ZanatWork Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Dwindling, yet still with over 5,100,000 viewers last Sunday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdegrand Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) To me, NASCAR is the most valid auto racing for Ford to be invested in, at least in North America: NHRA? A few seconds with even less-related-to-stock cars and a dwindling audience, even though the die-hards do keep supporting it. The Cobra Jet efforts and some team sponsorship is likely more than enough. IMSA, road racing? Involvement is good, but again...much less audience. I like it for testing Mustang-related components more than anything else. Indycar is a single-make, two-engine series right now. While I'd love to see EcoBoost involved, I'll admit that I find the cars to be visually repugnant. Formula 1? It's a terrifying mess right now. The new "power units" have essentially guaranteed only one team is favored every weekend (despite a couple luck-outs by Red Bull/Renault), they sound pathetic, they look ridiculous, and as much as I'd absolutely sing for joy at seeing a, say, Lotus with Ford/Cosworth power or if the Haas team could run Ford/Cosworths, I know these odds for what they are. I just feel that, in terms of audience exposure and various industry relationships, there isn't a better option to be Ford's NA autosport focus. FYI....Ford will not sponsor THE JOHN Force team after this season. His daughters are gifted racers... Edited July 31, 2014 by bdegrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdegrand Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I've read this whole thread with great interest. I heard the arguments about how the cars are all the same and that why would one guy leave their great team to go drive for another etc. etc. Here are some important facts about this sport like them or not: 1) If you think Johnson, Gordon, Stewart, Earnhardt or Harvick would EVER EVER drive for another manufacturer beside Chevy NO MATTER THE MONEY, you're gravely mistaken. They would NEVER. 2) If you think that if Roush had their S*hit together and Edwards was WINNING with week in week out competitive cars he'd be leaving I also submit you're gravely mistaken. Edwards may be getting more money but at the end of the day Roush has severe problems being competitive now. I was a Roush Racing fan when many people had never heard the name Roush. I stayed with them and Mark Martin year in year out and witnessed COUNTLESS disappointments dealing with Jack and his apparent issues with management. Simply stated if Roush was winning Carl would more than likely be staying 3) The rules and money flow in NASCAR has always been and always WILL be about Chevy. The France family favors them, the rules favor them and if Ford gets an edge, they change things up immediately to keep the Chevy darlings in the winners circle. There are manufacturer loyalties in this sport. Like them or not, they exist. Kyle Busch HATES Chevy and wouldn't be caught dead in a Ford. Think he'd leave to go run something beside Totally agree with you.EdwardsToyota??? I agree with you and will say that without Edwards on the ROUSH Team....they have no potential winners in Stenhouse, Biffle or Trevor. I like the guys, but ROUSH has lost his edge. Penske has the best chance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I've read this whole thread with great interest. I heard the arguments about how the cars are all the same and that why would one guy leave their great team to go drive for another etc. etc. Here are some important facts about this sport like them or not: 1) If you think Johnson, Gordon, Stewart, Earnhardt or Harvick would EVER EVER drive for another manufacturer beside Chevy NO MATTER THE MONEY, you're gravely mistaken. They would NEVER. 2) If you think that if Roush had their S*hit together and Edwards was WINNING with week in week out competitive cars he'd be leaving I also submit you're gravely mistaken. Edwards may be getting more money but at the end of the day Roush has severe problems being competitive now. I was a Roush Racing fan when many people had never heard the name Roush. I stayed with them and Mark Martin year in year out and witnessed COUNTLESS disappointments dealing with Jack and his apparent issues with management. Simply stated if Roush was winning Carl would more than likely be staying 3) The rules and money flow in NASCAR has always been and always WILL be about Chevy. The France family favors them, the rules favor them and if Ford gets an edge, they change things up immediately to keep the Chevy darlings in the winners circle. There are manufacturer loyalties in this sport. Like them or not, they exist. Kyle Busch HATES Chevy and wouldn't be caught dead in a Ford. Think he'd leave to go run something beside Toyota??? Well I also read into what you are saying, that Jack does not develop the relationships with his drivers that Gibbs, Hendrick and Childress do. Let's face it-he is a successful entrepreneur-not like the others aren't, but he is I would say less likely to get close to his guys and be more inclined to be looking always at the business case...."lets see Edwards is X years old, at $$ per year, Stenhouse is Y years old at $ per year etc" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBirdStangSkyliner Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Wasn't long ago that driving a Camry gave a person a reasonable chance of being caught dead. Edited July 31, 2014 by TBirdStangSkyliner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopCat501 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 97svtgoin05gt, on 30 Jul 2014 - 3:58 PM, said: Kyle Busch HATES Chevy and wouldn't be caught dead in a Ford. Think he'd leave to go run something beside Toyota??? I would say yes since he drove for Hendricks for 4 long years from 2003-2007. His antics on & off the track got him uninvited to return to drive Chevys otherwise he'd still be driving Chevys Look at Mark Martin, he drove Fords forever then he drove Chevys then Toyotas. He went with whatever team wanted him if the deal appealed to him. Sports figures, almost without exception, across all sports do what is best for them individually. Just the same as the average Joe non-sports worker does. BTW, someone ask earlier who pays Edwards? Actually both