National Speed Sport News is reporting a group of nine multi-car teams participating in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) announced today they have formed a collaborative business association called the Race Team Alliance (RTA). The purpose of the organization is to create an open forum for the teams to explore areas of common interest and to work collaboratively on initiatives to help preserve, promote, and grow the sport of stock car racing. The organization intends to open up its membership to all full time NSCS teams in the very near future.
In providing a vehicle for the teams to work together, the organization creates for the first time a single entity to engage with stakeholders on creative ways to market and experience the power of the sport’s teams and drivers. As part of its focus, the RTA also plans to explore innovative ways to harness the combined purchasing power and scale of the teams’ operations to drive efficiencies in costs.
Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, has been elected the first chair of the RTA.
“With the encouragement of NASCAR and the manufacturers, the teams have met in various forms and forums over the years to explore areas of common interest. This simply formalizes what was an informal group.” said Kauffman. “The key word is ‘Collaboration’. We all have vested interests in the success and popularity of stock car racing. By working together and speaking with a single voice, it should be a simpler and smoother process to work with current and potential groups involved with the sport. Whether it be looking for industry-wide travel partners or collaborating on technical issues – the idea is to work together to increase revenue, spend more efficiently, and deliver more value to our partners.”
The following teams are the executive members of the RTA: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Hendrick Motor Sports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Richard Petty Motor Sports, Roush Fenway Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske.
Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Vice President and Chief Communications Officer issued the following statement regarding the RTA.
“We are aware of the alliance concept the team owners have announced, but have very few specifics on its structure or purpose. It is apparently still in development and we’re still learning about the details so it would be inappropriate to comment right now. NASCAR’s mission, as it has always been, is to create a fair playing field where anyone can come and compete. Our job is to support and strengthen all of the teams, large and small, across all of our series and we’ll continue to do that. NASCAR is a unique community with hundreds of stakeholders. They all have a voice and always will.”
What is it that Mike Neff doesn’t do? The writer, radio contributor and racetrack announcer coordinates the site’s local short track coverage, hitting up Saturday Night Specials across the country while tracking the sport’s future racing stars. The writer for our signature Cup post-race column, Thinkin’ Out Loud (Mondays) also sits down with Cup crew chiefs to talk shop every Friday with Tech Talk. Mike announces several shows each year for the Good Guys Rod and Custom Association. He also pops up everywhere from PRN Pit Reporters and the Press Box with Alan Smothers to SIRIUS XM Radio. He has announced at tracks all over the Southeast, starting at Millbridge Speedway. He's also announced at East Lincoln Speedway, Concord Speedway, Tri-County Speedway, Caraway Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The Nascar statement certainly didn’t appear to be all “hail fellow well met”. Nor does the timing of the announcement, right after BZF’s state of the sport speech.
In short while it may be an exaggeration to call it a coup, it certainly is a shot across the bows of Nascar. And if the manufacturers are behind it, there may be some major changes coming.
I hope it is an attempt to break the France dictatorship and not just a way to bury the small teams forever. At this point I am very optimistic. It could be the best thing EVER to happen to NASCAR.
Tonight, I was listening to Buddy Baker and Rick Benjamin on Sirius NASCAR. Buddy said that, when NASCAR was formed, Bill France Senior took control and ran the sport like a dictatorship, as did his son. Buddy also noted that both were quote “Strong Leaders” end-of-quote. Although history seems to have forgotten that NASCAR was founded by a committee, and not just France Senior. Too, history seems to have forgotten that those people helped France, including Ray Parks, who had to bail Bill Senior out financially few times. To here it now, France an the show all be himself! B.S.! But, back to Baker’s comment about strong leadership. NASCAR does not have a strong leader. What NASCAR has is a total idiot at the head. It’s all about money to Brian, and lets see how much we can screw the fans. Well, guess what? The fans have left! So the money from that end is rapidly drying up. Too, I read last week that shareholders in I.S.C. have expressed concern about all those empty seats. What is it with companies today that ignore the customers for the sake of making sure the shareholders get their lucrative dividend? Shades of Bell Canada and Rogers Communications!
No, NASCAR is in serious trouble, and this lies solely on Brian France’s shoulders. And proof of just how much trouble NASCAR is in under this moron’s control can be read in the transcript of his latest “State Of The Union” address! This guy answered questions in ways that made his answers totally moronic! As for this group, I know it sounds like what happened when the owners formed C.A.R.T. and took over open wheel racing. Right now, anything is better than what France is doing. Maybe if these team owners can get Bruton on their side, it might wake the current emperor up! Especially since one of the teams in this alliance is Brian’s best buddy Rick Hendrick. Then again, I doubt it. France has too big of an ego and too small of a brain to realize that he is destroying what his father and grandfather built.