SPEED: Think of the V8 series as...

[RotorFan]

I was reading this article on SPEED. Curious to read the following:

I’ve never watched a V8 Supercars race before—why should I watch Bathurst on Saturday?

If you’re a fan of road racing, read no further. You already have it set to record on your DVR. If you’re a fan of NASCAR, think of the V8 series as old school in the sense that the cars are built from actual production vehicles, but every ounce of modern technology can be found inside and out. If you liked NASCAR before it went to tubeframe cars, you’ll love the V8s. If you like the current Sprint Cup cars for their added technology, the V8s are a perfect blend of the Cup cars that raced at riverside in the 1970s and these days at Watkins Glen.

[porsche91722]

Marshall Pruett is a well respected Speed journalist, however he is talking to Nascar fans. That is, at least to the ones who still have their own teeth and can read.

[DAVID PATERSON]

I quite enjoyed that article. I think he did a good job of describing the series to American fans in a way they could relate to, that will get them interested in the race and not make them feel cheated afterwards.

[johnh875]

Do you think it is accurate to describe them as "built from actual production vehicles" though? Perhaps "built with one or two parts from actual production vehicles". They would want to be careful pushing that angle or they will turn off people when they find out about the non-production driveline, floorpan, etc.

[inpitlane]

Interesting to see that the promos for the race in the US are pushing up the danger aspect describing the race as "the most dangerous race in the world"
I hope Justin TV or someone has the Speed TV feed so I can listen to the commentary and play the "It's just like NASCAR but" drinking game.

[rik]

Originally Posted by johnh875

Do you think it is accurate to describe them as "built from actual production vehicles" though?

Compared to NASCAR, yes.... I mean they have stickers for head lights etc... NASCARs don't look anything like the road cars they are supposed to represent.

Whereas I reckon despite the mechanicals of a V8s Supercar being race spec. At least they look pretty real deal. Even compared to all the sports car/GT racing cars.

[Purist]

I'd have to say that most GT cars, unless we're talking SuperGT here, look pretty darn "real deal", as far as resembling the road car.

As for V8s, they also run in the rain, which Sprint Cup couldn't even manage at Watkins Glen this year.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Purist

I'd have to say that most GT cars, unless we're talking SuperGT here, look pretty darn "real deal", as far as resembling the road car.

As for V8s, they also run in the rain, which Sprint Cup couldn't even manage at Watkins Glen this year.

I agree with you Purist. I think the V8s are as "production based" as much as any GT series around the world.

A stock car has zero, zilch, nada stock parts. Not a single one that I am aware of.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I agree with you Purist. I think the V8s are as "production based" as much as any GT series around the world.

A stock car has zero, zilch, nada stock parts. Not a single one that I am aware of.

When the V8 rules started in 1993, the cars were based on a road car shell and then built up from there, but that evolved over time. When the VE came out in 2007, I think it had cut the last ties to a road car unibody by then.

At least V8 Supercars uses the same or similar looking body panels to the road car.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

I quite enjoyed that article. I think he did a good job of describing the series to American fans in a way they could relate to, that will get them interested in the race and not make them feel cheated afterwards.

Yeah I think he did a pretty good job.

As an American all this attention about the race is a bit weird, as I have followed the sport since Bathurst 1993, back in the 90's via Autosport and Motor Racing Australia magazine and also whatever the early internet could provide. I was even a member of Dick Johnson's fan club. It wasn't until around 2007 when I actually met another American that was familiar with the sport.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I agree with you Purist. I think the V8s are as "production based" as much as any GT series around the world.

Most GT cars (except for Super GT which are more like prototypes resembling production cars at a stretch) are much more production based then V8 Supercars. With the exception of probably GT1 most other GTs are based on the production car using the same engine as the roadcar. AFAIK GT4 uses the production chassis albeit modified, GT3 and GT2 are basically the same with more modifications but GT1 is has a bit more open to interpretation, whens the last time you saw a V8 powered Nissan GT-R at your local dealer?

V8 Supercars are basically the same prototypes as Super GT where the only link to roadcars are the roof panel and the badges. Production chassis my ass...

I dont know what Nascar fans from America are lead to believe but I've never thought of Nascar as production based at all even when I knew not much about it. At least they're not pretending to be something they're not. Its a good product, who cares if I cant buy a V8 powered Camry?

[D.R.T.]

