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Bob
Personally I dont like it. But unfortunitly that is the way it is for now. Dr. Panoz is working very hard with the ACO to change the rules. Without Dr. Panoz and ALMS the ACO might be history.
The Manufactures want to dispaly their high tech goods, but the indpendent teams fill the fields. Which is a Good thing.
Some ppl compalin that IMSA ( ALMS) rules are differnt the ACO. Yes to a small point. Every rule change or ( cough) competition adjustment IMSA made the ACO followed. Scott A. ( ALMS President) spends a lot of his time working with the ACO. Yes the ACO ( French ) wants to do things their own way. ( Heck that is what I do to ) but Race promotors need and must work with manufacutres and big sponsors or race partners to get the funding for the teams and races. Spectators and TV rights cant pay all the bills.
If some race orginzation says ' MANUFACTURE ABC" you WILL give us X amount of mony and provide 10 cars. That manufacutre will say go jump in the lake. Take their money and leave. Only King Burnie can do that with F1.
Does that mean P1 is for Audi?? NO, even though AUDI is screeming up and down that Peugot is coming out with a dissel. Heck my Dissel Chevy pick up has more HP & torque then the R10. But that is part of working with the manufactures.
It is not an easy thing to do. So if a race promotor has to allow some sponsors choices or natioanl choices to fill the fields, so be it. They also provide the MONEY to fund the event.
Racing is NOT socializium. Racing is pure capitalisium at its best. Money pays the bills. PPL like Dr. Panoz ( which he put in severl hundred million dollars of his own money ) and Scott A. do all the hard work to keep the races going.
Manufacures dont have the money. Today Ford anounced severl thouand ppl will be layed off here in the States. Ford will sell AM and Jag. Look at GMs problems. MB is loosing money big time on Chrysler. BMW is too far involde with F1 to pull out. Ferrari is F1. Toyota is hevealy invovled with F1 and now NASCAR. Big Manufactures dont have the money too support racing in too many differnt venues. They must pick and choose based on who they sell cars too and what races potential customers watch.
Indpednet teams fill the field but dont have the big budgets. Limit budgets and the manufactures leave. Fully indpendent teams and racing is minor leage profession and amature.
Too have any type of racing there needs to have comprmise between the big and small manufactures, small indpendent teams, and the ever shrinking advertsing money of race sponsors.
Racing is not cheap, no matter how you look at it.
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