Ford pulls back on their racing budget in V8 supercars

[URL="http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23960296-11088,00.html"]Source[/URL]


[QUOTE]BLUEBLOOD Dick Johnson was tossed on the tip by Ford in a dramatic move yesterday.

After more than 30 years as a blue oval battler, often fighting single-handed against a horde of Holdens, he was left behind in a dash for cash when his team Dick Johnson Racing was stripped of its Ford support. [/QUOTE]

Bit harsh they gave dick the flick and more suprised about 888 losing funding

[QUOTE]The impact is likely to be extensive and could shake the foundations of V8 Supercar racing, as Holden has also scaled-back its involvement and [B]new company chief Mark Reuss has recently said he would be happy to see another carmaker in the contest[/B].

[B]"I think it's probably time to move on from the whole Ford-Holden thing, because it turns off as many people as it turns on," [/B]Reuss said.
[/QUOTE]

Very interesting comments by the new CEO of Holden

[QUOTE]Dane was less worried about the cash, as his Vodafone deal is the biggest in V8 Supercars.

"Ford's contribution to our budget is not that great. So I'm not particularly concerned from a commercial standpoint," Dane said.

But he is now re-assessing the future of his team, which was founded in the UK and won last year's British championship, and admits he has been talking to other carmakers.

"Who knows what is going to happen in future? I've only ever spoken to other manufacturers, and it's plural, in the context of understanding their long-term marketing plans in Australia," Dane said.

[B]"Only a fool would rule out another brand. Never say never." [/B][/QUOTE]

Very interesting comments by Dane team principal for 888 racing

Well, I for one wouldn't lose any sleep over the championship being opened up. With rising fuel prices and falling large car segment sales it's losing relevency anyway, having more variety would be nice. I'd like to see something more like the various GT racing series around the traps, I can't remember what it's called but there's one that's a lot more production based that could be a good entry/feeder series into a fully blown GT based championship.

is it also a two brand series, just like the eternally boring DTM?

Has been a two brand series since the early 90's.

and yeah, it has gotten quite tedious.

I'm not so surprised DJR have been cut out. Despite their history, theyve only been mildly competitive recently. Most people thought though they'd cut back to 3 teams. I suppose they thought with 888's Vodaphone deal, they could afford it.

This bit was interesting though

[QUOTE]But FPR and SBR will form a technical liaison, with the Melbourne team building cars and the Queensland outfit responsible for engines.[/QUOTE]

Drop the whole series, bring back group A.

It is about time the series was opened up. I can't believe it has gone this long with just two teams- but it says a lot about the public that watch this sport. Surely, with more manufacturers will come more fans, viewers, sponsors and teams? I hope more comes of this than just talk.

I think we would all like too see a open championship, Toyota Mitsubishi, Nissan BMW Mercedes :eek:.. Who ever come one come all..

But i was never Mooney's favourite friend but who would have known:D..
This Mark character should hush, He has been here 2 seconds and thinks he knows it all.

But what has made the series that is the envy of the world touring cars be so looked down apon?..

I have the answer, The past 2-3 season personally for me have been shit, I almost have stopped talking about SuperCars.. Simply put I'm sick of the ****en shit that goes with 1 man and a car driving around a track one way, The crap is from the outer it pisses me off it shits me, It's right down the middle not one mm to one side right down the middle..

And then Garth Tander a man who i hold respect for who i meet @ Bathurst in 05. Won me over with his respect towards me after one of his co drivers disrespected me by ignoring me as i spoke too him, He gave the guy a fowl look and grabbed my top away from him witch he didn't sign and said I'll sign this for you mate, I liked the bloke on the spot nice bloke not his team mate (Not Kelly btw) Couldn't tell you his name as he isn't on my top or poster and i wouldn't bother thinking enough too look up his name anyway.
I didn't enjoy it because of the almost hate i have grown for the sport which was a sport i loved once.

I'm up for a change into something with more makes and a simply design towards cost cutting but overall increased speed safety and close racing.

[QUOTE=Blue Supra;817393]Drop the whole series, bring back group A.[/QUOTE]

Group A was a poor example of an open, multiple manufacturer series. I think theyre going to relook at the idea of a control chassis, or look at going 100% silhouette.

[QUOTE=fpv_gtho;817441]Group A was a poor example of an open, multiple manufacturer series.
[/QUOTE]
Group A could have been better legislated. But it began as a great idea, and at least it did serve up a large and ever-changing menu of considerably different vehicles. Said vehicles came in a variety different sizes and different shapes with different power from different designs, and the majority of them featured considerably different strengths and weaknesses. These differences were amplified on different circuits so more often than not this recipe of difference made for great racing (in particular the endurance events, eg classic tortise & hare) and these intrinsic differences between the various types of different vehicles delivered different performances, and LOTS of positional changes and to & fro - usually during a single lap.

And best of all, the entire field was closely based on actual production models that spectators and punters alike could genuinely relate to, not to mention purchase in road-car form (eg yours truly) and then drive or see them driven on a street near you.

Imho it was the best alternative to [i]real[/i] production-based racing, the legacy and 'glory days' heritage of which has 'carried' this ever more meaningless Supercar illusion since its inception.

Once upon a time for lovers of touring car racing it was the CARS themselves that held pre-eminence - not any more. Supercars has reduced all that into the periphery, Nascar style, with our main motorsports formula inexorably degrading down into a semi-pathetic 'human interest' saga wherein the machinery has become virtually identical and thus incidental, if not slightly irrelevant. Now it revolves football-style around a kind of 'Driver Personality' soap opera melange, in a dismal attempt to maintain interest in this waning category.
[QUOTE]
I think theyre going to relook at the idea of a control chassis, or look at going 100% silhouette.[/QUOTE]
And won't that be a(nother) fantastic development for this two-pea pod.
The current Arthur & Martha co-joined twins are still too 'different'.
We need more same-for-same clones.
Ultimately why not identical control panels - not sure about control badgewear tho?
Watching a field full of control chassis pretenders or going 100% bogus is just what tintop spectators like me have been crying out for.

[QUOTE=fpv_gtho;817441] I think theyre going to relook at the idea of a control chassis, or look at going 100% silhouette.[/QUOTE]

nascar does both, it's pure rubbish

Silhouette racing doesnt have to be in the NASCAR mould of templated body designed dictated by aero regulations and restrictions first conjured in the 80's. Doing so does result in running costs significantly less than current V8 Supercars, with car costs around the $100-200K mark.

DTM run a control chassis but maintain individuality by mandating the race car carry the same dimensions for the glasshouse as the stock vehicle. The abundance of carbon fibre reinforced panelling and high tech engine componentry make it considerably more expensive than the V8's with car costs around $1-2m.

Whether they move further down the silhouette path or take a few steps back to before Project Blueprint and the current cut-and-shut Blueprint v.2 cars, production class racing as the premier category is dead and would take an insane amount of back-tracking to revive.

[QUOTE=fpv_gtho;817441]Group A was a poor example of an open, multiple manufacturer series. I think theyre going to relook at the idea of a control chassis, or look at going 100% silhouette.[/QUOTE]

a major issue was cheating its far to easy to cheat with turbos running a million lbs of boost and then winding it down when scruitinering came around....much harder to do in a N/A application which also cost them lots of ground on the track...that said it didnt stop them from cheating either.

And as a world series it failed because the top euro teams had gentalmens agreements on what theyd not contest.

Bit a sillouete series is not the answer imo where trying to move away froma bopring precession and parity bullcrap doing that would only make it worse. Itll be heading the exact same direction as nascar which will end the catigory in this country.