Apparently it’s bc of relationship w PM, who has been using the Dragonspeed LMP2 cars for the last 2 years

They’re caught between wanting the auto Le Mans invite for GTD, but also the pro lineups for factory teams.

If Pam stopped supporting the Corvettes and Mustangs went full customer I think you’d get your wish

Meanwhile GTD is going to be even more of a battle

Risi had already announced a return under their own name, MEC only

Triarsi is also fielding a GTD Pro, MEC only

It’s a shame there now is no full-time Ferrari entry. Only 8 full-time next year

2 Vettes, 2 Mustangs, Rexy + Manthey 911, 1 Paul Miller BMW, one Vasser Sullivan Lexus

Yea, this is a significant barrier in this conversation

This also immediately came to mind but was waiting to see if anyone brought it up first

But how many tracks conjure a local tribal affiliation that in any way compares to sports teams among the local or regional population?

In this way baseball may be the closest, bc the stadiums are the most distinct.

I think you do see this in motor racing in local Saturday night series. But I don’t see how that scales to stick and ball levels of participation

I also think growth factors extend far beyond ticket sales for a team

How many people in the ATL metro area own Falcons, Braves, Atlanta FC apparel? How packed are bars for Falcons games?

Ofc the thumb is fat on the scale here, but my gut says avg ppl root for those competing & not the arena

This seems an apples and oranges comparison, and the more appropriate comparison to the track example would be local pride in a stadium

This would’ve been fun. Wish we were in a climate where some could take this on + building home tracks for each team

Pretty fun looking cars too

I’m having a hard time connecting the dots on this one

This but for cities, and you’re starting to cook

Pie in the sky investment dreams of cultivating a talent-pipeline-building karting tracks in said cities? Now we’re cooking with gas

Cities then having a local racetrack to host a race, and every city hosts a single race in the season? Tasty meal

Second– in an era broadly speaking of media-driven consumerism and participation

it’s logistically impossible for the experience of a race to be conveyed via tv as it is with football, even leaving aside all the investment in peripherals (sportscenter, commercials, local media, etc)

I’ll offer two additional key differences-

American football and more broadly stick and ball sports offer a level of regional tribalism that motorsports by its very nature cannot match, short of having a league where drivers compete by city / locality. Which is a fun thing to ponder

You mean the 2nd seat for the ford RB hypercar at Le Mans? 😁

Watch out if he asked for a light nibble on your brains

Was my immediate response too