Mercedes in NASCAR?

[dowling]

I heard a rumour the other day that Mercedes might try to get into Winston Cup for the 2002 season. After the initial shock, when you think of it, it could be possible. Mercedes has always been into racing but probably did not know what engine to use. What V-8 engine did they have to run that had the development in it to run NASCAR without starting from scratch? Well, years ago, to get more GM makes involved in NASCAR the Chevrolet 350 engine was declared a "Corporate" engine and could be run in Pontiacs, Buicks and Oldsmobiles. Now that Mercedes and Chrysler are the same company... they could use the new Dodge Winston Cup engine. It could be declared a "Corporate" engine, just like the Chevy 350 was declared a "Corporate" engine for all GM makes and the Ford 351 was for both Ford and Mercury. All NASCAR would have to do to the rules would be to change the wording concerning allowable makes and body styles. Then Mercedes could take a Taurus body and add front and rear Mercedes clips to it (lets be honest...just like the Intrepids are a Taurus body shape with Intrepid front and rear clip) and put the "Corporate" engine in the car and go racing. This would be interesting if it happened. Others like Jaguar, owned by Ford, could use the same "Corporate" engine reasoning to participate as well.

[dschumers]

I wouldn't bet on it. The Germans still see American auto racing as "barbaric", and I seriously doubt they would 'lower' themselves to do it.

[Sly Fox]

No way.......if they even think of trying to get into NASCAR, they are gonna get embarrassed. I simply beleive they are not good enough to compete in NASCAR. I think they know they would be more of the laughing stock of NASCAR more than anything. As far as the Germans seeing American auto racing as barbaric, they are just bunch of wussies. Giv'em a little love tap and they are running off crying to their Mommas.

Sly

[Blunderbus]

NASCAR wouldn't allow it anyway. Heard that Honda or Toyota wanted in a couple of years ago (they build cars here after all) and were plain old told NO.

I have to admit I like it better this way. American cars only. Rallying and F1 is where the whole world competes. Cup is for American cars.

Did you notice what Dale Jarrett was driving Sunday? One of the commentators mentioned that it was originally supposed to be a Lincoln Winston Cup car, from when Lincoln was thinking about going racing some years back.

[Gary]

Not a chance you will ever see a Benz in Winston Cup with current rules in effect. Those arrogant mothers in Stuttgart would have a stroke when told they would have to fit the Taurus templates and use the corporate Dodge engine!!!

[dowling]

The Jayski sight is now reporting that the whole Mercedes in NASCAR story reported in the paper was just an April Fools joke by the paper! I guess we were had.

[Frank]

I've been hearing a lot about imports trying to break in to NASCAR. The problem is I've also been hearing that Nascar is giving it some consideration.
My opinion is Winston Cup racing is AMERICA's racing body. It is for American cars, not cars that are built in America.
If NASCAR wants to sanction races that feature imports, or import and domestic cars, they should open another series for that purpose. Leave the Winston Cup series as it is, American Cars.
I think the imports are showing interest in NASCAR because of it's popularity. Ten years ago the imports wouldn't have given NASCAR the right time of day. NASCAR has become mainstream with big time sponsors, and big time money, now they're saying "let me in". I say, NO THANKS!
I also think that NASCAR should go back to the rule that stated the cars needed to be as produced. Safety issues not withstanding, we might see American, V-8, rear drive, coupes and two doors on the streets again.
Just wishful thinking.

[BIG RED MACHINE]

OH BROTHER,,,,,GIVE ME A FRIGGIN BREAK!!!!!!!!!!

[DakotaRacer]

Imports in NASCAR....they have their own league and classes to race in. NASCAR was meant for the american models such as ford, chevy, Dodge, and it used to be oldsmobile as well.

[Shadowfax]

Correct me if I'm wrong (My wife says I usually am!) but did'nt Jaguar race in NASCAR in the 1950's, may have been only one race, not sure.


Research! Research!

[Blunderbus]

DakotaRacer, in the list of makes that used to compete in NASCAR, don't forget Plymouth. Dodge won 160 races over the years; Plymouth won 190. Richard Petty's best years were driving Plymouths. He won 27 out of 48 races in 1967. Just look at that car, about as aerodynamic as a brick. Template? We don't need no stinkin' template.

Check out what he says about his car:


...the bulk of those (27) Petty victories came in a single 1967 Plymouth Belvedere.

"Old Blue" had been built as a 1966 model and had not been anything special as a race car during the 1966 season. However, the car seemed to take on a personality of it's own when the '66 sheet metal was removed and '67 sheet metal was hung on. About the car, Richard Petty said: "That car had an undeniable personality all it's own. The further into the season we got, the more we all realized it. Now, you might think that a car, just a piece of equipment, can't possibly have a personality."

"Cars can have a personality, just the same as people. Just ask any race driver or the guys who work on the car. Some cars respond to good engineering and others won't perform no matter what you do." Petty Enterprises had a particular car that worked exceptionally well, and they were willing to use it as often as possible. At one stretch during the 1967 season, "Old Blue" set a record that will probably never be equaled. Petty drove to victory lane ten straight times between August and October of that year.

In King Richard I, Richard Petty said, "I'll tell you now, there were many times in 1967 when I could have lapped the whole field, but I didn't do it. I was smart enough to know they'd [NASCAR] change things [rules] on me. Besides that, I didn't want to make the other cats look that bad."

Some things never change...

[dowling]

There was in fact a Jaguar that ran NASCAR many years ago. This was way back in the days that NASCAR used to run at a lot of small tracks as well as the big ones. At this one track, for some reason the race was also open to other makes of sports cars. I am at work now but over the weekend I will look up in my reference the year, what track it was and if it gives the reason that the sports cars were allowed to run with the NASCAR cars and post it on Monday.

