Grand-Am and IMSA to collaborate with DTM in the US?

[Matt Harper]

This could be very awesome and potentially mitigate some of the NASCRAPification of American road racing.

http://sportscarillustrated.com/News_2013/D/news13...

[belleair302]

I just don't see it taking off in the US. NASCAR has the TV coverage and the history, and without a major investment in the road courses still being used where will these USDTM cars race? Is there a feeder series, who is going to 'buy' and 'run' these cars and most of the petrolheads in the US just don't get foreign imports, ie Audi, Mercedes, BMW etc. Finally DTM is today so expensive that it makes NASCAR look a good bargain.

DTM on TV is not great to watch because the racing is very processional and with two classes of cars running is certainly not sportscars or ALMS.

[davepoth]

It's not just for imports, although obviously Audi, Mercedes and BMW would get to race in the US "on the cheap" since the cars are already developed. Nissan would bring the GTR from Super GT, Honda would presumably bring their thing, and presumably at least one of the US makers would come on board too. This formula is becoming properly global, and with American, European and Japanese Championships, a top-tier world championship can't be too far away. It could be a proper competitor for F1 if done right; in fact Bernie had a similar idea twenty years or so ago.

[PabloTheOrange]

davepoth said:

It's not just for imports, although obviously Audi, Mercedes and BMW would get to race in the US "on the cheap" since the cars are already developed. Nissan would bring the GTR from Super GT, Honda would presumably bring their thing, and presumably at least one of the US makers would come on board too. This formula is becoming properly global, and with American, European and Japanese Championships, a top-tier world championship can't be too far away. It could be a proper competitor for F1 if done right; in fact Bernie had a similar idea twenty years or so ago.

I doubt the US manufacturers would show as much of an interest as the Germans and Japanese, simply because for the first couple of years at least they'd get annihilated by the companies who've had a car already. It could be something for Chrysler Group to enter if no-one in NASCAR wants to take on the Charger for the Cup series.

I do hope it succeeds as I think NASCAR need a national touring division for road courses, but I can't see it ever being a major formula being that the fans of racing like in Europe etc are definitely in a minority compared to the number of NASCAR/oval racing fans.