Flash.. Volkswagen coming to Nascar in 2012

[Mr. Mister]

I don't think they can use the IMS oval and road course configuration that close together as a lot of work needs to be done to go back and forth. Homestead, Daytona, and Charlotte can all be used with little changes, though, so they could be done on the same weekends.

However, the DTM USA series doesn't really have much to do with VW in NASCAR, who seem to be against the idea, calling it "entertainment" and "short term" just a few days ago:

"We are now at a major deciding point in motor sport history to precisely define where motor sport is going," Baretzky emphasized. "If we go strictly in an entertainment direction like NASCAR and IndyCar are going it is a short term solution and it will not last very long."

I'd love to see it, but I don't think it fits in with VWAG's ideas for the future of racing.

[wbcobrar]

This may be a question better posed on the touring car side of things, but is this thing open to American manufactures like Lincoln or Cadillac, or do they expect to run BMW's, Vdubs, Audi's, etc only? Sounds like Speed Challenge or Trans-Am or GT from ALMS or Grand-Am. I like the Idea of one spec racing with all the world manufactures willing to show up and race is the holy grail of motorsports, but it always devolves due to politics.

[I am evil Homer]

If they build a car to the new tech regs then I'd assume it would be open to them, yes. DTM cars are pretty high tech, although they're getting rid of a lot of the exotic materials under the new rules.

[Mr. Mister]

If Opel return to DTM in 2012, as rumored, it would be easy to campaign the car as a Buick (the Opel Insignia is sold as the Buick Regal in the U.S.).

Obviously, the BMW, Audi, and Mercedes will also be available.

[edv]

According to Motorsport news (this site) VW will have a strategy meeting in November. They may decide to go to F1 when the new engine regs are announced, but the report suggests that Hans-Joachim Stuck thinks a foray into NASCAR is more likely.

[handfore]

The real experts are here, on this thread. Earlier, I landed somewhere unimaginable, glad I found a decent community who really knows about motorsports. I hope to learn from you guys.

[handfore]

DTM and Japanese Super GT on same regs, standalone US series...sounds very interesting.

Yeah, it sounds interesting. I'm not sure about Japanese Super GT but DTM is slowly gearing up for the future.

[handfore]

From jayski:
Volkswagen to NASCAR racing experience? Penske? denied: The latest entry into America's most popular motorsports series could very well be the first ever from Germany. According to Matthias Muller, the newly appointed CEO of Porsche, Volkswagen Group -- his employer's parent company -- is considering entering NASCAR. Should it follow through, Volkswagen would be just the second foreign automaker to participate in NASCAR. Toyota was first, entering the competition in 2007. The German automaker will reportedly begin discussions with NASCAR officials once the current season ends in late November. One of the owners that Volkswagen is considering team up with is Roger Penske.
BUT Penske Racing will not be switching from Dodges to Volkswagens in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next year, nor will the German automaker be fielding cars in America's premier stock-car series in 2011. Beyond that, though, VW could make a play to race stock cars. The operant word there being "could," as the automaker has not petitioned NASCAR to go racing next year. Sources at Penske Racing told SPEED.com that it is the team's "full intent" to continue fielding Dodges next year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series. Furthermore, sources at NASCAR said that while Volkswagen officials intermittently have expressed a casual "interest in NASCAR," the German automaker has not taken any of the steps necessary to be granted approval to race in NASCAR. In order to be approved to compete, VW or any other automaker would have to formally submit its race car and engine package to NASCAR. That has not happened, NASCAR officials told SPEED.com Thursday. And even if VW wanted to race in NASCAR, the earliest a car could be approved would be for the 2012 season.(10-1-2010)

Unlikely to happen, they probably look at 4 or 5 race series and there's only a 50/50 chance they will enter even one of them. Nascar is probably not a good fit for either Porsche, Audi or VW racing cultures.

with this and the petty issues seems like the economy is not taking prisoners

[Mark in Oshawa]

I would love to see a DTM like series in America, but when the old touring car concept was tried over here by the SCCA Pro Racing people, they bombed. Maybe 14 car fields. Great racing, but not quite what the NASCAR crowd is used to seeing. I see them as supporting the CUP events at Sonoma and the Glen, the NW guys at Road America and Montreal, and maybe running on the road course at Daytona during Speedweeks and maybe the road course at one of Bruton's tracks if there is a way to make room on a Cup weekend.

They could support Grand AM anywhere that Grand AM does stand alone events, or run as part of the Grand AM field as a class.

Personally, I think this whole idea is wishful thinking if the American economy doesn't pick it up...

[rv65]

VW is clearly not interested in other sports right now, but they are developing a car for the World Rally Championship, that could be ready for a partial season in 2012, with 2013 being a full season. VW is clearly interested in Rallying and not NASCAR.