Ford To Drop V8 Supercar Funding

[Russman]

theyre putting on a "show"??

ur jokin right.. its gotta be the most boring racing ever...

If you follow the drivers and teams it's much more interesting than ford vs holden.

[Marco-R34GTT]

I just think it is a shame how we cocoon our own domestic brands (So that they continue to produce high capacity, unsophisticated and inefficient rubbish) whilst we lock-out a huge array of foreign manufacturers that are much more competant at car making than our own dearest Ford/Holden brands... Audi, BMW, Merc, Toyota, Nissan, Honda...

[JimmyRickard]

I sincerely doubt any one of those manufacturers would have any interest in funding a high profile racing team in Australia.

You guys do realise there are other racing categories in Australia? On the weekend there was the Super GT cars with Ferrari's, Aston Martins and Lambo's, as well TranZam, the fastest tin tops in Australia, as well as Formula 3. I counted about 5 people in the crowd. Those of you who think Supercars suck, that's fine, but if they do end up folding they will take any commerical form of Australian Motorsport down along with it.

[djr81]

I sincerely doubt any one of those manufacturers would have any interest in funding a high profile racing team in Australia.

You guys do realise there are other racing categories in Australia? On the weekend there was the Super GT cars with Ferrari's, Aston Martins and Lambo's, as well TranZam, the fastest tin tops in Australia, as well as Formula 3. I counted about 5 people in the crowd. Those of you who think Supercars suck, that's fine, but if they do end up folding they will take any commerical form of Australian Motorsport down along with it.

When Super Touring was about the only manufacturers who properly committed were BMW (Now basically restricted to F1), Volvo (Now owned by Ford) and Audi (Doing the LeMans thing). Everything else (hoo boy Hyundai, Toyota, Peugeut, Ford, Renault, Holden, Alfa Romeo, Nissan) were basically privateers or only entered for the big events.

It would be nice to see other makes in the cetegory. It would help it along. But I cannot see how joining the V8s would help any of the other car makers save, maybe Chrysler. But how many bogons have $60k for a 300C?

Australia used to have a vibrant open wheeler scene too. Tasman used to refer to something other than an ocean & a Holden team...

[Roy]

Marco...talking about other manufacturers, you do unterstand that is how we ended up with V8s here in Aus? Toyota were getting their ass kicked in Gp A and were never too serious. Nissan Aus wanted out after it had achieved what it had set out to do. BMW were not too interested in running cars locally. If it wasnt for Morris Snr and Longhurst Snr rolling in cash and bank rolling cars and teams with Frank Garnder and BMWs then BMW woudl have been absent as well, as it wasnt a proper factory team.

And thinking back to the Super Tourers 2L cars, how many were factory efforst. Brad Jones was a really a privateer with limited factory support running old chassis from OS. I cant think of a single factory supported team. And nothing has changed locally with regards to the number of manufacturers wanting to race in a class of Touring Cars

Ford Aus and Holden were great in getting behind a new local formula and continuing to support a domestic series of racing. Ppl write them off but back in teh day they were the saviour of the series.

But where to from here? Well really nowhere unless its a control formula, as here in Aus unless we are attracting local manufacturers, no other compnay will want to be involved as the spend isnt worhwhile for our size market.

There is no easy answer. But i dont think ppl should write of Ford or Holden, they have done a good job in supporting large amounts of teams and giving us a competitive series with good numbers. There are not many other series in the world that sport fields of 30 competitive cars week in!

So not sayign they rule. But i think ppl have to be fair and appreciative of what the lcoal manufacturers have done for our local motorsport scene. What AVESCO has done with leaching other categories sickens me...but that is a different thing

[benm]

Bring back the Sports Sedans (yes I know they still exist but not like they did 15yrs ago).

