competing? thats like telling a sprintcar driver he can't race a midget also

1 Carl Edwards
2 David Reutimann
3 Jason Leffler
4 Kevin Harvick
5 David Ragan*
6 Bobby Hamilton Jr.
7 Stephen Leicht
8 Marcos Ambrose*
9 Greg Biffle
10 Mike Wallace
11 Matt Kenseth
12 Scott Wimmer
13 Denny Hamlin
14 Clint Bowyer
15 Jeff Burton
16 J.J. Yeley
17 Kyle Busch
18 Kyle Krisiloff*
19 Steve Wallace
20 Casey Mears

Thats the current top 20 in Busch series points of which 14 have full-time cup rides including especially the top 5 (4 of 5). Their points leader is a full time cup driver 4th in points!

What the hell kind of feeder series is that? Its one thing to have the drivers moonlighting and catching a race here or there, but these guys run full Busch schedules as well, running cars that are almost identical to their cup cars. Hey its extra track time, who can blame them. But pretty useless for real driver development, or to give the "have-nots" (those who didnt sign contracts with Chip Ganassi or Jack Roush while they were still in diapers) a fighting chance.

[opinionated ow]

i don't remember the description of grand national as being a feeder series for cup. as far as i am concerned it is another professional stock car racing series-another you can make a good living out of.

[Sean Malone]

i don't remember the description of grand national as being a feeder series for cup. as far as i am concerned it is another professional stock car racing series-another you can make a good living out of.

If it looks like a duck and acts like a duck in the end who really cares? It's NASCAR's series, if they allow Cup drivers or not again, who cares except the drivers themselves? Now if the Cup drivers were moonlighting at all the ARCA races...then I could see an issue.

[opinionated ow]

If it looks like a duck and acts like a duck in the end who really cares? It's NASCAR's series, if they allow Cup drivers or not again, who cares except the drivers themselves? Now if the Cup drivers were moonlighting at all the ARCA races...then I could see an issue.

i don't see a problem with that either. its gives them a bloody good metre ruler to measure themselves against...

[Andrew Longman]

i don't remember the description of grand national as being a feeder series for cup. as far as i am concerned it is another professional stock car racing series-another you can make a good living out of.

Right. Its a support series, not a feeder series. Its a way to fill out the weekend schedule, for teams to sell more sponsorship, drivers to earn more money and NASCAR to extend their brand. Trucks too, though it as some element of driver development too.

ARCA, your local Saturday night track, USAC, etc. are the feeder series

Anyway, the stangs could be cool, but they sound pretty stock.

[Sean Malone]

Right. Its a support series, not a feeder series. Its a way to fill out the weekend schedule, for teams to sell more sponsorship, drivers to earn more money and NASCAR to extend their brand. Trucks too, though it as some element of driver development too.

ARCA, your local Saturday night track, USAC, etc. are the feeder series

Anyway, the stangs could be cool, but they sound pretty stock.

Says who? If NASCAR is mandating that no Cup drivers partake after '08 then it seems they are making the case for it being a feeder. Historically you pay your dues in Busch and then go Cup racing. Even JPM and JV did Busch (if not required to) before going to Cup. That's says feeder to me. Just playing devils advocate, I couldn't care less actually. Semantics.

[Andrew Longman]

Says who? If NASCAR is mandating that no Cup drivers partake after '08 then it seems they are making the case for it being a feeder.


They are banning Cup drivers in Busch/Nationwide Cup? News to me. All I've heard is complaints from Busch teams that NASCAR won't do anything about the Buschwackers. :confused:

[Rogue Leader]

They are banning Cup drivers in Busch/Nationwide Cup? News to me. All I've heard is complaints from Busch teams that NASCAR won't do anything about the Buschwackers. :confused:

I thought it was they were aiming to make the cars different enough that there wouldn't be so much of a benefit for a driver to do the double...

[Andrew Longman]

I thought it was they were aiming to make the cars different enough that there wouldn't be so much of a benefit for a driver to do the double...

Sure. To make Nationwide series enough different to remove a technical advantage for Cup drivers running Nationwide is one thing. Banning them is another. If I were running NASCAR I'd want the stars running as many races as possible because it extends the NASCAR brand and it makes all those non-cup races more drawing power.

Feeder series, not.

[Sean Malone]

Sure. To make Nationwide series enough different to remove a technical advantage for Cup drivers running Nationwide is one thing. Banning them is another. If I were running NASCAR I'd want the stars running as many races as possible because it extends the NASCAR brand and it makes all those non-cup races more drawing power.

Feeder series, not.

You're hung up on semantics that only you care about. Oh, and the word "technical" and "NASCAR" should never be used in the same context.

:thumdown:

[NismoZ]

You are correct in that it is the sponsors who demand the star power behind the wheel. Hard to advertize a kid nobody ever heard of. Promoters want Dale Jr. et al to run Saturdays to sell more barley pop and hot dogs. NASCRAP better start worrying about their "support" series because it's beginning to look a lot like the WHOLE deal has peaked and might be ready to continue it's slide in popularity and profitability. Time for a major change. One possible result of restricting 'Cup drivers could be Nationwide fields full of 17-18 year olds.