V8SC will not return to Austin in 2014

[R.Lee]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned anything about this, as it is was released on or around the 22 of September. Australian V8 Surpercars will not return to Austin in 2014. :( Too full of a race schedule, at COTA and in the U.S. as well, appears to be the reason. They hope to return to COTA in 2015. This concerns me, because, if there is no room on the schedule next year, why would they think that the same situation would not exist in the years afterward? I hope the U.S. has not lost this series for good. :( Here is the part of the article, taken from the V8SC website, concerning the U.S. race not returning:

"...V8 Supercars will delay a return to Texas until 2015 because of a clash of dates with the recently signed X Games and the composition of the V8 Supercar and COTA calendars.
“The timing of COTA securing the X Games next year led to the mutual agreement of a gap-year before consolidating, planning and returning to Texas in 2015,” Warburton said.
“The first Austin 400 was an enormous success at all levels and a tremendous platform to build into the future; in conjunction with developing an extensive international strategy for 2015 and beyond.
“The prospects are virtually limitless; there is that much potential in the sport.”
COTA President Steve Sexton said he was looking forward to V8 Supercars' return in 2015 after a highly successful North American debut in May.
“Circuit of The Americas is quickly becoming a year-round destination for a variety of large-scale sports and entertainment properties, and with our packed schedule, we were not able to find mutually workable dates to facilitate a return of V8 Supercars to Austin in 2014,” Circuit Chief Executive Officer Steve Sexton said.
"V8 Supercars continues to be one of the most exciting shows in world motorsports. We know our US and international fans really enjoyed the Austin 400 event this year, and we are very excited to have V8 Supercars return to the United States in 2015."
V8 Supercars has had preliminary discussions with several venues in the US with a view to ‘twinning’ the Austin 400 in the future."

[Allyc85]

Very sad that xgames is the reason for it being left out..

[Wasted Talent]

Missed that as been away so thanks for posting.

Pretty disappointing from both sides.

I know V8 Supercars enjoyed their trip to the CotA, and the noises coming out of Austin were very positive, but to hear that they have been pushed aside by X Games is a sad reflection on "motorsport"

WT

[journeyman racer]

As an Australian motorsport fan, I'm glad there'll be no v8sc race at Austin. International expansion is overrated, particularly for c'ship points. Australia, New Zealand, that's it.

[TheFamousEccles]

Don't agree, Journeyman. I think broadening the series' footprint is a good thing, but maybe not all the way to North America. I would look at races in the asia/pacific region like Malaysia, Japan (V8SC @ suzuka? yes please!) and the like, particularly at the expense of crap circuits like the Homebush square and the Ipswich paperclip. Particularly with Merc, Nissan and Volvo coming on board. But navel-gazing is the Australian way, and I see no reason for this to change - but I hope I'm wrong. :burp:

[journeyman racer]

Don't agree, Journeyman. I think broadening the series' footprint is a good thing,

Is it? Why? It's a waste of time from my pov.


I would look at races in the asia/pacific region like Malaysia, Japan (V8SC @ suzuka? yes please!) and the like,

Are you Paul Keating? What is so important about the Asia/pacific region? The cultures are too far apart for v8sc to be successful. How would an Asian TC series go over here? In theory, v8sc would be good. But they're so much slower than F1 cars it'll be like watching Swifts race at Bathurst or PI.


particularly at the expense of crap circuits like the Homebush square and the Ipswich paperclip. Particularly with Merc, Nissan and Volvo coming on board. But navel-gazing is the Australian way, and I see no reason for this to change - but I hope I'm wrong. :burp:

I'm not sure what you mean here?

[Rollo]

Don't agree, Journeyman. I think broadening the series' footprint is a good thing, but maybe not all the way to North America. I would look at races in the asia/pacific region like Malaysia, Japan (V8SC @ suzuka? yes please!) and the like, particularly at the expense of crap circuits like the Homebush square and the Ipswich paperclip. Particularly with Merc, Nissan and Volvo coming on board. But navel-gazing is the Australian way, and I see no reason for this to change - but I hope I'm wrong. :burp:

Merc*, Nissan and Volvo had to come on board.

As of this morning, the Holden Racing Team can not confirm that it actually has a 2014 budget and Ford's contract with Ford Performance Racing to run its factory team expires at the end of the 2013 season.

Also:
http://www.v8supercars.com.au/news/erebus-aims-for-the-front-in-2014
The slimmed down two-car Erebus Motorsport operation is determined to bounce out of the blocks fully competitive at the opening 2014 V8 Supercars Championship event, the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
In the wake of the swap to Walkinshaw Racing and Nick Percat of the James Rosenberg Racing Entitlements Contract, Erebus last Friday confirmed it would run two cars rather than the current three in 2014.
- V8Supercars website, 2nd Dec 2013

*Actually Merc never did come on board. Erebus has a complicated relationship with AMG rather than with the manufacturer.

[TheFamousEccles]

Okay - by "merc" I meant Erebus. I was just being lazy.

And my point about looking OS (asia/pacific) is that we are part of the region - like it or not as it seems many V8SC fans don't - and they have a vast potential audience. Just the sort of thing that Nissan, Volvo and (by association) Merc want for their products in this region. The US is too far away and they are well and truly in the thrall of nascar. A serious Touring Car series is a curiosity there and not at all viable IMO.

[Rollo]

At this point with the DTMmer and the JGTC merging rules, it seems like it might make sense for the Supercars to join them... 'cause there aint even going to be Falcons or Commodores by 2017.

[TheFamousEccles]

At this point with the DTMmer and the JGTC merging rules, it seems like it might make sense for the Supercars to join them... 'cause there aint even going to be Falcons or Commodores by 2017.

I'm with you there, it would be awesome for a global touring car championship that merges the best of the regs from each series, with regional series running under the uniform regs, and with a domestic "2nd tier" series as a feeder - It could have a World Series type finals system where the top 10 (for argument's sake) of each regional series come together to fight it out over (again, for argument's sake) 5 races to take the world championship tin-top honours.

Okay, putting down the bong... :p

[Rollo]

http://www.news.com.au/finance/business ... 6781980761 (http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/holden-cars-and-dealerships-could-be-rebadged-as-chevrolet/story-fnkgdhrc-1226781980761)
HOLDEN cars and dealerships could be rebadged as Chevrolet once General Motors shuts its Australian manufacturing operations in 2017. Holden has secretly been fighting to protect the Australian icon from extinction for the past decade, say company insiders.
But the switch to selling only imported cars - all of which are already sold as Chevrolets overseas - means the iconic Holden badge faces its biggest threat to date.
- The Herald-Sun, 13 Dec 2013

Actually it now appears that there might not even be the Holden brand any more. GM possibly could be considering dropping the lion altogether in favour of the golden bow-tie.