Originally Posted by
CSHAW
Why is the trend by series organizers and promoters to kill of the motorsports market place instead of promoting and building it. Dan, it is easy to see that you are only offering the “National Class” as means of filling out a field and providing a show on the backs of those racers while you grow your “SPEC CAR” field. This is just what Grand-Am did when starting out by dangling the carrot of SR1 and SR2 and sucker teams to invest on equipment and development to put on a show using existing LMP race cars and cars from Pro-Sportscar. They filled out the field and came out of the gates with an interesting level of enthusiasm. This also suckered constructers to develop, tool and start producing new SR1 and SR2 Grand-Am race cars. This, while we watched a few seasons of a new spec class consisting of “TWO” cars that looked more like turtles with birth defects than proper race cars, capturing almost all the commentary time, “two cars racing each other”, and ignoring the exciting SR1 and SR2 cars running up front. Once they had a few key sponsors and a little momentum with the series, they threw the SR1 and SR2 teams out on their ear. These, the teams that the series built its initial momentum with, to make their beloved ugly Daytona Turtle Types the premier showcase class.
My guess is that Dan is using you national entrants to fill out a field in order to be able to put on a show until such time as he has enough entries to make a viable Spec Car headline class. I will bet that they are going to have you invest your money to build his program by dangling token delusional carrots in your face. Then, you are going to get thrown out on your ear because they only needed you to get them going.
Driver development in spec cars is a narrow vision of how to build the motorsports market. Creating supplier monopolies and eliminating markets for product manufactures and creative car builders gives you your beloved driver development, but does more to destroy the motorsports industry that it does to grow it. It is disincentive for those that produce motorsport products and are at the core, the “CAR ENTHUSIASTS”. In fact the Driver is only a small part of the whole racing equation and SPEC racing only serves to invalidate the largest part of the equation, “the equipment and the car”. Race fans are up to their asses in reality shows and are tired and burnt out on it. Most of the automotive enthusiasts that I know, watch racing more for the excitement of the cars than the drivers and who Danica batted her eyes at yesterday. From a fans perspective, it is not interesting watching a race that no attention really paid to the equipment because it is all the same. It is about as interesting as watching the old Renault Appliance Cup. Dan, the marketability is for crap, and teams selling potential sponsors on this is going to find it to be a joke.
Indy car racing was great once. Back when we got to watch fascinating machines from any constructor with the devotion, drive, balls and creativity to construct a qualified car and be fielded by teams that were true racing enthusiasts, instead of teams that merely have the resources to purchase a singularly produced SPEC car. Back when the car mattered and was not just a prop. Back when the innovation was the hallmark of the marketability of the whole package.
I am sincerely disappointed in direction this has taken and if my gut feeling is right, concerning you just using the “National Class” to help you get started and then wipe them on the bottom of the bar like a piece of used bubble gum, once you have enough of your beloved SPEC cars to make a field, “I hope you fail” for the good of the Performance Racing Industry.
If a specific car has to be an obligatory purchase in order for it to be competitive, then how good is that car in reality, or do we know? If everyone has to use a Mazda engine, then what does that say to the race fans about the quality of the engine? It says this >> “It must suck if they have to force teams to use it by disallowing others”. That is what it says.
Why have two classes at all if they are both Formula Continental? The fact is, that if it is one class, then it is more difficult to tell the non Elan, non Mazda to go take a hike later, if and when the series takes off. There are a bunch of small constructors on this very forum that are busting there asses and mortgaging their mother-in-laws and immediate families, working ungodly hours without appreciation, to get a crack at making a going concern of constructing exciting and creative race cars and associated equipment. There is a bunch of talent and enthusiasm here and I would implore you to tap into that and unleash the potential for the good of the industry.
They don’t have the finances to buy the floor out from under competing brands, but all of them have it in their potential to construct a winning product. These talented and creative people desire to race against each other, but with their innovations in equipment not by mere driving skill. If given the opportunity to compete, many of these small producers can become tomorrow’s champion level constructors and maybe even rise to the challenge of the world stage in Formula Car innovation like F1. But when not even be invited to the party, it is akin to being SH.. on. The opportunities for success with their venture are squashed before ever getting the chance to try.
Dan, I am disappointed.
If you really want to grow the Performance Racing Industry, then you need to open the headline class up all those that are actually interested in constructing products in the industry.
LOL, Maybe consider SPEC Drivers instead of Spec cars? Like only drivers that have red hair, or specific race, gender, or that donate to a specific political party, or maybe a specific size and build or the size of their Johnson? Off the wall? Well so are you and so is Spec Racing.
C Shaw
IRL Series