[FineLine]

Marco...talking about other manufacturers, you do unterstand that is how we ended up with V8s here in Aus? Toyota were getting their ass kicked in Gp A and were never too serious. Nissan Aus wanted out after it had achieved what it had set out to do. BMW were not too interested in running cars locally. If it wasnt for Morris Snr and Longhurst Snr rolling in cash and bank rolling cars and teams with Frank Garnder and BMWs then BMW woudl have been absent as well, as it wasnt a proper factory team.

And thinking back to the Super Tourers 2L cars, how many were factory efforst. Brad Jones was a really a privateer with limited factory support running old chassis from OS. I cant think of a single factory supported team. And nothing has changed locally with regards to the number of manufacturers wanting to race in a class of Touring Cars

Ford Aus and Holden were great in getting behind a new local formula and continuing to support a domestic series of racing. Ppl write them off but back in teh day they were the saviour of the series.

But where to from here? Well really nowhere unless its a control formula, as here in Aus unless we are attracting local manufacturers, no other compnay will want to be involved as the spend isnt worhwhile for our size market.

There is no easy answer. But i dont think ppl should write of Ford or Holden, they have done a good job in supporting large amounts of teams and giving us a competitive series with good numbers. There are not many other series in the world that sport fields of 30 competitive cars week in!

So not sayign they rule. But i think ppl have to be fair and appreciative of what the lcoal manufacturers have done for our local motorsport scene. What AVESCO has done with leaching other categories sickens me...but that is a different thing

As a rule I enjoy reading your posts and get a chuckle from your inherent comon sense roy but i feel you are off the mark when you say " But i think ppl have to be fair and appreciative of what the local manufacturers have done for our local motorsport scene. "

They have destroyed The Australian motorsport scene. Shrunken it to a 2 horse race with horses that are about to be sent to the knackery. All that is left are high interest groups with very limited budgets (generally speaking) and zero outside support. From this low base oz motorsport will have to rebuild itself as it has had to do so many times in the past.

The taxi's have but one chance of survival and even that will only be a shadow of what it is currently. They will have to revert to true production type cars with very limited modification allowed and most definitely a control tyre.

What i do find ironic in all of this is that the form of motorsport generally identified as being "hoon" material, namely drag racing is firmly on the rise with some serious backing and t.v. bucks being spoken of whilst circuit racing appears to be on the slide. Go figure.

[Roy]

But my point is, Holden and Ford have spent lots of money on local motorsport. AVESCO are the ones running the show and strong arming tracks and categories.

I just think back to the end of 1992, what would have happened if Ford and Holden didnt put their hands up to homologate new shell, aero and engine packages etc for a new series? We woudl have been running around in privateer cars that were being built by teams with problems with equality between cars.

And I hear what you are saying about turning it into a two horse race. But i just see it differently. I consider it as more a case of the last two manufacturers interested in motorsport in this country. They cant be blamed if all the other manufacturers walked away. Hell even the 2L saw many of the manufacturers walk away after 4 or 5 seasons.

So whilst i am not enjoying the current series like i did back in the 90s with mad Thomas, Seto etc all running around. I dont blame the manufacturers for the situation. I blame Avesco for steering it to where it is today. The only blame i lay with Holden and Ford is that they did push their agenda when it comes to framing the rules. But it was an easy sell for them as there was no other attractive option

So, happy to be steered in the right direction, but i think the above is a pretty fair perspective. AVESCO = CARNTS. But Ford and Holdens support has been pretty good, especially when you think the series is in its 15th year. More then anything its time for a change.

[FineLine]

Holden more so than ford carry the burden of responsibility. Ford was dragged to the table Kicking and screaming as they did not have any desire to pour millions in to a local 2 horse race. They would have looked stupid if they didnt and both avesco and holden knew this. Holden have lived on the Harry Firth principle of "Win on Sunday sell on monday" for the last 30 odd years and it bore fruit for most of that period. Proof being the amount of special high performance variants they offer in their lineup.

Back when toyota approached avesco with a view to getting involved in the local derby it was holden and ford that made the most noise against it. Now that the writing is on the wall I commend toyota for telling them to shove it where the sun dont shine. Chickens coming home to roost kinda deal.

