Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Penske went to Ford, so Chrysler will wait out the season in 2013. Seems NASCAR is down 38%, I don't think NHRA is down that much. I'm not sure which division controls Nascar, but it isn't Mopar Performance. Those guys do a really good job with few bucks. I think SRT or Dodge Motorsports controls Nascar. More later.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Jeff, I think the cost of involvement these days with the car manufacturers outweighs the exposure received in NASCAR today. I would believe that Chrysler has not spent the same amount of funding in NASCAR as has Chevrolet and Ford. The fact that Fiat's involvement in the company also doesn't help the fact. Hopefully this will mean more involvement in grassroots motorsports such as dragracing, road racing, etc. Only time will tell.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Some guy from Chrysler was quoted as saying they were ready to spend 3 times more on NASCAR then they were currently spending to stay in the sport but the logistics couldn't be worked out in time.
I'd guess they didn't tell Penske this before he jumped to ford?

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Jeff,
Ralph Giles did a long interview on sirius radio yesterday. He now is over SRT so I assume that group handles the NASCAR stuff.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

What IF all the car manufacturers pulled out of NASCAR? Would it go away? Not being a follower of NASCAR, I'm don't know why the OEM's are even involved.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Previous to this unfortunate news Speed was reporting that the Furniture Row team was close to inking a two car deal, too bad; I think they got a lot of positive exposure from having such a small contingent running against the odds and doing well and their horsepower always seemed on par with the Roush Yates engines. Just seems like abandoning NASCAR undermines their SRT and performance brands. Ford races Fusions, Chevy Impalas and the typical demographic for those cars can really identify with 200 MPH Stockers? At least the Dodge Charger has some racing heritage and new style Hemi Chargers are pretty good bang for the buck...think it is the only NASCAR model that truly falls into the "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday" scheme.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

My understanding is that the guy at Fiat drug his feet. There may have been a one year contract extension offered, but Ford offered five years. Penske will be closing their engine shop at the end of this season and a lot of good guys will be out of work.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Maybe this would be a good time to invest in some lower classed (& lower priced?) Drag Pack Challengers to spread them around like the originals with 5.9 Magnum engines (Jeff's blue car) and like the Fords are doing for more exposure?

I can understand the effort and desire to stand out in the fastest classes, but I never did understand why only 3 of the 5.9 combos were ordered.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I'll take a 5.9 DP if Chrysler is going to start handing them out..

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

jeff only wanted three ...

as stockholders clamor for increased profits every year often the cuts to satisfy that demand are cuts to what made last years profits... dumb from the top down.

captain

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I certainly would also and place it in my retired Demon SS car to run GT! In a heartbeat! Jim

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I do think the drag program will be around.

Despite NHRA's best efforts to become NASCAR lite, the two motorsports still have two different fan bases.

NASCAR appeals to the folks who are not necessarily car smart, the beer drinking yuppies who like the noise, the crashes, and will soon move on to the next fad. The hope is to sell them cars, but it is apparent that most of them are not really influenced by NASCAR participation. The lots at NASCAR races are full of Kias, Hondas, and Beamers.

Drag Racing, on the other hand, still has as it's core supporters genuine gearheads, many of whom race themselves. The Pro Stock efforts are sponsored by MoPar, the parts wing, and not the car selling end. The effort is designed to sell parts....any cars are a bonus. Look at the cylinder heads, the goodies in the MP catalogue? Look at the businesses of Mancini; Indy Cylinder Head, etc.....they move a lot of parts and none of them sell actual cars. They sell that stuff to weekend warriors in brackets, Nostalgia and other venues at the local track on Saturday night. Drag racing sells that stuff. Look at the package DP Challengers.....they were designed to put the stuff in the hands of hands on racers, to sell parts, and in this case to maybe sell some Challengers. That entire scenario is not NASCAR friendly....how competitive do you think a NASCAR "package" Charger would be? Especially when they don't use a production engine? NASCAR has spec cars, spec engines, and has nearly no relation to the average guy on the street.

I don't think there is much corelation between the two.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Come'on Phil....why not buy Gaynor's DP? Even toyed with the idea myself....

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I used to follow NASCAR till they come out with the Car Of Tomorrow.. COT. Now I cant tell one car from another, all of them look like something out of the comic books. I have a new word for the CAR OF TOMORROW.. Boring Car Of Tomorrow.. Or BCOT short for boycot..

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I wouldnt be surprised if Honda came into Nascar soon. The whole thing is a disgrace.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I call it NAPCAR because I can"t watch a race with out falling asleep.If their is no"big wreck" you might as well watch the grass grow!

