http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/scca-scca-pro-wcvision-finalize-world-challenge-licensing-agreement/

I found it amusing that Speed has finally paid some recognition to their own banner series as auto racings "best kept secret".

"Believing that SCCA Pro Racing has done an outstanding job of administering and running races over the years, the group identified that the sanctioning body needed resources for elevated marketing, promotions and sponsor acquisition efforts."

Oh, really? How about some help from their title sponsor, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FREAKING TV CHANNEL SUPPOSEDLY DEDICATED TO MOTORSPORTS?!!!

“This already successful series will now enjoy the benefits of having two companies energetically supplying their core competencies to take World Challenge to the next level. SCCA Pro has a history of providing quality race operations and sanctioning services and WCVision will provide the desired marketing and business resources.”

Oh, really? How about some help from their title sponsor who should also be supplying core competencies? DID I MENTION THAT THEY ARE A FREAKING TV CHANNEL SUPPOSEDLY DEDICATED TO MOTORSPORTS?!!!

"Grow the size of the racecar fields through a targeted effort to attract new teams, drivers andmanufacturers."

How about starting with the title sponsor, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FREAKING TV CHANNEL SUPPOSEDLY DEDICATED TO MOTORSPORTS, showing more of the field than the top 5 or 6 cars for the entire hour? It's tough to sell sponsorship of a televised series if you can't / don't get televised.

" Secure sponsorship partners with a value proposition that will benefit all involved."

Certainly, you are not talking about your title sponsor, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FREAKING TV CHANNEL SUPPOSEDLY DEDICATED TO MOTORSPORTS?!!!

It seems here that they are openly admitting that SPEED has dropped the ball, being that they don't mention their association once in the entire article. WC racing is great, entertaining racing. It is a shame that Speed has essentially killed it over the past couple years with basically zilch promotion. I would expect more from ....................A TITLE SPONSOR WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FREAKING TV CHANNEL SUPPOSEDLY DEDICATED TO MOTORSPORTS?!!!

I would like to see WC races live or a reasonable tape delay. 2 or 3 weeks later is ridiculous when the tv channel happens to be a title sponsor for the series.

I don't understand why SPEED decides to go off and sponsors a series and does not promote them does not televise thier races live and dose not give them a slot on the SPEED Report.

This just goes to show you that SPEED doesn't give a rat's behind about Motorsports if they don't even show their own series!

YoungIndyCarFan - 03 July 2008 04:27 AM

I don't understand why SPEED decides to go off and sponsors a series and does not promote them does not televise thier races live and dose not give them a slot on the SPEED Report.

They cannot give them a slot on The SPEED Report because then you would know the results of the race before they televised it two weeks later.

mattcat - 03 July 2008 01:53 PM

YoungIndyCarFan - 03 July 2008 04:27 AM

I don't understand why SPEED decides to go off and sponsors a series and does not promote them does not televise thier races live and dose not give them a slot on the SPEED Report.

They cannot give them a slot on The SPEED Report because then you would know the results of the race before they televised it two weeks later.

at 2:00 PM on a weekday afternoon...


seems almost like they're embarrassed by their title sponsorship of WC...if that article had been about a NASCAR feeder series of some sort we would have heard the title sponsor's name about 50 times...

I am surprised they still sponsor and show this series, as the rest of the grassroots motorsports that is shown on SPEED is sponsored by Forrest Lucas' oil company in some form.

Speed could show actual professional racing on weekday evenings, like the SPEED Touring Cars and the SPEED GTs and German Touring Cars and the European Touring cars. I would rather see Lost Drive-In Movies than hour after hour of re-runs of "reality" shows, over and over again. It should be a red-faced embarrassment to Speed to have two series named after them and to hide the races so completely that no one sees them, no one cares.

If it doesn't have NASCAR in its name, or redneck in its premise, Speed isn't interested. I'd be happier if they put those Soloflex infomercials back on because I am sick and tired of half-hour, no-brain re-runs night after night. They're just too lazy to find the sponsorship to put actual professional racing on the air.

This was new info about SPEED/FOX ownership to me. I don't quite understand why they have buried the series by not showing more of them on SPEED.

It almost sounds like a decision to purchase them just to hang them out to dry so as not to have another owner excel through real promotion, and cut into the concept of a total NASCAR network/market/world dominating goal as stated elsewhere in these threads.

Also, IMSA does not give the series much help with the scheduling for those who are at the circuit. I was just perusing the schedule for this weekend's races at Mid-Ohio, and the times of the SPEED WC races are ridiculous.

First off, neither division is running on Saturday with the ALMS, which is when I would imagine that most touring car / GT fans would turn up. Rather they are running on Sunday in support of the IRL race. More bizzarely, the touring car race is taking place at 9:15 am. Now I enjoy going to races, and they do this kind of thing at Sebring, which is acceptable because most people are just there sleeping in their cars anyway, so it's easy to wake up and walk over to the track to catch the race. One thing I would not do (even though I am a fan of the WC series) is get up, shower, dress, and drive to the circuit to catch a race at 9:15 am.

Then, adding further confusion, the GT race takes place AFTER the IRL race. Honestly, what IRL fans are going to stick around after the main event to catch a 50 minute GT race? How do they hope to attract new interest in the series with this awful scheduling?

It seems to me as if the WC is getting shafted by the very parties that are supposed to be promoting their product...