Subaru is out!

[Scalefinishes]

BBC reported this morning that Fuji Heavy Industries is pulling Subaru from WRC competition.

What will WRC be without Subaru?

Jameston

[4DCustoms]

Ok, this is getting scary, first Honda out of F1, now Subaru, what's next Matha Stewart out of cooking. That's crazy talk Marge.

[VW Dave]

What will WRC be without Subaru?

Like popcorn without butter and salt.

[Zoom Zoom]

In the past week Audi exited ALMS (aside from running at Sebring), Porsche dropped out of LMP2, Honda dropped out of F1 and AMA road racing, Suzuki and Subaru exited WRC.

More shoes are going to drop as the world economy slumps. Toyota is next on my radar to drop out of F1. Wouldn't surprise me a bit to see Chrysler and GM exit NASCAR. They get less out of NASCAR than Subaru got out of WRC...

[Brendan]

I'm not surprised that they pulled out. They're not being televised in the U. S. which is their biggest market for cars. Plus with the drop in sales they've had from the new design of the new car (ugly car!). I am a Subaru fan. I own an WRX 2004 model which was their better looking car in my opinion. Also they're being regulated too much on what they can or cannot do to the car. It's starting to become like F1 with all the rules being put in place, they're all going to start looking like the same car. Here's the link to the article about the pullout.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72492

[Hondo]

Pretty much goes to show that racing is a business now and

no longer a sport.

In a related issue too.........

Toyota has delayed opening the new car plant they are building near Tupelo, Mississippi

for a couple years due to the economy.

The hits just keep on coming.

Hondo

[CAL]

In the past week Audi exited ALMS (aside from running at Sebring), Porsche dropped out of LMP2, Honda dropped out of F1 and AMA road racing, Suzuki and Subaru exited WRC.

More shoes are going to drop as the world economy slumps. Toyota is next on my radar to drop out of F1. Wouldn't surprise me a bit to see Chrysler and GM exit NASCAR. They get less out of NASCAR than Subaru got out of WRC...

We know why Porsche dropped out. It was money. They said if they couldn't win overall they were not interested. They are supposed to be building and campaining a DP.

[CAL]

what does that mean for the future of the WRX? could it's days be limited as well?

Dave

Probably, not much reason for to continue production of it.

Could spell the end of WRC with only four manufactures left in the 09 season.

Edited December 16, 2008 by CAL

[Zoom Zoom]

what does that mean for the future of the WRX? could it's days be limited as well?

Dave

It didn't seem to affect Audi quattro sales after Audi used WRC to promote the quattro and then ditched the series.

[Harry P.]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit to see Chrysler and GM exit NASCAR.

How in the world could anyone tell if they did???

[purplehornies]

What's next..Arena Football, maybe some independent minor league Baseball and Hockey franchises. How far can this go ?

[Peter Lombardo]

This is an excerpt from my “Revell dropping NASCAR post from Dec 8th…

“Ok, it is not just the professional ball teams. Honda announced that they are dropping out of F1. Sure, F1 teams come and go as everyone wants a piece of that pie, but even Bernie said that if they don’t begin to lower the costs (they can’t and won’t) the sport is in major trouble. No kidding…all of the sports that rely on corporate sponsorship are going to get hurt. Look, Buick had to cut Tiger Woods loose for lack of capital. Cadillac will no longer sponsor the Masters Tournament, and if you are a golf fan, that is the Holy Grail. Golf in general is going to be hurt…they can not keep supporting the huge purses each week for the players if the corporations can’t pony up the cash and many can’t in this economic climate.

Toyota said they are still in but, they will keep a careful eye on cost and if it continues to escalate, there will be cut backs. Ford, GM and Chrysler, with the government breathing down their necks, will have to watch every penny they spend on advertising…you know the cuts are coming. The major sponsors are all cutting back. Nascar will be hurt tremendously because there are so many teams and so many races. The cost to field a Nascar team is crazy…F1 is ten times as crazy. So in an effort to help the France family Great Great Great Grand Children’s trust funds, they slap a licensing fee on the plastic kit manufacturers because they use the “likeness†of their race cars. Give me a break!!!â€

Get used to this situation happening time and time again…..there is not money in the smashed advertising budgets for the frivolity of racing. Factory sponsored race teams will, I believe, be hurt the most. Advertising money not spent will go directly to the bottomline, if not gobbled up for officer compensation, but either way, the atmosphere in the business world will be to horde as much cash as possible as lines of credit continue to dry up.

[James Flowers]

How in the world could anyone tell if they did???

You got that right . Ford Needs to also. I would not allow my name on a car I did not make any part of.

[Nick F40]

Harry, yeah you wouldn't even if all of them dropped, it'll be like Spec Miata, just not as good as Spec Miata.

In the past week Audi exited ALMS (aside from running at Sebring), Porsche dropped out of LMP2, Honda dropped out of F1 and AMA road racing, Suzuki and Subaru exited WRC.

More shoes are going to drop as the world economy slumps. Toyota is next on my radar to drop out of F1. Wouldn't surprise me a bit to see Chrysler and GM exit NASCAR. They get less out of NASCAR than Subaru got out of WRC...

