View Full Version : Methboy on Despain last night.
Methboy, (Peter Delorenzo) on Despain last night drops an interesting tidbit in the Nascar saga. Apparently the Detroit big 3 are fed up with template racing cars that don't look like what's on the showroom floor. They're not happy with the 40 year old spec motors as well. Expect a summit meeting in a few weeks with Nascar to address this. Apparently they're very serious on this as The CEO's of the 3 were originally slated to appear to have a little talk with Brian France & Co.. Methboy states unless things change, there will be the chance of reduced Detroit $$ (225 million a year according to him) and possibly one manufacturer pulling out. (Ford? My guess not his).
He also dropped a nugget about GM possibly wanting to get into F1. He places that at about 50/50. Seems GM see's F1's interest in China as a potential for them to get an early foothold into the largest untapped market on the planet right now.
chop456
03-11-04, 08:56 AM
Toyota must be salivating over the prospect of an updated motor spec.
GM would do well in China where the competing models will be brand new VW's designed in 1980.
Speaking of VW, he brought them up as another possible F1 entrant though didn't speak highly of the odds.
Wouldn't you just love to see Toyota and Honda as the only engine suppliers for NASCAR?......or at least dominating NEXTEL Cup?
The question that was never asked was, if the big 3 bail cause France doesn't want to cow-tow to Detroit, how will the league absorb the $225 mill loss. How many teams would be affected?
4wheeldrifter
03-11-04, 09:27 AM
Front wheel drive, DOHC V-6's, here we come NASCAR! :laugh:
GM to F1. That'll be the day. Only if they can convince Bernie to supply to whole field with their motors.
Racewriter
03-11-04, 10:23 AM
The question that was never asked was, if the big 3 bail cause France doesn't want to cow-tow to Detroit, how will the league absorb the $225 mill loss. How many teams would be affected?
Well, let's see:
NASCAR would still have over $600 mil in sponsorship of the series and TV rights.
Another $5-600 mil from corporate sponsors of teams would still be in the mix.
Two or three rule changes would fix any parts availability problems.
And the third place car at Daytona this year can't even get a kind look from a factory person.
NASCAR told the factories to walk years ago, back when their participation was a HUGE part of the pie. They'd do it again.
Don Quixote
03-11-04, 11:23 AM
This is, as is always the case, about power and control. The manufacturers can't stand to see a pie which is owned mostly by someone else. In this case, NASCAR may be bigger than the auto builders. Having said that, I wonder if the bubbas out there really embrace the old technology, templates, plate racing and contrived results? I think a shakeup would do everyone a little good. JMO.
Brickman
03-11-04, 11:29 AM
This is, as is always the case, about power and control. The manufacturers can't stand to see a pie which is owned mostly by someone else. In this case, NASCAR may be bigger than the auto builders. Having said that, I wonder if the bubbas out there really embrace the old technology, templates, plate racing and contrived results? I think a shakeup would do everyone a little good. JMO.
Indeed.
I don't know a single person who has bought the showroom models of what they are building, well... make that one person, local restaurant manager, he bought the Dale Earnhardt Monte Carlo, a bit over the top.
They will make changes.
Unlike TG, the France's aren't stupid enough to piss off the people they need to run their series. It will all get worked out
Brickman
03-11-04, 11:45 AM
Couple of decent articles, the last is a five page.
http://www.americanracefan.com/2003/Teams03/Ford03/Ford021803.htm
http://www.50mustangandsuperfords.com/techarticles/138_0309_yates_robert_engines/
Steve99
03-11-04, 11:49 AM
Speaking of VW, he brought them up as another possible F1 entrant though didn't speak highly of the odds.
He said VW was already planning to get into F1.
Steve99
03-11-04, 11:49 AM
GM to F1. That'll be the day. Only if they can convince Bernie to supply to whole field with their motors.
The could use a Cosworth engine. :)
racer2c
03-11-04, 11:54 AM
I believe this to be the start of the big push for over head cam engines in Cup.
racer2c
03-11-04, 11:56 AM
Gm to F1 pops up every four years or so. With Caddy really making a comeback in the performance/luxery class and achieving it's goal of swaying younger buyers away from makes like Lexus, I could see them wanting to badge an engine with the Caddy name. I doubt they would build their own though.
