With four manufacturers each spending an estimated $100 million-plus annually in NASCAR’s premier series, the financial benefit of their involvement must be significant. Despite the industry’s gloomy economic outlook, automakers still consider NASCAR a showplace for its showrooms, which makes racing expenditures worthwhile.
General Motors will slice some motor sports programs as part of $10 billion in budget cuts, and auto analysts have warned Chrysler might consider bankruptcy protection in the face of declining sales. But industry observers aren’t expecting manufacturers to desert the sport as in the 1970s. Those fans apparently root with their wallets.
Ford claims a 400% return on its marketing investment in NASCAR, says Dan Geist, the company’s North American motor sports marketing manager. Geist says Ford tracks the purchasing history of NASCAR fans for six months after visiting promotional events or its racing website. More than 60% of Ford owners are race fans.
“Racing is a critical piece of influencing consumers,” Geist said. “The only reason we race is to sell cars, trucks and SUVs. … If it makes sense, we continue; if it doesn’t, we stop.”
Chevrolet marketing manager Terry Dolan said NASCAR’s 10-month schedule offers plenty of exposure as does the day-long experience of a race. At Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week, Chevy had an 80,000-square-foot display featuring 40 vehicles, including many hybrids and more-fuel-efficient versions of the larger classes favored by race fans. Toyota entered Cup as a means of pushing its new Tundra. Though sales are slumping, the company recently reorganized and expanded its NASCAR marketing department. David Wilson, senior vice president of Toyota Racing Development, said research shows “people are coming into dealerships that never would have” because of NASCAR.
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It astounds me that people are so mindless that watching a car go in circles would cause them to walk into a certain dealership and buy that type of car. I guess they must because the research backs it up, but jeez! God forbid consumers had an independent thought, did some research, and decided which cars had the features, size, and price that suited them and bought that!
It’s one thing to see Tony Stewart driving the Old Spice car and pick up a stick of that instead of your usual brand, or maybe Kurt Busch’s relentless shilling for Miller Lite causes you to pick up a sixer of that instead of Natty Light. Those are short-term investments, not a car that you buy with the idea that it at least lasts you a couple of years or more.
theres alot too it, its not JUST nascar. Its a family thing.
how many of you grew up in a “chevy” house for a “ford” house. growing up, if cars are an important aspect( and they usually are with racing fans) than you have a favorite brand. I feel (at least in my limited answers) most people I know liked a brand first, than started watching nascar, found a favorite driver who drives that brand , and continues to support that brand via nascar.
so eventhough it seems as if nascar brings in the buyers, I have strong feelings that its actually family, in turn brings you to nascar, who than grow up and buy said brand.
Yep, it has more to do with family!
Win on Sunday sell on Monday has always been the mantra of the manufactures in NASCAR. But racing prestige has always sold cars.
Yeah, I agree with you, Ganjadude… A lot of people are brought up with the “I’d rather push a chevy than drive a Ford” mentality, which is fine. I grew up in Detroit with family members that worked for Dodge and have followed racing for most of my life, but my wife and I just bought our first Dodge this year. My uncle collects old Mopars and I’ve never seen his family in anything but Dodge cars and vans. The only reason we bought our Dodge was because it had the features we wanted at a price that fit our budget. I guess I’m in the minority of race fans on that one.
“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” might have worked once upon a time when the cars on the track somewhat resembled the cars in the showroom, but I’m pretty that sure nobody is selling a box with a wing on the back powered by a carburated V8. Especially with the CoT there is little to no brand differentiation.
but will manufactures remain in the truck series. how can they justify spending dollars in a race series when they are closing truck plants all over north america. look for this series to have some major changes in the future.
jim hunter wrote:
They won’t stay in the truck series, and it won’t matter because it will be a spec LS7 series by 2010, along with the east and west series and possibly the Modified series.
Engine testing is already underway and it’s going pretty good
Nascar is slowly going to HE*L ever since Winston left !!!
i drive my ford tarus to bev. market get my 12 pack of miller lite drive back home and root for kurt to win. if it wasn’t for the ford people at homestead last year i would of stayed in my nissan. that ford tarus is the greatest. so is the miller lite.
Lee88-20 wrote:
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CHEVY= The Heartbeat Of America/Like A Rock, FORD= F’ed over re-produced cadillac, Backwards= Driver Returns On Foot, Found on roadside dead, LOL…….Is there more?
Oh did I mention did anyone notice that is is why Ford is circled?