Much has been made of a visit by Hans Joachim Stuck, Volkswagen’s head of motor sport, to the final Nascar round at Homestead. Possibly nothing more than another frozen German seeking a painful sunburn during the colder months.
Alternatively, Stuck’s visit suggested VW’s interest in Nascar, or Audi/Lamborghini’s interest in the Grand Am series. Grand Am is run by the France family, which controls Nascar. VW also controls Audi and Lambo. Stuck downplayed his visit, but given Toyota’s entry into Nascar, it is not unthinkable that more foreign brands are evaluating Nascar.
Really, we doubt VW would ever enter Nascar. Nascar is a spec silhouette series where race cars bear only a passing resemblance to actual road cars. Nascar doesn’t afford VW the opportunity to showcase its technology and styling, both selling points for the brand. VW’s motorsport marketing usually relates to a road model; Carlos Sainz driving a Touareg on the Dakar Rally, as one example. VW also supplies F3 engines, although, candidly, we don’t see any reason for that project.
A crafty marketing department would use Nascar as a launching pad to make VW as common in North America as the Camry. VW is known for clever advertising. We see bold design as a way to boost brand presence in the US. Sadly, we know this won’t happen.
The Audi/Lambo entry into Grand Am is more realistic. Porsche and Lexus supply engines to the Grand Am, which relies on a spec chassis sold to privateers. File VW’s participation in Grand Am in the category of “definite maybe”. If it happens, the likely candidate is Lamborghini. Audi has competed in LeMans and the ALMS for many years, and that series is a direct rival to the Grand Am series. An Audi switch to Grand Am would shock.
The real elephant in the paddock is Porsche, which is now controlled by VW. Porsche’s investment in VW went the wrong way and Porsche has announced enormous losses on its manipulation of VW stock. Could Porsche be looking at revenue-raising options? Porsche is not racing in any major series, other than to supply GT3s. The beautiful Porsche Spyder LMP2 is no longer a factory effort in the ALMS.
We want what you want. We want Porsche back into open wheel and prototype racing. We know that Porsche gains little from an investment in F1 or top-end endurance racing, and it stands to lose big it if fails. But we also remember TAG Porsche McLarens, 802’s, and 917s. We say that Porsche is racing; like Ferrari; racing is in Porsche’s DNA. You have to constantly back that up with ridiculously fast cars in order to maintain that perception. It isn’t accomplished with sedans and SUVs.
Put “Porche returning to open-wheel racing” at the top of our Christmas list.
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