[vincesanity82]

Could General Motors' financial crisis lead to the end of Chevrolet's run in NASCAR? Don't laugh. GM executives last week said every aspect of the company's activities are being examined, including support of racing operations in NASCAR, sports car racing, USAC sprint/midget racing and the National Hot Rod Association drag racing. "Racing is not exempt," GM Racing Director Mark Kent said. "We will implement significant reductions in promotional and event budgets, motorsports activities and all expenses," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. GM is already eliminating jobs, cutting back executive salaries and trimming production of some lines. It is almost certain that General Motors will reduce its huge commitment to NASCAR. In fact, Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns eight tracks that hold NASCAR events, already has been told GM will not renew contracts at two tracks - New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, according to The Associated Press. Chevrolet supplies cars to 12 NASCAR teams - led by Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing - and GM sponsors a number of races in the three series. GM and Chevrolet are not alone. Dodge, Ford and even Toyota admitted they are reviewing their racing operations. -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch


Struggling GM's cutbacks could deliver a blow or two to NASCAR | The San Diego Union-Tribune

[kcoruol]

Nascar needs to get companies who are making the really big money to sponsor their teams. Companies like Shell, Exxon, Haliburton, etc.

[DOF_power]

Considering the COT and before it decisions taken from 1980s onwards have destroyed brand differentiation, what would be the problem with Exxon COTs vs. Shell COTs vs. Haliburton COTs ?!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Considering the COT and before it decisions taken from 1980s onwards have destroyed brand differentiation, what would be the problem with Exxon COTs vs. Shell COTs vs. Haliburton COTs ?!

Makes sense to me. I have suggested for the past year and a half that they could easily paint a car green and call it a John Deere. If they want to target the infant demographic, it'd be a natural to advertise Joey Logano driving a Tonka. Just replace the Chev/Ford/MOPAR/Toyota logo with one from Hasbro.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Makes sense to me. I have suggested for the past year and a half that they could easily paint a car green and call it a John Deere. If they want to target the infant demographic, it'd be a natural to advertise Joey Logano driving a Tonka. Just replace the Chev/Ford/MOPAR/Toyota logo with one from Hasbro.

but they don't race trucks in Cup .. however .. Tonka Truck Cup has a ring to it... and they could keep a lot of the yellow painted stuff around by just changing the decals... maybe NASCAR ought to look into that?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

but they don't race trucks in Cup .. however .. Tonka Truck Cup has a ring to it... and they could keep a lot of the yellow painted stuff around by just changing the decals... maybe NASCAR ought to look into that?

That all makes as much sense as the new car which saved the teams so much money andd improved the competition to the high level we see today.

I still think a "Win on Sunday, [get] fleece on Monday" ( Fewer and fewer actually buy anymore, they [get] fleece -a.k.a.lease - them) could work IF NA__AR would let the companies design the cars. Then this entire conversation would be moot.