CARTS new Sponsor

[indycool]

Might've been, Hazza...there have been enough "pookies" to go around.

[billiaml]

Originally posted by Liz
Isn't there a nice tofu company with several billion dollars and international name recognition that we can sign up?

:confused: I don't believe I've seen "tofu" and either "several billion dollars" or "international name recognition" in the same sentence before -- let alone both. While I appreciate the idea of promoting a healthy lifestyle, I'm not sure it would be as profitable.

[Liz]

Me either, but I bet Jay does!

[dirtfan]

Pook also said he'd fine any driver who was disrespectful to a fan, he's not always saying something dumb!

There are a heck of a lot more Bud drinkers than Brie and Bordeaux connoisseurs!

O'Reilly Auto Parts sponsers the World of Outlaws, assuming Sprint Car fans fix their own cars. (Penske Mercedes has a "Service Concierge" - ECCCH)

TG and/or CART missed the boat in not going to a F5000 type car with a genuine "Murcan" pushrod V8 in back, Earl Baltes ran the MOPAR MILLION at Eldora, which got a lot more Press coverage in middle America than the Ford whatever or Chevy several hundred (except the NASCAR ones).

[KC]

I disagree with either series missing the boat on OHV engines. Either system of valvetrain application is fine by me. The current chassis used in the IRL or CART is not going to work with a 410 cu in sprint car motor or even the 360 cu in version. Believe me, if the WoO allowed engine builders to employ OHC valve designs they would have gone to that long ago. OHC designs are proven to produce more rpms with more endurance than the older OHV designs.

Gaerte, MOPAR, Ed Pink, Fontana, Moritz, Esslinger, Wesmar, and a host other builders don't use production blocks. Those things are the height of evolution of the all aluminum and composite pushrod V8. I love the sound of the new MOPAR USAC Silver Crown motor. But its too big to drop in the back of a G-Force or Lola.

Pook was an idiot for making the Budweiser remark. I'm not a big fan of Bud beer, but I don't care who is looking to sponsor the races, all are welcome.

Dirtfan, can you make it to Tulsa for the Chili Bowl?

[dirtfan]

Love to go to the Chili Bowl, but I'm stuck with going to Perris for my dirt fix, so I'll send Kruser as my emissary.

Dirt in your Krombacher? Somehow doesn't sound right.

Didn't Ed Pink build some of TG's "Vision" engines before The Captain talked TG into going down CART's primrose path toward obliivion with over-priced engine leases?

Read somewhere that the NASCAR Goody's Dash series used to use $600 Pinto engines until the Big Three came in and bumped that to $20,000. Sometimes Bigger is not Better when trying to get a full field. Didn't Max Mosley say the fans don't really care how many engineers are in the back room staring at computer screens and tuning the engines during the race?

How're you going to back off the rockers and pump the displacement on an OHC engine?

[jjspierx]

Budweiser is a Formula 1 sponsor now(Williams) so I should think they are good enough for CART too. While I think Pooks Winston/Budweiser statement was a bit harsh and inappropriate, the meaning behind what he said is very true. Not that CART fans specifically don't smoke Winston or drink Bud, but that CART fans in general are of a higher class than Nascar or IRL fans. I don't mean to offend anyone but its quite true, if you look at the demographics of CART's fans, there is a higher average yearly income, level of education, etc...

[Liz]

Speed TV refers to us as "Nigels".

[KC]

The old Chevy II and Ford Pinto motor used to be the basis of the Goody's Dash. They were basically carburetted midget engines to some degree. You still some old Ed Pink Chevy II 4 cylinders at the Chili Bowl, but not usually in the A Main. I wouldn't bet against Kruser and that super smooth Bondio he races. What a beautiful chassis.

I'd bet that WELD and Brodix have OHC head designs on their computers right now so they could steal a march on everyone if the rules ever did change. I guarantee Roush has probably already built some and dynoed them to death for the same.

Back to topic. I agree that CART fans appear to be of a higher economic scale than NASCAR race fans, but I think the demographic is far closer than many would ever admit. I just got our sponsorship information together for our drag boat team and the average income of drag boat race fans has gone up by 50% in just the last 4 years alone. Most of the people that go to races are the ones that can afford it. More than 1/2 are entrepreneurs instead of mere employees. Its cheap to go to a drag boat race with practice being free and Saturday quals usually $7.50 a head. Not everyone can afford $100 a piece for a family to attend a CART/IRL or NASCAR event and this is reflected by the relative affluence of fans. There are thousands of expensive SUVs, trucks and sedans in every race track parking lot at any major racing event. Poor old, uneducated redneck fan cannot afford a ticket anymore.