4wheeldrifter
03-11-04, 12:19 PM
Gm to F1 pops up every four years or so. With Caddy really making a comeback in the performance/luxery class and achieving it's goal of swaying younger buyers away from makes like Lexus, I could see them wanting to badge an engine with the Caddy name. I doubt they would build their own though.
With GM's reputation of taking their ball and running home crying anytime real competition shows up, it just seems unlikely. I mean look what Ferrari is doing to the other veteran teams in F1 now. That's got to be a deterrent to the General.
4wheeldrifter
03-11-04, 12:20 PM
I believe this to be the start of the big push for over head cam engines in Cup.
It would be about time. Fuelies too? (that would open a big bag o' worms).
GM can't even build a competitive IRL engine. If they can't stay afloat in the shallow end of the motorsports gene pool how could anyone imagine that they're ready to swim in the deep end?
Madmaxfan2
03-11-04, 05:42 PM
I do not see Brian France coming into the light of modern engine technology.
NASCAR percieves itself on the top of the autoracing world , therefore Detroit has little leaverage. Afterall, the Big Three pulled out after the early 70,' and did very well on it's own. It would be nice to think that Detroit can pull a power play on NASCAR, but I am not sure how far the automakers will take it.
Brickman
03-11-04, 06:49 PM
I do not see Brian France coming into the light of modern engine technology.
NASCAR percieves itself on the top of the autoracing world , therefore Detroit has little leaverage. Afterall, the Big Three pulled out after the early 70,' and did very well on it's own. It would be nice to think that Detroit can pull a power play on NASCAR, but I am not sure how far the automakers will take it.
I disagree. I think the same points made about Tin Tops back years ago on the Speednet forum exist today. It opens the door wider to people who want more than 50's technology pushed to their limits. It's time to move forward.
JohnHKart
03-11-04, 08:20 PM
Why is he called meth boy?
John
Brickman
03-11-04, 08:26 PM
Why is he called meth boy?
John
I always thought it was because the author wasn't the same everytime.
http://www.autoextremist.com/
I do not see Brian France coming into the light of modern engine technology.
NASCAR percieves itself on the top of the autoracing world , therefore Detroit has little leaverage. Afterall, the Big Three pulled out after the early 70,' and did very well on it's own. It would be nice to think that Detroit can pull a power play on NASCAR, but I am not sure how far the automakers will take it.
Somehow, I just can't see Nascar 10 or 20 years from now running pushrod V8 engines. You've got a young fanbase they're trying to reach out to now that doesn't have the connection and affection to the V8 like years of old. JMO as always. ;)
Peter Olivola
03-12-04, 01:21 AM
Don't be in such a hurry. This will take as long as humanly possible and then some. Things move slow down on the old plantation.
Somehow, I just can't see Nascar 10 or 20 years from now running pushrod V8 engines. You've got a young fanbase they're trying to reach out to now that doesn't have the connection and affection to the V8 like years of old. JMO as always. ;)
JohnHKart
03-12-04, 07:37 AM
I always thought it was because the author wasn't the same everytime.
http://www.autoextremist.com/
Ah ok, well scrolling down that page it says methanol boy. Being in LA calling someone "Meth boy" means something else.
John
Brickman
03-12-04, 11:20 AM
Ah ok, well scrolling down that page it says methanol boy. Being in LA calling someone "Meth boy" means something else.
John
You aren't kidding. No doubt if you didn't know it would sound very wrong.
jcollins28
03-12-04, 02:16 PM
You aren't kidding. No doubt if you didn't know it would sound very wrong.
Yeah in the Inland Empire "meth boy" only means one thing.
superbad
03-12-04, 05:44 PM
He also dropped a nugget about GM possibly wanting to get into F1. He places that at about 50/50. Seems GM see's F1's interest in China as a potential for them to get an early foothold into the largest untapped market on the planet right now.
GM is already huge in China. They got in early and have done really well with the Buick brand. Buicks are viewed as quite prestigious there, if you can believe that. GM has something like 10% of the market share in China right now. VW has over 1/3, and they coincidentally are the only other major car maker not in F1. The world is changing, fast.
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