Irony again but they have already started tipping in a sizeable chunk of cash To a high profile drag team and are about to invest even further in said team. (who woulda thunk it)

v8 supercar can rot in hell for all I care. I lost interest in it when it became obvious that it really wasnt about the marque but revolved around chochrane pretending he was bernie echelwheelbarrow of formula 1 notoriety. Watch him push the women and children out of the way to be first in the lifeboat when this ship starts going down.

[brent32]

motorsport is reliant on TV ratings giving value for money spent by sponsors, if V8supercars is in trouble it doesn t take a genious to work out its because its because the veiwers arent tuning in. Personally the only round i bother to watch each year now is bathurst because compared to other forms of motorsport on telly most V8 events are pretty boring.

Compare your average V8 round to the likes of moto GP or formula one which are both enjoying fasinating championships this year then factor in the rise of the internet as a form of entertainment and the abundance of crap available on pay TV channels and who really has time to watch australias premier form of motorsport anyway, let alone get off the couch and go to the circuit. When bernie eccelstone was questioned recently about falling crowd numbers he pointed out it doesnt matter to him if no one shows at the circuit as long as a billion people watch it.

If toyota's half as motorsport savvy as i think they are, they wont touch this dead duck from another era of aussie motorsport.

[Roy]

I cant put my finger on it either, i love all forms of motorsport and can watch almost anything racing. But my interest in teh V8s has dwindled since mid last year.

But i do remember in the late 90s when Toyota was told "no room here" Oh well, only another year or two and Cockraine will will be gone and will see what transpires after that. They need less tyre grip and less aero for me, lenghten braking distances and make the cars more variable to drive so created more legit passing opportunities

[brent32]

I think the lack of personality in the drivers plays into it a little Lewis hamilton vs garth tander, Valintino rossi vs mark winterbottom there is no peter brocks, dick johnsons or jim richards (YOUR A PACK OF A$$HOLES).

[djr81]

What I find somewhat surprising is the willingness for people to go into bat for Toyota & others. Can anyone point out a factory backed Toyota anything that has run competitively in the outright class in any circuit formula in Australia? Because I can't.

They have never been genuinely interested in competing int he V8 series anyway. It is only journalists running out of story lines that keeps the idea alive. Toyota are happy to play along because it is free publicity.

As for the V8 formula suffering in any way from lack of ratings & spectators, well other than Sydney most events are near on sold out. Some are weeks in advance For some perspective, check the photo below of a round of the 1992 SATCC - from Tassie. What can be seen?

No Holden factory team for one.

Only twelve entries in the outright category.

Six of which were sponsored by cigarette companies.

Only six teams.

Only one of which was a factory team.

Rubbish tv coverage.

3x20 minute heats over two days.

Dire crowds etc etc etc.

So people that say V8s are struggling need to keep some perspective.

Fk I remember going back a few years after Jason Bright won Bathurst for the Stone Brothers their merchandising consisted of two ladies selling caps from a card table set up behind the pits at Wanneroo. I kid you not. Now you can't walk down the street without seeing some bogon in a HRT jacket. Although to be fair, this may have something to do with where I live...

[Roy]

I suspect a lot of people are posting have their rose coloured glasses on re the old Grp A days and more variety in cars. I love the Grp A era more then most. But thats only because i loved the cars, the racign was 9 times out of 10 crap. Winton with the M3s shining was a highlight, and for some reason the V8 Commodores did well at Lakeside. Other then that it was usually a cake walk fo the GTR and or Sierra.

Teams didnt front for every round, towards the end of the years the teams woudl pop up tryign to get kms under the belts for Bathurst.

So, i dont know why people are blamign Ford and Holden, i think they have done a great job. AVESCO need to support the lower categories and not rape them for fees to race on the same weekend.