When you say it, it really looks bad doesn't it, everybody is leaving; Audi (big maistake), Porsche (understandable), Honda, (kind of saw it coming and with exclusion of BAR and such and not really competition) but AMA? they did great! or is it Kawasaki and Suzuki were dominating? Are they going to focus on SBK? MotoGP?

what I wonder is will they come back?

What in the world is Toyota worried about? Cheating again?

If you notice though, Audi wants to focus on thei R15, DTM Touring Car and the R8 LMS for cutomer use in GT3 for ELMS, the real competition, so it's a smack in the face really, and Speed needs to get their butt in gear with coverage in that case.

I'm not surprised that they pulled out. They're not being televised in the U. S. which is their biggest market for cars. Plus with the drop in sales they've had from the new design of the new car (ugly car!). I am a Subaru fan. I own an WRX 2004 model which was their better looking car in my opinion. Also they're being regulated too much on what they can or cannot do to the car. It's starting to become like F1 with all the rules being put in place, they're all going to start looking like the same car. Here's the link to the article about the pullout.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72492

Yeah I agree, I don't think it will hurt though, becuase the enthusiasts already "know" about the car and it's racing pedigree, you know what I mean?

I agree with what VW Dave said, it isn't going to be the same because that was the main car, in the latest WRC but it's surprising that Subaru would do that, that was their hope, thanks Speed. Although somehow this doesn't surprise me because practically everybody dropped out and went road racing or F1 after they were cught cheating so their wasn't much left so all that'ss be left is Citroen and Europe Ford? I can't believe Suzuki dropped out also, I mean, they were kind of in the background for the most part but it still gave competition, I guess they'll focus on SBK and MotoGP.

As with Porsche, they wanted to focus on racing that was more at a competitive level for them and Grand Am is it, can not wait for that season to start.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Nick F40

[Nick F40]

Sorry for the double post, thought this is interesting

Australian motorsports

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=107079

This ones the best when it comes to this topic and who else better to discuss it

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm...ing/5758/page1/

Skoda is a neat plus put Audi quitting LeMans in all? The Spec engine I saw coming.

The thing that really striked me when I read that first post is, will the grassroots events have more turnout and interest?

Edited December 16, 2008 by Nick F40

[Brendan]

Nick...to let you know, Porsche is not dropping out of P2. There are just no more factory cars. There are still several teams over in Europe who will still be running the car. And as for DP's, Porsche is only building the motors, not running a team. Under the rules for that category, there are only so many chassis builders and they would have to buy into a chassis company to be able to run as a Porsche chassis. There's just no way Porsche is going to pay money to do that unless they buy Coyote.

[Nick F40]

I know, I know that Porsche wasn't going to be a factory deal in Grand Am but it's going to give them what they wanted, wins

And yeah my point, they're running in the European circuit! I'm in the US!

The second post in the Grassroots article is also a good point.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Nick F40

[Modelmartin]

Maybe with all the factories and big money leaving motorsports it will just leave racers to race each other with real cars. Big buck motorsports have left regular people out in the cold for years now. It's probably wishful thinking.

Andy

[Nick F40]

Maybe with all the factories and big money leaving motorsports it will just leave racers to race each other with real cars. Big buck motorsports have left regular people out in the cold for years now. It's probably wishful thinking.

Andy

I like that ideology, like you said, maybe wishful thinking.

[Brendan]

Maybe with all the factories and big money leaving motorsports it will just leave racers to race each other with real cars. Big buck motorsports have left regular people out in the cold for years now. It's probably wishful thinking.

Andy

We can hope that will happen. But the factories do use racing as a test bed for new products. It does trickle down to us with street cars at some point. A lot of times it's cheaper for the factories to run a racing team rather than have their own testing facility. I do like races when the cars are actual cars you can go and buy. We can dream, can't we?

[CAL]

Nick...to let you know, Porsche is not dropping out of P2. There are just no more factory cars. There are still several teams over in Europe who will still be running the car. And as for DP's, Porsche is only building the motors, not running a team. Under the rules for that category, there are only so many chassis builders and they would have to buy into a chassis company to be able to run as a Porsche chassis. There's just no way Porsche is going to pay money to do that unless they buy Coyote.

Which Porsche could do if they wanted to. They have money, well maybe not anymore since buying controlling intrest in VW, so techniclly they already have a LMP1 car, but it is rumored of a Porsche LMP1 Coupe in the works.

Yeah, as far as I know they are still building the RS Spyder. There are several privateers, the problem with that is typically if the factory isn't runing a team the developement stops.

[CAL]

We can hope that will happen. But the factories do use racing as a test bed for new products. It does trickle down to us with street cars at some point. A lot of times it's cheaper for the factories to run a racing team rather than have their own testing facility. I do like races when the cars are actual cars you can go and buy. We can dream, can't we?

Yup, that is largely what it all been about. Of course some series are nothing more than show and entertianment that has no practical application to the street.

[Harry P.]

Bring back 1950s-60s style NASCAR! The way it used to be!

[Brendan]

Bring back 1950s-60s style NASCAR! The way it used to be!

They need to run the car with air bags though. That way they can't play bumper tag.

[Joe Handley]

They need to run the car with air bags though. That way they can't play bumper tag.

The bumpers are plastic anyway, loosing what ever aero bou might get could be a pretty good reason not to, especially with a front driver