[indycool]

Well, then, jjspierx, produce the damn demographic numbers. Show me that I'm not worthy of enjoying a CART race. Tell me I'm too low class that I'm not wanted, that I'm not worthy of the vision of The Great God Pook. I am sick and tired of hearing the Pook comments I offered that some of us just aren't good enough to be CART fans, that CART fans are a bunch of elitist, 45-degree-nose-in-the-air, wine-and-cheese snobs who have no use for fans like me and that we don't simply get the fact that we are blowaway expendable because we just aren't good enough to be allowed to enjoy these rich car owners with their expensive toys.

When that quote came out a year or so ago, it was discussed on this forum and one fan posted here, "I own a $44,000 pickup truck and I drink Bud." He felt like he belonged and was offended.

I smoke Marlboros and drink Bud Light and if The Great God Pook is stupid enough to diss me -- and Winstons and Bud and people who drive pickup trucks -- what the h3ll does anybody expect this series to ever become?

Pook may be rich and famous and the sheep at c'wagon may kneel before him, but this is the same stuff that comes out of the north end of a southbound horse.

CART can't afford to turn off or insult anyone right now.

For a CEO of a racing series to diss ANY demographic constituent for ANY reason is just blowhard stupidity.

[dirtfan]

Pardon me while I puke up my dirt-laden Bud...
That elitest attitude goes clear back to The World Famous Soccer Promoter Andrew Craig and signified the start of the CART decline. It's the same as if the NFL powers were to decide American football was too low-brow and decided to shift to soccer.

18 time WoO champion Steve Kinser just said "...there's nothing as exciting and fun as fighting a sprint car around a 1/4 mile bullring..." When was the last time M. Schumacher used the word "FUN" (vergnugen?) when describing a race?

[JohnSSC]

Never been to a F1 race but I have seen my share of CART, SSCA club racing, Trans Am, the late lamented Camel GT, IMSA RS, vintage, short track ovals both paved and dirt and God bless 'em, sprint cars.

I guess I just don't care what Pook says as I don't define myself by the demo info. As someone said above, racing is racing and good racing can happen anywhere.

This is pretty amusing though reading the Pook-bashing as very recently he was a savior, a wonderful man, the guy who was going to resurrect CART. Now y'all are pretty focused on trashing him. Shame that as he believed in the series when few others did.

[Jay]

Originally posted by billiaml
:confused: I don't believe I've seen "tofu" and either "several billion dollars" or "international name recognition" in the same sentence before -- let alone both. While I appreciate the idea of promoting a healthy lifestyle, I'm not sure it would be as profitable.

Originally posted by Liz
Me either, but I bet Jay does!

We're in the wrong part of the world...remember, CART is rumoured to be going to Korea next year .

Seriously though, I honestly can't think of a company that could provide more or better promotion than McDonalds. heck, I'll have a Big Mac every week if they come on board! which won't require much more effort...lol.

Sorry macdaddy, I've honestly never met anyone high on Budweiser, but no doubt there are. I don't understand people that drink Canadian either...

[dirtfan]

I see 'em high on Bud every time I go to NHRA -- or isn't that the kind of "high" you mean.
We'll be kind and blame the nitro fumes!

[billiaml]

Here's a thought: could Pook's Winston & Bud comments have been a case of sour grapes? (i. e. They aren't sponsoring us, so we'll just say that our fans aren't buying their products.)

One thing to keep in mind @ demographis is that, while they can present a fairly accurate picture of the group as a whole, there are very few, if any, individuals within that group that fit the description exactly.

Also, I would be interested in seeing them broken down even further; based on what other forms of motorsport CART fans follow. For one thing, it could provide an indication as to the %-age of CART fans don't drink Bud or smoke Winstons.

[indycool]

billiam, I can't find it any more on the 'Net but Pook was responding to a question around Portland time in '02 about CART's demographics. His flippant remark about the high-brow nature of what he perceived to be the CART fan base just dissed those who used those products and PO'd 'em. It was a classic "pookie."

[billiaml]

On the other hand, if every comment that we ever made was scrutinized as closely as his comments are, how many people would we PO? Plenty, I'd say

Of course, being in the position he is, I agree that he showed poor form in the wording of his comment. While CART fans, in general, may drink other beers more than they drink Bud, some of those products are brewed by the same company that brews Bud -- and you don't want them PO'd @ U.

