Has anybody else here been contacted by the Grand-Am website and asked to take a survey?
There is a very disturbing line of questions regarding the possibility and apparently
immenent takeover of GA by NASCAR. I know that there is already a strong NASCAR presence
in GA but to officially have GA under the NASCAR umbrella would be a very bad thing IMO.

tshirts - 26 July 2008 10:01 AM

Has anybody else here been contacted by the Grand-Am website and asked to take a survey?
There is a very disturbing line of questions regarding the possibility and apparently
immenent takeover of GA by NASCAR. I know that there is already a strong NASCAR presence
in GA but to officially have GA under the NASCAR umbrella would be a very bad thing IMO.

It is a NASCAR series!

tshirts - 26 July 2008 10:01 AM

Has anybody else here been contacted by the Grand-Am website and asked to take a survey?

Yes, I'd guess they're sending it out to those on the Grand-Am mailing list as they conveniently have those email addresses.

There is a very disturbing line of questions regarding the possibility and apparently immenent takeover of GA by NASCAR. I know that there is already a strong NASCAR presence in GA but to officially have GA under the NASCAR umbrella would be a very bad thing IMO.

If it were a done deal I'd imagine they wouldn't bother with the survey, but that would indicate they're seriously considering it.

However, I'd disagree that it would necessarily be bad for Grand-Am. Assuming (and it may be a big assumption) that they don't futz with the series, the NASCAR brand name could make the series more attractive to sponsors, media, tracks and promoters; those all do seem to go goo-goo over NASCAR and some of it may rub off, making it easier for teams to find funding.

How would this connect to NASCAR? NASCAR runs 90% of its races on ovals and Grand Am runs all of its racing on road courses. How is the promotion of Grand Am until the official NASCAR banner going to help the series? I think it would bring more confusion with PR more then anything but I do agree that putting the Grand Am name with NASCAR might draw some more interest of the series.

If NASCAR wants to truly reach out to road racing fans (I know the France family basically owns Grand Am but you know what I mean) they should make more road courses for NASCAR. Maybe make the series like Indycar and have a better mix of road courses/ovals. I know many fans would hate this but to me this makes total sense.

Well, it would be an expansion and diversification of NASCAR. I wouldn't think promoting the series as NASCAR's road-racing divisions would be too confusing, except for the part where people might think, "so they race at Watkins Glen and Infineon and that's it?" If they keep KONI, they could promote that as their stock car division.

Nascar Grand American Road Racing Series, a bit long but not confusing at all.

Rip5 - 28 July 2008 10:23 AM

Nascar Grand American Road Racing Series, a bit long but not confusing at all.

Its what I've understood it to be all along...what's the big deal? Do they think it will be easier to sell to sponsors?

I wish Nascar would take a 'hands off' approach to Grand-Am and leave it badged as it currently is - with no Nascar logos on the cars or in the series' name. I think Grand-Am appeals to the same fan base that it always has - those with an interest in road racing and sportscars, who have little or no aversion to foreign drivers and manufacturers. Making Grand-Am an 'official' Nascar series might alienate some of the core audience who, like myself, look to series' like Grand-Am as a refuge from the 'Nas-World'.

I've been a pretty dedicated Grand-Am fan for the past two seasons (after finally warming to the Daytona Prototypes) - attending two races and planning on traveling to see two more this season (Infineon and Salt Lake City). I've always been a bit uneasy about the Grand-Am affliation with Nascar, mainly because I see Nascar as the biggest threat to diversity in US motorsports. Leaving the Nascar name out of the Grand-Am series would go a long way towards not reminding me about who owns it.

TelegramTrophyRace - 26 July 2008 10:47 AM

tshirts - 26 July 2008 10:01 AM

Has anybody else here been contacted by the Grand-Am website and asked to take a survey?
There is a very disturbing line of questions regarding the possibility and apparently
immenent takeover of GA by NASCAR. I know that there is already a strong NASCAR presence
in GA but to officially have GA under the NASCAR umbrella would be a very bad thing IMO.

It is a NASCAR series!

Not one huge similarity. A spec series that discourages technological development, the sort of work participation that would bring about tech development.

Count me in the number who believe GA wasn't formed to offer those who otherwise wouldn't have a chance to go sports car racing; it was formed to stifle the growth of ALMS and IMSA. And the Rolex sponsorship? No prizes for guessing who got that for them.

This has to be some kind of tax-dodge-business-thing...they could slap a nascar sticker on it any day of the week..looks like it, smells like it...good thing we didn't step in it

I know...they take the COT chassis, and put some even uglier bodywork on it and call it the new GrandScar...