Red Bull Racing to Chevy?

[ThePenguin]

With Joe Gibbs Racing probably headed to Toyota next year and possibly taking the small Hall of Fame Racing team with them, there are now rumors that some of the Toyota teams now want to leave for one of the more established manufactures in NASCAR. Red Bull Racing is rumored to be leaving for Chevy for next season after just one season with Toyota.

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/nascar/nextel/39267/

[James63]

Not more chevy teams......I seriously think there needs to be something in place where teams are spread evenly over the manufacturers....Chevy's manufacturer titles are a little bit hollow considering they probably have double the amount of cars as anyone else...9 of the cars in the race to the chase are chevy's..2 Fords and 1 dodge. Bit lop sided.

[Dutton]

It is difficult to force equal distribution without it being unfair.

Unless there was a forced annual rotation year-to-year for each team? The make-up of any given year can then be spread evenly through the field, but without being unfair in the medium term.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by James63

Not more chevy teams......I seriously think there needs to be something in place where teams are spread evenly over the manufacturers....Chevy's manufacturer titles are a little bit hollow considering they probably have double the amount of cars as anyone else...9 of the cars in the race to the chase are chevy's..2 Fords and 1 dodge. Bit lop sided.

Up until this year Chevy has put the most money and effort into NASCAR, and they have had the best results. Most of the large teams in NASCAR race Chevy's because Chevy is probably right now the best manufacturer in NASCAR, and the smaller teams realize that they will probably have the most success if they race Chevys.

[Dutton]

I don't think james disputes that. A bit of a truism, really.

Indeed, I think this is what he sees as the problem.

[James63]

I don't think there should be a "best" manufacturer...I didn't think that was the idea of Nascar?? If it is, then why not just have the entire field drive chevy's...? Bit of parity would be nice to see.

[gttouring]

well once for once the Ford motors are on par and the Ford camp (namely Roush more than Yates) are not bad, just over shadowed by the power Hendrick's and RCR, Gibbs, wield in numbers. I feel there is parity, the teams simply aren't prepared the same...
of course dodge has a problem... if a mega squad like Penske and Ganassi can't get the cars to be sledgehammers in a checkers game what gives?
kurt busch dominated at pocono and montoya did very well at Sonoma...are they out numbered or outclassed?

[Dutton]

I wouldn't call Ganassi and Penske "mega squads" in NASCAR. Presumably they have the potential, in time, given their exploits in other series, but, well, they just are not that yet in NASCAR. Some way off of it, really.

Is there any particular reason they are not running Chevies?

[James63]

What about evernham? They were looking really smart a season or two ago with Kasey...what's changed?? where are they? How does a team fall so quickly like that...not to mention no other Dodge team seems to be able to consistently take it to the chevy's.

Sorry, I'm getting WAY off topic.

[Fish_Flake]

Originally Posted by Dutton

I wouldn't call Ganassi and Penske "mega squads" in NASCAR. Presumably they have the potential, in time, given their exploits in other series, but, well, they just are not that yet in NASCAR. Some way off of it, really.

Is there any particular reason they are not running Chevies?

Roger Penske raced Dodges in NASCAR in the 1970s; in addition, his connections with Mercedes-owned Ilmor gave him inroads with the previous Chrysler ownership. Chip Ganassi was basically recruited by Dodge to buy a controlling share of Felix Sabates' team in 2000 and put his winning touch on their stock cars.

[Dutton]

Thank you, .

[R59]

As I understand it, from my own experience.....

You can build two chevy engines for the price of one ford.
You can build two fords for the price of one hemi!

It all comes down to costs.

I was looking at a Busch spec Ford motor recently, it was up for $26000. Pretty sure it had Yates heads, and had some good power.

I bought a Ron Hutter Busch spec Chevy motor for $13000

A Chevy SB2.2 Cup spec motor recently went for $22000

These were used motors, probably too tired for use in the series now, but fine for someone who did ARCA, or some feeder series, or even a dirt series.

So it all comes down to the $$$$$

[Jonerz]

Costs are one thing. How much money you get from the manufacturer is another. Corsa Motorsports (formerly Corsa Motorsports/White Lightning Racing) had a contract with Michelin tires when racing under the WL banner. Since the split with WL, they've lost their tire contract and are currently inactive (presumably) until they get a tire supplier. Theoretically, for a fully privateer man like yourself racing59, those costs mean something. For a team running in Cup, where the manufacturers are going to slip you sponsorship it isn't a matter of cost per se, more likely how much cost will be covered by GM, Ford, Toyota, or Chrysler.

Chris

[broadrun96]

Anybody have any estimates on what, Robby Gordon for example, has to shell out for parts versus say a Gibbs, Yates of Hendrick team? I'm guessing quite a bit, esp since I think he buys engines from Yates so probably needs more sponsor dollars from lesser sponsors to make each venue with the fresh parts like the big teams.

[ThePenguin]

From Jayski

Red Bull staying with Toyota: Elton Sawyer, Team Red Bull’s competition director, responded to questions about a possible switch from Toyotas to Chevrolets next season by saying his operation “is very content with our current manufacture. We have no plans to make any changes. It’s been a good partnership.''

So now maybe they feel that with Gibbs switching to Toyota they can have a much better season next year.

[Jacko44]

Their cars have been good when they've made the races.... just a matter of a little thing called qualifying.