Let me get my bias out of the way, right up front—I’m not a NASCAR fan. Though I’ve tried at various times to convince myself that I like NASCAR—in the same way that I occasionally try to convince myself that I like Brussell Sprouts—I just can’t do it. So this self-realization makes it all the more strange that I really, really like touring car racing…a lot.
To my myopic eyes, touring car racing is the most exciting professional motorsport taking part on any track today (I do enjoy rallying as well). Whether it is the British touring car series, the Aussie V8 Supercars, or the granddaddy of them all the German DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) series, you pack a full grid of high-tech, high-speed, full-bodied cars on a road racing circuit and action packed racing excitement is going to ensue.
Thus it was with great interest that I learned the other day, that plans are moving ahead for a German DTM-style racing series to be launched in the U.S. In brief, Grand-Am has stated that they will sanction a DTM America series in 2013, if the manufacturers will commit to a full field of at least 18 cars. Since the current DTM field is made up solely by Audi, BMW and Mercedes, this would mean each manufacturer would have to supply at least six cars. However, the Japanese Super GT Series appears poised to adopt a new rules package that would enable its manufacturers Honda, Nissan and Toyota to become DTM eligible, and therefore DTM America eligible as well. Considering the market share that each vies for here in the States, this would dramatically increase the likelihood of the series getting off the ground, because each could field a much smaller team. Of course, the big imponderable question is, “Will American fans care?”
One need look no further back than 1996, when CART backed a failed two-year program to run touring cars as a support race division for their open-wheeled series, to find a possible answer. The NATCC (North American Touring Car Championship) did run at major events like the Long Beach Grand Prix, but the fields were relatively small and aside from one or two teams, were made up of mostly either out-of-date cars from the British series, or repurposed SCCA cars. While the racing was sometimes good, the fact that the majority of the field was not competitive ultimately hurt the racing. Whether it was this, or just a lack of sponsorship support, the series sadly died a quick death before it could attain critical mass.
Of course the other potential contributing factor to be considered in NATCC’s premature demise has to be NASCAR. Any type of touring car series that is going to compete in the United States is going to have to duke it out with NASCAR, not just for sponsorship, but for the hearts and minds of the fans as well. And that’s a huge obstacle to have to overcome. Perhaps one of the reasons that the DTM, Aussie Supercar and Japanese Super GT series are so successful in their home countries is the fact that they don’t have another “stock car” competitor to contend with…essentially they are NASCAR in those countries.
However, the one thing that does play into DTM America’s favor is the fact that NASCAR’s stock cars bear almost no similarity to their road-going counterparts. A Toyota Camry stock car may sort of look like a Camry—if you squint your eyes hard enough—but aside from the silhouette and the headlight stickers that’s about it. They are tubeframe racecars, built by specialty racecar builders, not the manufacturer. On the other hand, DTM machines are extremely high-tech showpieces of the engineering and technology of each of their respective manufacturers. So, not only do these cars look like the badass relatives of their road-going brethren, but they are also really built by the company whose badge adorns the hood. They are true rolling showpieces for the brand. With the United States being the single largest market for each of these high-end manufacturers, and with really no other racing series in the world where so much of the car is produced by the manufacturer, DTM America could become a fantastic manufacturer battleground, reminiscent of the good old Trans-Am days of the early ’70s. How amazing would it be to have real fender-to-fender road racing again?
Obviously, I’ll be rooting for DTM America to pull it off. But in the meantime, at least I can look forward to the fact that the Australian Supercars are slated to be the support race for next year’s USGP at Austin, Texas…err…OK, maybe I will have to wait until 2013 after all!