And i think whilst the series is well supported, it is too dependent on Ford and Holden funding

[brent32]

I kinda agree that there is a tendancy to look back at the group A era fondly while forgeting some of its failings. The fact that V8supercars rounds can put even the most hardened motorsport enthusiasts to sleep or get them searching for a remote to see whats on SBS is in my own opinion a sign that the recipe needs to change whether it be less rounds, more manufacturers or different regs. Maybe we just need to accept than our small population and highly regulated car industry cannot continue to support motorsport at this level and settle for better coverage of a wider range of classes of motorsport.

[Whiplash]

I'm assuming some of you watched RPM yesterday about this? Interesting times ahead indeed, and didn't Gary Rogers look like he wanted to really speak his mind but thought better of it?

i thought jason brights comments on the funding issues were pretty spot on, its not up to the manufacturer to support all the teams, and how similar this is to when the tobacco sponsorship was banned and the teams were left looking for new funding

Bring back the Sports Sedans (yes I know they still exist but not like they did 15yrs ago).

they're coming back the hossack audi is an awesome machine and the battle with tony's alfa has been great so far

mallala earlier this year

2 42 Fleetcare Tandersport Leanne Tander (VIC) Dallara M/Benz 2000 C 14 15:23.7153 8 1:04.7717*

1 1 B&M Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello (WA) Alfa Romeo GTV 6000 10 13:02.9737 4 1:05.9536R

2 4 Audi Spares Darren Hossack (VIC) Audi A4 6000 10 13:05.1094 3 1:06.8620

quite a number of new cars being produced this year (including a v12 aston martin)

[monkeykplunk]

For me, it was a little surprising to learn of Ford pulling their funding, but not so much.

In many ways if you look at the current new car climate, it was almost to be expected. After all the large format vehicle is on the way out and with fuel prices so damn high the world over, who wants to buy a 1000L V8???

In a way the writing was pretty much on the wall the minute FMC decided not to push the production of the FG V8 to the extent they have with previous models. They know vehicle technology is moving away from these kinds of formats, so why should Ford Aus bother spending money on funding cars that they have no desire to make!

[tacker]

I think the lack of personality in the drivers plays into it a little Lewis hamilton vs garth tander, Valintino rossi vs mark winterbottom there is no peter brocks, dick johnsons or jim richards (YOUR A PACK OF A$$HOLES).

Bring back JIMMY!!

[Marlin]

Speaking with a few of my "uneducated" motorsport followers over the weekend was a bit of an eye opener. Don't read this as uneducated people they just don't get into the nitty gritty of it.

All of them welcomed the thought of introducing an additional player into V8SC, stating it was boring watching just F & H trundle around. They asked why Lexus and Chrysler couldn't just enter their V8 cars, and it was then I had to inform them just how many components their beloved F & H's shared, how little was actually remotely production car based, and why Lexus wouldn't be interested in joining.

Maybe years of trying on the line "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" has deluded the average punter into believing these things are close to production cars, therefore making a transition into a NASCAR style of car less acceptable? Just a thought.....

[coakman]

I haven't regularly watched the Touring Cars/Group A's/Super Tourers, etc, etc...since the early nineties.

The exit of most of the major brands (excluding Holden and Ford), the gradual disappearance of the legendary drivers (Brock, Johnson, Perkins, Bowe, Percy, Grice, etc...), and lack of replacements for them pretty much sealed it for me, with the sport becoming as exciting as watching slot-car racing on a regular basis. I mean it's fun every now and then, but essential viewing? Not until Bathurst!

These days the cars, drivers, rules and regulations are so similar (and if they aren't, somebody has a hissy-fit and threatens to take their bat and ball and go home).

I suppose if they want to save this two make series they could try doing something as simple as changing the driving style. If drifting is becoming the fastest growing motor sport in the world, then break out the rear wheel drive action and start drifting!

If that isn't enough to bring back the viewers, bring back the almighty GTR! Hell! We'll even make it easy for them and make it the 1993 model.

Oh wait.

Fark...

Even that would kick their asses!

They're doomed.