FUMES

February 15, 2012

Editor's Note: Peter will return next week with a new "Fumes" column. - WG

A novel concept for U.S. road racing.

By Peter M. De Lorenzo

(Posted 2/7, 12:00 p.m.) Detroit. In my endless quest to pound some sense into the powers that be in major league road racing in this country, I've offered many different ideas. Everything from a unified road racing Speed Week at Road America to a run-what-you-brung, one-off road race for bragging rights and a ton of money. I will add that my suggestions have gotten little more than a rise out of the various manufacturers who are participating in the American Le Mans Series and in the Grand-Am series, because they are so entrenched in their own myopic views of the racing world that nary a day goes by when they don't pick their heads out of what they're doing long enough to consider something different. It's simply anathema to them.

Why? Because as I've said repeatedly manufacturers don't race for the greater good of the sport. They race for whatever convoluted reasons they've assembled to get to the point where they can pull the trigger on a racing program. A program that has the ubiquitous ROI ("Return On Investment") stamped on it as its singular reason for being right from the get-go. (Although I would surmise that some German manufacturers still actually race because they want to, while worrying about the ROI later.)

I'd like to say that on that list of reasons is actually developing and enhancing future production car technologies, but I know for a fact that - at least for the American manufacturers - that's far down the list. Instead it's usually part of a big impact marketing initiative that just so happens to include some sort of motorsports involvement. A sad commentary, but true.

But that won't dissuade me from pushing and cajoling these manufacturers - some of which have savvy operatives who I will acknowledge actually do know what they're doing - into considering other options and choices. And urging them to step up to the plate while picking their heads up out of their usual tunnel view of the world long enough to think about what would be The Right Thing to Do for the greater good of the sport itself.

And right now, the best thing these manufacturers could do for the sport of road racing is to quit dicking around while playing both ends of the spectrum (ALMS & Grand-Am) and force the two entities to come together. Or else.

What does that mean, exactly? It means the manufacturers need to present a unified front and inform both sanctioning bodies that they will no longer allocate funds for racing programs until the two warring factions become one.

I know, I know. It requires 1. The fundamental desire to do so. 2. The willingness to stand firm in their demands and 3. The cojones to suggest it in the first place.

Will this happen anytime soon? Well, knowing how petty and small-minded some of these manufacturers are when it comes to their racing programs, it's about as likely as the NFL contemporizing the halftime show at the Super Bowl. As in never.

But then again, all it takes is a germ of an idea sometimes to get these people to see the light. And right now the state of road racing here in the U.S. is in desperate need of some serious rays of light.

I point blank asked Scott Atherton at the Detroit Auto Show if he'd ever consider turning Petit Le Mans into an invitational, whereby the top ten DP teams from Grand-Am would then be invited to participate. He responded with a flat "no."

Now on the other hand, if the participating manufacturers got together and demanded that both series do something to accommodate some, shall we say, "openness" at Road Atlanta, or else they would be seriously reevaluating their future participation in either series, how long do you think it would take Scott's answer to become "we would take a hard look at it" or a "yes"? And the same goes for Jim France as well.

My point exactly.

I'm still waiting for some forceful leadership to emerge at the manufacturers in question, people who won't automatically commit to racing programs "because we've always done it that way" and instead look at ways to make things better for everyone concerned, including the sanctioning bodies, the manufacturers, the sport of road racing itself and most important, for the fans.

What a novel concept.

Publisher's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, we're proud to present another noteworthy image from the Ford Racing Archives. - PMD

(Courtesy of the Ford Racing Archives)
Daytona Beach, Florida, 1956. Chuck Daigh in his Ford-sponsored Thunderbird race-prepared by Pete De Paolo, after winning the NASCAR-sanctioned Standing Start Acceleration Run (to 1-mile) with a speed of 88.779 mph. He also set a time of 40.5 sec. in the 0 to 150 mph Run. The car had a modified Ford V8 engine with dual 4-barrel carburetors delivering 260 hp.

Publisher's Note: Like these Ford racing photos? Check out www.fordimages.com. Be forewarned, however, because you won't be able to go there and not order something. - PMD

See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" with hosts John McElroy, from Autoline Detroit, and Peter De Lorenzo, The Autoextremist, and guests this Thursday evening, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv.

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