Manufacturers - can touring cars survive without them?

[MrMetro]

Very interesting article: http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6071

What do you think? Can touring car racing survive without manufacturer support?

[Rollo]

I think that this article is somewhat blinkered.

Rather than look at the number of manufacturers, how about the number of entries that came from independents? Better yet, have a look prior to 1989 and see how much manufacturer involvement there is.
The point is that so long at the rules exist, people will want to go motor racing; in Britain the top touring category is the BTCC.

The budgetary squeeze doesn't come from a lack or dearth of manufacturers but rather the shadow of the elephant in the sponsorship room which is football. When sponsors look to see where they'll get maximum exposure, is their advert quid better spent on a BTCC car or perhaps as the kit sponsor for someone like Fulham FC?

I've thought for a long time that part of the regulations for a new manufactrer entering the BTCC should include a minimum number of race cars built. Not because I necessarily want to see more cars on the grid that way, but because of the legacy of older cars passing down to independents.
I don't think that that should be incumbent on independents either. If a small team can only build one car, then they should still be allowed to play. History shows that those cars pass down to other independents anyway. Just where did Lea Wood's Integra come from anyway?