do as Ford signed Edwards to a personal services agreement as a last ditch effort in Edwards prior (2011) contract renewal when he almost jumped ship to JGR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Why is it that when the Fords don't win it's because of the rules. Get over it Fords don't win because. a) the teams don't have enough money. b) the team just sucks. c) poor team management. d) Ford just doesn't have the right equipment. e) the other guys team is just plain better. Edited July 31, 2014 by coupe3w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97svtgoin05gt Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Do you remember when the FR9 made its debut on the track some years ago? I can still remember Stewart's comments after that race. "Not sure how we'll compete against them". Suddenly with complete silence the edge was completely erased and Chevys were back on top. These things are not a figment of my imagination. They are real. Its also a fairly widely known fact that Ford is NOT favored by the France family, Chevrolet is and especially of course ol money bags himself Rick Hendrick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Why is it that when the Fords don't win it's because of the rules. Get over it Fords don't win because. a) the teams don't have enough money. b) the team just sucks. c) poor team management. d) Ford just doesn't have the right equipment. e) the other guys team is just plain better. Clearly, that is a major component: Ford doesn't have anywhere near as many teams or as much money invested in the sport. However, that does not discount the extent to which Nascar has manipulated things to ensure that Chevy's advantage in numbers is not undone by an inferior engine. Edited July 31, 2014 by RichardJensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdegrand Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Do you remember when the FR9 made its debut on the track some years ago? I can still remember Stewart's comments after that race. "Not sure how we'll compete against them". Suddenly with complete silence the edge was completely erased and Chevys were back on top. These things are not a figment of my imagination. They are real. Its also a fairly widely known fact that Ford is NOT favored by the France family, Chevrolet is and especially of course ol money bags himself Rick Hendrick. I also recall how Ford was dominating at the Superspeedways like Talladega and Daytona with Drivers like Davey Allison and Elliott ( Elliott set a new 211 MPH speed that has not been broken) and how France used the Bobby Allison crash to initiate restrictor plates that quickly stopped Ford dominance. Currently, it's obvious the top Chevy/Toyota teams out power the Ford's today at the SuperSpeedways. If Penske didn't recently figure out some handling suspension improvements.....the Ford teams would be in the same positions as last season.....struggling!!! Edited July 31, 2014 by bdegrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Mark Martin has just signed up with Roush as a development driver coach. What Jack really needs is some new engineering blood to get the chassis working as good or better than Penske right now, not a driver coach from a guy that is 55 years old. These new young guys can already drive better than old Mark. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdegrand Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Mark Martin has just signed up with Roush as a development driver coach. What Jack really needs is some new engineering blood to get the chassis working as good or better than Penske right now, not a driver coach from a guy that is 55 years old. These new young guys can already drive better than old Mark. Exactly...if Martin is so good as a coach, the Toyota teams would have kept him, since he has been driving for them this past season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifs66 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Welcome back to the Ford side of NASCAR Mark. I can reapply one of those old #6 Mark Martin decals to my F-150 that I removed some years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZanatWork Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Wasn't long ago that driving a Camry gave a person a reasonable chance of being caught dead. Well, how many championships has JGR won, recently? Ummm...2005, only one year more recent than Roush's last championship. I've seen all the babble about JGR being a championship lure, but they have an amazing capacity for shooting themselves in the foot with engine issues, etc. They may get into the Chase, and may get close...but Roush has been close during those years, too. I don't see JGR as the powerhouse others do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosetang Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 The France family would sure miss the money. Given that they've done everything except leave a severed horse head in the Ford Racing trailer's bed to make Ford feel unwelcome, they're not acting like they want the money too badly. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironhorse Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Mark Martin was never really a Ford guy...yes he drove for Roush,but he never really liked the brand. He was never a great representative for Ford. Way too many times he would draft and partner with Earnhardt,or a Hendrick car and leave his teammates out to dry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Mark Martin was never really a Ford guy...yes he drove for Roush,but he never really liked the brand. He was never a great representative for Ford. Way too many times he would draft and partner with Earnhardt,or a Hendrick car and leave his teammates out to dry. Doesn't he own a Ford dealershjip in Ark.?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Doesn't he own a Ford dealershjip in Ark.?? Yes he does. http://www.markmartinfordmercury.com/Default.aspx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopCat501 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 He owns a Chevrolet dealership too. Mark Martin's biggest allegiance is to Mark Martin (and that's not a knock against him) http://www.markmartinchevrolet.net/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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