[gttouring]

the real funny thing is irrespective of income every racer needs or has a pickup- and will drink Bud if its available...I prefer lagers or ales over pilsners but...
and education level ansd income?!
I have quite an education now- and now money to back me up
my education has counted for spit to get a good job, but i am in "CART/F1/ALMS-" demographic, but I love NASCAR (especially the trucks) and this is not a freak occurance, NASCAR has made inroads and has presented a good Human RaceDriver story to go with every race car and event, good highspeed easy to see action-turn 1234, easy- turn left so many variables-wieght jacking, bias, tyre stagger, wedge, air pressures, thrust angle, gear ratios, aero, fender flare, NASCAR talks about this and every teams desicion and makes it available tech talk for everyone, the dempgraphic is not shifing there, but allwing more in to become part of the Oval Party- and it great, we all ironically get along better over a beer and a race than we wold discussing Moral issues and Voting preferences. GOOd on ya NASCAR.
now CART and IRL leaves the fan shrouded in mystery over chassis set up (add wing take out wing is all) and the crew chief desicions,... not as good or the same depth as NASCAR-pook is an idiot for not realizing tht NASCAR is roping in the educated wealthy masses, we all sit on sunday and the tech intricacies of NASCAR is quite interesting now, so Good they got the major Tech telecom Nextel as a sponsor- now NASCAR will be evrywhere-every other commercial, and magazine advert.
CART can do worse.
CART should reach out to everyone the 'educated' the 'well-off' the construction guy, the Mechanic/Technicain
the HighSchooler (they want the import scen so bad) the College kid, even they should reach out to the dirt tracker and pickup owner.
Pook is a dope...I hope McDonald's and Newman have come to a deal because any problem you have with macca's well it is yummy, and we all eat there- it would be nice to see Champcar racing in every store, and faces on every tray mat and stories of every driver and team, and track maps so every one can learn about Champcars, and maybe a few NASCAR fans will join the party and let the IRL beg to unify.

[billiaml]

As the folks @ Budweiser say, "True." Walk into any grocery store in my area & there's no question as to who's sponsoring whom in NASCAR. Establishing the drivers as household names off of the track helps bring people to the track

[jjspierx]

Originally posted by indycool
Well, then, jjspierx, produce the damn demographic numbers. Show me that I'm not worthy of enjoying a CART race. Tell me I'm too low class that I'm not wanted, that I'm not worthy of the vision of The Great God Pook. I am sick and tired of hearing the Pook comments I offered that some of us just aren't good enough to be CART fans, that CART fans are a bunch of elitist, 45-degree-nose-in-the-air, wine-and-cheese snobs who have no use for fans like me and that we don't simply get the fact that we are blowaway expendable because we just aren't good enough to be allowed to enjoy these rich car owners with their expensive toys.

When that quote came out a year or so ago, it was discussed on this forum and one fan posted here, "I own a $44,000 pickup truck and I drink Bud." He felt like he belonged and was offended.

I smoke Marlboros and drink Bud Light and if The Great God Pook is stupid enough to diss me -- and Winstons and Bud and people who drive pickup trucks -- what the h3ll does anybody expect this series to ever become?

Pook may be rich and famous and the sheep at c'wagon may kneel before him, but this is the same stuff that comes out of the north end of a southbound horse.

CART can't afford to turn off or insult anyone right now.

For a CEO of a racing series to diss ANY demographic constituent for ANY reason is just blowhard stupidity.

Easy there killer, I was stating FACTS, I was not putting you down, so quit being ridiculous and taking what I say personal. Did you not read the part of my post where I stated that Pook's comments were harsh and inappropriate? Or did you not see the part where I said CART fans don't neccesarily not drink Bud or Smoke Winston. I was simply stating that demographics show that the average CART fan is of a higher household income and higher education level than a NASCAR fan. This is fact, I didn't say that people who drink Bud, smoke winston, are poor and uneducated DON'T watch cart. Oh and you wanted demographic numgers, well here ya go.

http://www.hire-speed.com/cartdemographics.htm
http://www.hire-speed.com/web/nascardemos.htm

19% percent of Nascar fans are college graduates, and 21% have some college education
30% of CART fans are college gradudates and 33% have some college education

16% of Nascar fans make less than 20,000 a year, while 2% of CART fans make less than 20,000 a year.
30% of Nascar fans make between 30-50k a year, vs 45% of CART fans make the same amount.

So there ya go, you can take what I said as a personal attack towards you, or you could just read the facts and realize that I was just stating them.

[Omega99]

If MacDonald's put CART toys in Happy Meals, I'd buy 'em. I mean, who wouldn't, right???

[Fish_Flake]

Yeah, but toddlers would pull off the wheels from the suspension and choke on them.

[macdaddy]

Toddlers actually get different toys. Many of the regular HappyMeal toys are unsuitable for tots.

[Tailwind]

So we could have Champ Car models for the standard toy and maybe how about replicas of the driver helmets for the toddler toy.

[Tailwind]

Well, except for maybe the Paul Tracy design he had mid-season...