NASCAR's International roadracing plans

[Robert Ryan]

This is from the SPEED TV site. George Pyne is the NASCAR Operations manager :
"NASCAR’s Mexico push is only half the story, though. North of the border, NASCAR has a partnership with TSN — Canada’s equivalent of ESPN — and an option to purchase the CASCAR series.

Pyne said he hopes to have a Busch race on the streets of Toronto, where CASCAR currently races.

He is bullish on Canada as well as Mexico. “I went up to the Formula One race (in Montreal) last year and the CART race in Toronto,” Pyne said. “We’re going to look at the Canadian market.”

Pyne did downplay the possibility of NASCAR going to Europe, for now anyway. “Right now from a racing standpoint were focusing on North America,” he said. “We wouldn’t rule out other parts of the world five or 10 years from now.”

Mexico and Canada are the two strongest markets for the Champ Car World Series, the series formerly known as CART. Mexican companies, including Telemex and Tecate, and Canadian businesses Player’s and Molson were among the few enterprises providing heavy cash sponsorships to CART teams.

And races in Mexico and Canada were among the most financially successful in the struggling open-wheel series.

It remains to be seen how much commercial support from Canada and Mexico moves over to NASCAR as the stock-car racing series expands into those markets. It also remains to be seen how many open-wheel fans in those two countries jump aboard the NASCAR bandwagon.

If NASCAR has the type of success there that it has here in the United States, it could be the final knife through the heart of the CCWS"

[retro]

NASCAR had a qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on this morning (our time) - I believe the crowd figure was 100,000 .

[D.R.T.]

Interesting points being raised, but what relevance is this to Australaisia.

[Robert Ryan]

They could be trying to copy V8Supercar by trying for a race in China say in the next 5yrs. What is strange...NASCAR has abandoned there condition there must be ovals to race on before they venture anywhere.

[racer69]

NASCAR has sanctioned overseas road racing before. Admittedly it was a non-championship event, but they went to Suzuka few times, with a number of the top guys heading over there as well.

A Winston West round was held at Motegi a few years back as well, Kim Jane and Terry Wyhoon took their cars over.

[marcus]

interesting , BUT very irrelevant to the Aussie V8's no matter what spin you put on it.

off to the nascar Forum with ya

[fordlover]

now it would be good, if bob jane got the fuinding to upgrade the calder park thunderdome ( basically a copy of charlotte/Lowes SP?) so that if NASCAR did come down under (Some drivers and teams have done it before, but not the whole series) for a race or two, the place would be suitable. and i know for one i would travel the 15-18 or so hours to see it.

[gttouring]

this was mentioned somewhere else. but NASCAR stock cars are grossly heavy- at 3400lbs plus spares and pit equipment, shipping these things would be more difficult than a FIA supertruck racing team. and the schedule and time involved.
IF NASCAR decides to make a global series, then perhaps wee would see them trounce around, but with the 36 point race + two "all star" type events, just where are they going to sneak in travel time? going to Motegi in Japan took a good 3-4 weeks out of the schedule, Canada would add no further burden and niether would Mexico really,. A few exhibition races outside may come under consideration but i don't see NEXTEL Cup going global. Of course the NASCAR Busch series might, and this series would shed off many traditional dates on NA ovals and do a more interesting mix of tracks- but to be honest I wish the Truck series would do it instead- they know how to race (heh heh)
If a new tier to the NASCRA top three was created for a global series, or an off shoot roadrace series (don't laugh I actually heard rumors about this from a few sources Speedway magazine, and Circletrack and....) This would end up like TransAm or we hope it would....

[Robert Ryan]

I think they are in the embryonic process of creating their own "V8Supercar" series, that can go global as well as fend off CCWS and the SCCA in the US. The fairly considerable interest V8Supercars has generated amongst traditional NASCAR oval fans on SPEED TV, has the NASCAR Management thinking of a roafdracing only type series, that will be Trans Am and V8Supercar in concept.
The other reason they are doing this is money..or chasing overseas sponsors into NASCAR.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

They could be trying to copy V8Supercar

Thats one, very interesting way of looking at things.

[Jack Man]

OH CANADA (me singing) lol It's about time they came to us instead of us going to them. I'll even put up with the Montrealers to see this. I just hope it dosen't mean the end of Watkins Glen.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by fordlover

now it would be good, if bob jane got the fuinding to upgrade the calder park thunderdome ( basically a copy of charlotte/Lowes SP?) so that if NASCAR did come down under (Some drivers and teams have done it before, but not the whole series) for a race or two, the place would be suitable. and i know for one i would travel the 15-18 or so hours to see it.

If i recall correctly, when the Thunderdome was built supposedly one of Bob Jane's aims was for his track to host the final round of the Winston Cup, starting with 1989.

It didn't happen, but for a few years alot of Winston Cup drivers came over for the Christmas 500.

[Baritone2400]

Originally Posted by Jack Man

OH CANADA (me singing) lol It's about time they came to us instead of us going to them. I'll even put up with the Montrealers to see this. I just hope it dosen't mean the end of Watkins Glen.

I think that does mean the end watkins , but montreal will be the best CUP road race ever just imagine heavy stock cars puttin the power down after the last chicane umm my tape player is ready to record all the action