AJ96Z28

I know we are loving the new car and how it looks. No doubt it will be a big seller but do you think Chevy needs to promote it some form of professional racing? The Mustang is heavily backed by Ford in NHRA (funny car) and Grand Am Koni Challenge. Look at what GM does with the Corvette in ALMS, Cadillac in Speed GT and Pontiac in Grand Am and NHRA Pro Stock. Where would you like to see Chevy race the new Camaro ? I personally would like to see it in some form of road racing. Heck, with the Challenger comming back maybe the Big 3 can resurrect the Trans Am series.

Chevycobb

I would LOVE to see it in some sports car racing like speed world challenge. I think its something that should happen and needs to happen. It made history in the 60's around the track, and it can do it again.

99SilverSS

I would also love to see the return of Trans Am with the Camaro, Challenger and Mustang battling it out on the great American road courses.

I'm sure the Camaro will be in NHRA as Pro Stockers and in Funny Car and in some SCCA series.

Chewbacca

GM pulled their factory Cadillac team effort from the Speed World Challenge this year.

I'd love to see a Camaro team to replace that effort. That series is a modern day Trans Am.

I also wouldn't mind seeing them in the ALMS. Maybe in GT2 as a partner to the factory Corvette GT1 effort? Who wouldn't want to see a Camaro storming around LeMans every June?

99SilverSS

Or Sebring in March! Although in GT2 the Camaro would be up against some very entrenched Porsche and Ferrari teams and that may be a bit harder to compete than in say GT1 where once the Viper left the Vette had was really the only team in the fight.

0toinsanein5.4sec

well thats becaust theyre waiting for the new ctsv to enter
Agreed 100%. I love the speed world challenge and its one of my dreams to race in it (just need to start racing at all). Camaro would be a good fit. I agree itd go well in GT2 in ALMS. thatd be sick...



should i bring up IROC?

hyperv6

Trans Am is pretty much a dead issue.

Speed Challange with it's tv coverage and growing populatity would be nice. ALMS is growing too and a great MFG series like IMSA used to be back in the 80's.

NHRA is a natural.

And Like NASCAR or not the once what was Bush and now Nationwide series would be great if they could come up with a formula to make the cars competitive.

The best thing for Chevy to do is take a Mule over to Pratt and Miller right now if they have not already and boys build us a new Champion.

The Vette is moving up the the LMP class in a year or two. How about they replace the present Vette in GT2 if they can get some compitition or GT1 where they run about anything.

hyperv6

IROC is dead and sold off last week. It is no longer!

Chewbacca

The Corvette team currently runs in GT1. Always has.

Corvette to the LMP ranks? I've not heard that but it doesn't seem to make much sense. You sure about that one?

What logic is there in running a prototype with a Corvette decal? It didn't make sense when they tried the same thing with IMSA in the '80s.



However, I could see a "GM" or "Chevrolet" or even "Cadillac" prototype as was done a few years back.

hyperv6

There has been no compitition in GT as they have been racing themselves for nearly 2 years. This year BEll Racing is going to do as private Aston Martin But they are way under funded.

Chevy almost pulled out but desided to run this year on Ethenol to promote there. Unless more cars come in GM will not race against thenselves as it is a waste.

They looked at GT1 and Pratt and Miller are building private entrys for a team or two.

LMP 1 and LMP2 are where Porsche, Audi and Acura are already with word a few other MFG may enter. Chevy has looked at the big picture and has considered the move.

They also were looking at doing a limited mid engine street car but those plans never went too far as before.

The Vette you have is the Hendricks car that was fast but broke a lot. The IMSA GTP class it ran was very competitive and popular. ALMS is moving back toward that as more big MFG are getting involved.

The key to any series is to be competitive and a lot of Veiwers. You have to get a bang for the buck and ALMS is getting road racing back to where it was in the 80's

This time GM has Pratt and Miller as a race car builder. they know how to win and win regularly.

As of today the plan is to move the Vette up. Now with the economy it could change as they have moved it back a time or two.

Chewbacca

Wow. Haven't heard that.

I just can't see the rationale behind moving the Corvette team from GT1 to an LMP class, lack of competition in GT1 or not.

They've built quite a following with those cars and it seems as though moving to an unrecognizable-as-a-Corvette-prototype would squander it all.


And yes, I remember that IMSA prototype breaking quite a bit. My point was that even as a teenager watching those races, I could never figure out what a midengined prototype had to do with a Corvette.

hyperv6

You have to look at this from a marketing persepctive.

GT2 is not top billing and when you race your team mate it makes it even less impressive to prospective buyers.

LMP 1 or 2 can win over all. Penskies LM2 beat the Audi LMP 1 car.

Also all the cars in LMP 1 or 2 are being used to show case technology. All the major players are starting to get involved as they did int he past.

Even the old GTP IMSA cars has little to do with the road cars but they had technology that was used in future cars that we have today.

Audi has been impressive with the Diesel cars and I want to tell you it wild how quiet they are. Mazda has taken the Rotory and really promoted it in the GTP cars and present ALMS cars.

The key is most of the engines are production based and show what they can do. With increasing viewership it will only get better.

I expect they will help the GT 1 Vettes to keep the cars that look like the production car on track.

Now if you can get one or two other MFG in GT2 they would also keep the Vette there. Just what is the point and what does it prove for the 63 car to beat the 64 car. That is just a lot of money to prove nothing. The truth is they dominated so long few want to enter that class.

Chewbacca

Hmmm... I think you're either getting the teams or the classes confused.

The Corvette team currently runs GT1 not GT2. They've been in GT1 for at least the last several years.

http://www.corvetteracing.com/


Anyway... I agree with your point and certainly see the benefit for a manufacturer to run in the LMP classes. I just don't see the marketing benefit for a specific model / brand when that model looks nothing like what is being raced. *shrug*

hyperv6

Sorry I did get them backwards. I typed and did not reread.

Prototype cars are not to promote models but brands. With Chevy they like to promote the Vette as it is associated with the Chevy brand. They like to think there is a little Vette in all Chevys.

The Technology showcased will then be seen as part of the Vette and Chevy lines.

Lets face it Corvette is better know in many places world wide than Chevy as Chevy just recently has become a true world brand.

There have been times it has been mentioned Corvette could even become it's own brand. This has been pass over and will not happen anythime soon if at all.

Most companies try to promote some street car with their racers. Ford even called theirs a Probe.

It is pure marketing with the name and I would say far better than just calling it the Chevy race car. Or God forbid a Silverado or Cobalt LMP.

What ever it takes to get your models noticed and appreciated.

5thGen

they should sponsor me to race it in some SCCA class.

or maybe they should sponsor me to run GT2 next to the Vettes in LMP.