Kevin

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Don't you love it. A Honda or Toyota with 358 CID, super trick, all titanium, 850 hp 9500 rpm motor made in America in a COT made in America. The only thing Honda will be the decals and the increase in budget to the team owner. Course now you got Toyota AA/FC with 500 CID, Nitro fueled, 8000 HP all made in America, or the Toyota on the side of a Top Fuel Dragster. As Sheriff Buford T. Justice would say "What is the world comin to."

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

The COT was dropped a couple years ago already.....

The present cars are nowhere near the same.

No wing....different splitter.....A lot different....

If you don't like Nascar.....don't watch it...

I do like it and have for many years.

Way more entertaining than watching John Force race Don Schumacher....

People I worked with for years work in Nascar engine shops and have for many years.

I enjoy it.....and always have.......sadly not as much as when the #3 was out there and thats for dang sure.....

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I might have a buyer for the Coronet, Maybe we should split the DP. I'll keep it here in the summer and you can keep it there in the winter.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

The "3" is starting to make it's come back with a really good young driver. I'm also a big fan. Lots of technology in those big boats.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I'm a NASCAR watcher simply because those beasts on small tires are probably the most demanding race car to drive anywhere, granted the Rally cars are a handful but the big cars are so evenly matched that very small adjustments often spell the difference. Even with Dodge gone I'll continue to watch a few races a year, particularly Sonoma and the Glen.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

the money will to F1, here is a pic of the new dodge

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Doubt Fiat will be putting money saved from nascar pullout into a nonexistant Formula! team . Looks more like the benefits did not justify the costs . Racing is a business , the bottom line rules ..

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

My bad ! Fiat owns 90% of Ferrari .

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

yep they do,they have a cap of £40 million (50 million us )per team (two cars)

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I have worked in large industry most all my working career and if there is one thing I know and understand is the the end result has to be justified. Them owning Ferrari or any other business does not let you justify spending millions in a NASCAR venture that may not be paying for its self. Most of the time, every section has to stand on it own merit. We all, sometimes, think that racing is justified because of the exposure that it should offer to these companies. Some one has to put a quantitative number on that exposure and what does it really gain you. I have no idea what their thoughts are but it is apparent that they felt it was not quantitatively justifiable on Monday after the Sunday race. Now that doesnt mean that the bean counter is correct in their analysis but none the less, some one made that decision. Of course, there can always be a secondary motive for this move to let them regroup and get out from under the program as it now stands.
Who knows? Not I
reed

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday may have meant something back when NASCAR was racing real cars but today's racecars do not even resemble anything you would see at a dealership. Maybe the bean counters at Chrysler finally figured that out.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Aah, the great LEFT turn....nascar! If someone didn't paint a grill on the car you wouldn't know what it was.

No, they are not the hardest cars to drive, not even close! If you really want to see cars that are hard to drive, that go fast and do more than turn left look for Australian Super Car Racing. Nascar talks about trading paint yet these guys trade doors and fenders.

JimR

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

Go out and run a Baja 1000 race, you will see more carnage than any NASCAR race

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

All about money and Penske isn't any different.... Ford has it Chrysler doesn't. Penske has those Dodges running and very competitive..I sure hate to see them leave NASCAR and those folks losing their jobs....
and there again money.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

The truth in that statement is reflected in Penske's actions. He's a pretty smart guy.

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I agree with you Carl, and next Nissan will somehow get their Maxima out there too...

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I'm hoping Daimler brings out a Schmart Kar for NASKAR. They can use an AMG V8 for power if they can fit it in there somewhere?

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

When Chrysler entered back into Nascar a decade or so ago after a long hiatus since the late seventies...how many Dodge race teams were there that reentered, and how many teams were there actually left today...it seems the writing was on the wall for Chrysler...sad. :(

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

I used to be a NASCAR fan but over the years I couldn't tell the Fords from the Chevs, Dodges and now Toyotas--I would think the Fiat guy said BS to the race on Sunday sell on Monday adage -- probably very little correlation between NASCAR success and sales..Regarding NHRA I wonder how many new Mustang the John Force circus sells??

Re: Chrysler Pulls out of NASCAR
 

When the hard core nascar fan goes shopping the choices are made based on decal recognition. If they have choice they buy products that support team cars. I'm sure dodge will see a decrease in sales but it will be small potatoes in their total sales. I just bought a new Challenger so I made it under the bell.