[Matt Huber]

I remember seeing a race on TV a couple months ago that had imports racing at either Daytona or Talledega(can't remember). I think I remember them using just the oval and not the road course. Never did watch enough of it to know what was going on. Never did see what what association they where racing under.

[dowling]

I think the Daytona Dash series allows some imports as well as compact American cars. That may be what you saw at Daytona or Talladega.

[dschumers]

Back in the old days NASCAR had a lot more classes than they do now. When you are just starting out you gotta let anyone play that has the entry fee!

[dowling]

On June 13, 1954 Nascar Grand Nationals ran their first Road Course race at the Linden Airport in Linden New Jersey. In a field of 43 cars, 21 were foreign Sports cars. The sports car field consisted of some Jaguars, MG's, Morgans and an Austin Healey. The race was 50 laps or 100 miles. Al Kellers Jaguar won the race ahead of Joe Eubanks 51 Hudson and Buck Bakers 54 Olds. Lee Petty's 54 Dodge ran 10th - 2 laps back of the leaders. The winner Al Keller immediately quit the NASCAR circuit to join the Triple A circuit to get a shot at the Indy 500. So a foreign make did win a NASCAR Grand National race once.

[Matt Huber]

Junior Johnson took his ford Fairlane over to Europe in the early 60's. He said they did it kind of as a joke but they ended up wining every road race they entered, beating all the jags and everything else on the track.

[heavymetal]

The rumor I heard was that mercedes bought out chrysler to get into nascar...

[heavymetal]

I personally would like to see honda & tonka in nascar.They are just as american made as the big three.Honda has a plant in Oh where I am from.Tonka has a plant in Wv.

[Frank]

How about MATCHBOX? They're built here, even though the parent company, Lesney Corp., is in England.
Honda, Toyota, and the other imports, build most of the vehicles that they sell in the US, in the US. But the profits still go to Japan.
Unfortunately for us, the same can be said for DC and Germany. It's truly upsetting.
I still think that Winston Cup and Busch series races should be for American cars only (American being defined as cars built by the "Big Three"). If NASCAR wants to open another series for imports, thats fine with me. Go for it, but don't bastardize what we've got.
Unfortunately with NASCAR, money speaks louder than fans. If they see big bucks there, we'll soon see the Bosch sponsered MB with the Dodge "corporate V8" in it during speed week at Daytona.
Keep the faith.

[Gary]

Not to worry. Mercedes will NEVER race with a Dodge engine! Juergen Schrempp stated at the stockholders meeting last week that nothing will ever be done to "dilute" the star. The Mercedes mentatality is like the WWII ethnic purity concept.

[BB 70 Challenger]

Hi all

I think Frankendart72 has got it just about right: this whole NASCAR and Daimler Benz is about money. And NASCAR is full of it in a way of popularity and so much people involved.

If it is true that Benz is trying to make Chrysler more like a "truck company" and their own Daimler as a "car company" and have Chrysler´s good dealership chain to reach customers in the USA markets..... well NASCAR is a sure way to get a lot of people to recognize and get used to this "new" star on some of their new cars......... if they just learn that they probably shouldn´t act so rude as they have done so far with Chrysler people.


Just my two cents, - BB 70 Challenger

[Maxwedge]

A) Toyota and Honda are Jap cars, not American. They are Designed by and most of the parts are built by the Japaneese, the only thing american about the cars is the assmebly..NOT American...Mopars are at least built and designed mostly by americans. Benz didnt by Mopar to get into Nascar...they stole Mopar (with the help of Bob Eaton(former CEO of Chrysler) who got 200 million in the process) so they could become the largest Auto manufacturer..Unlucky for US the germans fired or pushed out everyone who knew anything, at Chrysler, and then the company went to crap and lost a bunch of money.
B) as far as Mercedes being in Nascar..who cares, they already are.(Yuk)
Maxwedge

[Frank]

That's what I said.

[heavymetal]

Designed by Americans Built by Mexicans.not all parts come from the japs.alot of parts are made here in the USA.I know I pickup parts & del. them.If it were not for Damyler Dodge would not be in Nascar.Doge was not in Nascar until they got bought out.

[Frank]

It really doesn't matter where the parts are made or assembled. The bottom line is the home offices of these corporations are based outside of the United States. That is where the profits go.

Parts being built in Mexico are esentially bought and paid for by the home office. The same could be said for the assembly plants.

All of the car manufacturers are multi-national, but only a couple are truly U.S. companies. Ford and GM are American based car companies. Honda, Toyota, etc. might build cars here, and make parts here, and could even trade on the U.S. stock market, but their home offices are off-shore. Now Chrysler's home office is in Germany. Our only saving grace is that most of the cars they sell here are also designed here, by Americans. At least for the time being.

I'll bet Walter P. Chrysler is turning over in his grave about now.

Back to the subject at hand.
NO, NASCAR should not allow "imports" to compete in Winston Cup competition.
YES, Winston Cup competition should be open to Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Mercury, Chevrolet, Buick, and Pontiac.
Lincoln and Cadillac do not build cars that fit the class, and everything else is an "import".

All in favor say aye! (for those on medication that's pronounced: I)

[Maxwedge]

Aye

They would suck if they did, and it would pull Dodge down with them when they did make their embarrasing(sp) debut in the Winston Cup Circuit of NASCAR

They would embarass(sp) themselves, and they would also drag Dodge with them with their embarassing(sp) Debut in the Winston Cup Circuit of NASCAR!

[Frank]

Cowgirlsky, I'll take that as an "aye".