Dodge Leaving Nascar!

Press Conference from Dodge today. Sources say they are pulling out after this year.

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8242554/dodge-nasca...

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Smith on August 8, 2012 at 1:08pm

I guess that is an option maybe. With the new bodies coming next year NASCAR might not let the 2012 cars race though.

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Permalink Reply by WJM on August 8, 2012 at 4:04pm

I think Chrysler was looking more for a reason to get out than stay in. Of course they weren't going to get a front-running team to switch. Most of those team owners are also entrenched with the manufacturer on multiple levels away from NASCAR. The last up and coming owner throwing money into their team hand over fist was Bobby Ginn, and we know what happened to him.

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Permalink Reply by Joan Forsythe on August 8, 2012 at 4:29pm

Robby should have stayed with Ford. That whole Everham fiasco would have been avoided, now Dodge pulling out leaves him with no manufacturer - I know he probably doesn't have the money to fund a bunch of Fords. What a shame.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on August 8, 2012 at 4:49pm

Id suspect this move put the final nail in the NASCAR coffin for RG, unless major funding is found. Seems like it would be difficult to build new cars and engines on a shoe string budget for only a few races... I guess he can always buy a car from another team, but it doesnt sound like they like that idea.

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Permalink Reply by speedy7 on August 8, 2012 at 5:09pm

Seems like RG likes to build his own stuff, and again who knows whats next.......

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Permalink Reply by Rob Ayers on August 8, 2012 at 5:35pm

I may be wrong, but I think Nascar was trying to get the chasis and most of the bodies to be about the same. The nose is and rear bumper cover are about the only differences in the bodies. That would be the easy part. The hard stuff is the engines, but that is not unsurmountable. Give RG a challenge and tell him he can't and he will prove you wrong. I don't think he has burned bridges with mfg. companies, so while he may not get the support of a Hendrick or Roush, he would still get some kind of help. You have to believe that a mfg would also be eyeing the SST Series, so "don't count out anything" is the way to think!

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Smith on August 8, 2012 at 5:48pm

It's true that he does like to build his own cars. But, as time has gone on his NASCAR program has fallen farther and farther behind. Now next season he needs new body panels and a different engine program. I just don't think there will be any Dodges in NASCAR next year including his. OK, I know he races a Hummer still, but I think NASCAR will mandate that all teams run the 2013 body panels. I don't think Dodge will be selling those parts. I could be wrong though.

So he needs a new wind tunnel tested body and a new engine program. And at risk of getting flamed here he needs a new chassis probably also. All the major teams have small satellite teams and that is an option for Robby. Forget about NASCAR this year and maybe even next year while he builds his SPEED business. Then take a wheelbarrow full of $100 bills and go knock on the door at Richard Childress Racing. If not a satellite team then a fourth team car for Richard at select races sponsored by SPEED. To someone on the sidelines like me this looks like a working plan for Robby. But. the key is that SPEED keeps growing and growing.

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Permalink Reply by TOG on August 8, 2012 at 5:50pm

A new body isn't a new chassis.Not really a big deal, IMO. If Rg wants to hang a 2013 body of either ford,chevy or toyota on his current cars, he can send them to a shop that hangs bodies for a living. Any other changes on the table ( weight shifting, etc ) will be minor to his program. This of course is all a moot point if he doesn't have funding to run races in 2013. We all should know by now that Stadium Super Trucks is the prize RG is eyeing for 2013, not nascar.