no more pontiacs in nascar...

[the_jared]

http://www.nascar.com/2003/news/head...eax/index.html

bummer...

[BatsareBugs]

Re: no more pontiacs in nascar...

Hmm, what's up with cars leaving and returning (Dodge)???

[BatsareBugs]

Re: no more pontiacs in nascar...

Hmm, what's up with cars leaving and returning (Dodge)???

[BatsareBugs]

Re: no more pontiacs in nascar...

Hmm, what's up with cars leaving and returning (Dodge)???

[pk500]

Re: no more pontiacs in nascar...

There's a big difference between the departure and return of Dodge and the departure of Pontiac.

General Motors still has a marque in NASCAR with the departure of Pontiac: Chevrolet. Chrysler had no presence in Winston Cup from its withdrawal in the early 70s until the return of Dodge.

GM's policy in the last decade in every form of racing except for Winston Cup in to devote one marque to factory teams in each form of racing: Oldsmobile and then Chevrolet were the only GM marques in the IRL, Cadillac was GM's brand in prototype racing, Corvette was GM's GT racing brand, Pontiac was GM's drag racing brand. Only in Winston Cup did this differ, as GM supported Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Buick through the early 90s, when Buick and Oldsmobile were withdrawn.

GM was the only manufacturer supporting more than one brand in NASCAR, so I think it's just a smart cost-cutting and marketing move to focus on one brand. Despite the recent success of the Grand Prix in the hands of Stewart and B. Labonte and Rusty Wallace's 1989 title in a Grand Prix, GM always has focused most of its marketing and advertising dollars in Winston Cup around Chevrolet, with the Monte Carlo, then the Lumina and now back to the Monte Carlo.

Plus, when you get down to it, what difference does it make? Both the Chevy and Pontiac used the same engine parts and the same body templates, with only slight differences in the rear-side window profiles and noses to make them appear more like their actual street counterparts. But with all NASCAR Winston Cup cars using a common template this season, regardless of brand, car identification only is important for marketing and fan allegiances. It really has no bearing on the actual performance of the car, especially since the term "stock car" is the biggest misnomer in racing.

These cars haven't been "stock" for more than 30 years. They are purpose-built race cars that have virtually no connection to their showroom counterparts at all.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Re: no more pontiacs in nascar...

There's a big difference between the departure and return of Dodge and the departure of Pontiac.

General Motors still has a marque in NASCAR with the departure of Pontiac: Chevrolet. Chrysler had no presence in Winston Cup from its withdrawal in the early 70s until the return of Dodge.

GM's policy in the last decade in every form of racing except for Winston Cup in to devote one marque to factory teams in each form of racing: Oldsmobile and then Chevrolet were the only GM marques in the IRL, Cadillac was GM's brand in prototype racing, Corvette was GM's GT racing brand, Pontiac was GM's drag racing brand. Only in Winston Cup did this differ, as GM supported Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Buick through the early 90s, when Buick and Oldsmobile were withdrawn.

GM was the only manufacturer supporting more than one brand in NASCAR, so I think it's just a smart cost-cutting and marketing move to focus on one brand. Despite the recent success of the Grand Prix in the hands of Stewart and B. Labonte and Rusty Wallace's 1989 title in a Grand Prix, GM always has focused most of its marketing and advertising dollars in Winston Cup around Chevrolet, with the Monte Carlo, then the Lumina and now back to the Monte Carlo.

Plus, when you get down to it, what difference does it make? Both the Chevy and Pontiac used the same engine parts and the same body templates, with only slight differences in the rear-side window profiles and noses to make them appear more like their actual street counterparts. But with all NASCAR Winston Cup cars using a common template this season, regardless of brand, car identification only is important for marketing and fan allegiances. It really has no bearing on the actual performance of the car, especially since the term "stock car" is the biggest misnomer in racing.

These cars haven't been "stock" for more than 30 years. They are purpose-built race cars that have virtually no connection to their showroom counterparts at all.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Re: no more pontiacs in nascar...

There's a big difference between the departure and return of Dodge and the departure of Pontiac.

General Motors still has a marque in NASCAR with the departure of Pontiac: Chevrolet. Chrysler had no presence in Winston Cup from its withdrawal in the early 70s until the return of Dodge.

GM's policy in the last decade in every form of racing except for Winston Cup in to devote one marque to factory teams in each form of racing: Oldsmobile and then Chevrolet were the only GM marques in the IRL, Cadillac was GM's brand in prototype racing, Corvette was GM's GT racing brand, Pontiac was GM's drag racing brand. Only in Winston Cup did this differ, as GM supported Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Buick through the early 90s, when Buick and Oldsmobile were withdrawn.

GM was the only manufacturer supporting more than one brand in NASCAR, so I think it's just a smart cost-cutting and marketing move to focus on one brand. Despite the recent success of the Grand Prix in the hands of Stewart and B. Labonte and Rusty Wallace's 1989 title in a Grand Prix, GM always has focused most of its marketing and advertising dollars in Winston Cup around Chevrolet, with the Monte Carlo, then the Lumina and now back to the Monte Carlo.

Plus, when you get down to it, what difference does it make? Both the Chevy and Pontiac used the same engine parts and the same body templates, with only slight differences in the rear-side window profiles and noses to make them appear more like their actual street counterparts. But with all NASCAR Winston Cup cars using a common template this season, regardless of brand, car identification only is important for marketing and fan allegiances. It really has no bearing on the actual performance of the car, especially since the term "stock car" is the biggest misnomer in racing.

These cars haven't been "stock" for more than 30 years. They are purpose-built race cars that have virtually no connection to their showroom counterparts at all.

Take care,
PK