Some further information behind the V8SA paid for Speed coverage of Bathurst and Gold Coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...917-1kf17.html

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Some further information behind the V8SA paid for Speed coverage of Bathurst and Gold Coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...917-1kf17.html

That was a nasty little article with nothing positive to report. I don't really get the writers point. Why trash getting races live on US cable TV? Stupid. What a buffoon.

I think there are something like 105 million US households and speed is in 4/5ths of them. I don't really care to look up all the numbers to be honest.

No need to slag it off, it hasn't even aired yet and Speed is a making an effort to bring it live on a Saturday night and everyone likes Saturday night racing.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Some further information behind the V8SA paid for Speed coverage of Bathurst and Gold Coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...917-1kf17.html

McKay showing himself to be a total fool (yet again). Note to Peter McKay - IF your claim of only 1% of speed households watching is right, then that equates to over 8 HUNDRED thousand households, not the eighty thousand you suggest.

McKay can't even get simple, basic mathematics right.

[Gaz170]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

That was a nasty little article with nothing positive to report. I don't really get the writers point. Why trash getting races live on US cable TV? Stupid. What a buffoon.

I think there are something like 105 million US households and speed is in 4/5ths of them. I don't really care to look up all the numbers to be honest.

No need to slag it off, it hasn't even aired yet and Speed is a making an effort to bring it live on a Saturday night and everyone likes Saturday night racing.

Peter McKay has slagged off the V8's since the formula started. Nothing different in this article.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Some further information behind the V8SA paid for Speed coverage of Bathurst and Gold Coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...917-1kf17.html

Firstly, it appears he has not been to Math class. Secondly, I wouldnt be so sure about SPEEDTV V8 supercar races having low numbers in the U.S. Tape Delayed by a week Continental Tire Challenge (grassroots Touring cars) at Barber got a significantly better tv rating than the F1 race on the same weekend on SPEED and the Indycar race on Versus. SPEED always seems to put V8 Supercars in some of the best timeslots, usually before and after NASCAR sessions.

Have not seen SPEED promote a racing event that isnt NASCAR like this for some time now. Basically they are advertising this during everything on almost every fox network. Im betting this will be a television success, at least the first half of the race. The race will be only a half hour after the Nationwide Series race finishes at Kansas and will have no competition in it’s Saturday night timeslot, and with the Kentucky Idiot there, quite a few NASCAR fans will probably check it out even if they dont give a damn about Bathurst or V8 Supercars.

Whatever happens, Im betting this has a bigger television audience on SPEEDTV than the Japanese Grand Prix shortly after it.

[mountainstar]

Yes sounds like they have actually made decent effort to promote it and I just hear a lot of chatter out there that people are going to check it out.

A friend of mine is going to have it on the big screen at his restaurant, so I'll be there to watch it tonight.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Some further information behind the V8SA paid for Speed coverage of Bathurst and Gold Coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...917-1kf17.html

Also, unless you are one of the motorsports big boys, just about every racing series in the U.S. is a time buy. Grand Am uses NASCAR money to get on SPEED and the ALMS, the top level of Sports Car Racing in the U.S. with manufacturers such as Corvette, BMW and Porsche time buys horrible tape delayed highlights spots on ESPN2 and ABC, sometimes at pathetic times with butchered coverage and little to no promotion. No mention on ESPN Sports center of ALMS either. The Sebring 12 Hours, the biggest endurance race in North America, wasnt even shown in California and the rest of the West Coast because of a tennis match.

Meanwhile, for the *V8SA paid* coverage of Bathurst on SPEED, they are sending an entire commentary team, one of their top journalists, giving it a live timeslot right after a major NASCAR race with no Saturday Night motorsports competition, second to nascar in network promotion this week, live spots and coverage on the SPEED Report, Craig Lowndes promoting the race on Wind Tunnel, (Top motorsports show in U.S.), extensive website coverage and segments promoting it during their other motorsports telecasts.

It may be a time buy, but if it is, for North America it is a damn good time buy.

[mountainstar]

A lot of people trash "time buys" and they assume it is some negative, when actually time buys are how most cable TV is done and if done right can make the time buyer a nice profit.

For simplicity sake, a network merely rents time slots out for a price and it's up to the time buyer to sell advertising to make a profit. If they don't sell enough advertising they don't make money.

[Driver TBA]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Some further information behind the V8SA paid for Speed coverage of Bathurst and Gold Coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...917-1kf17.html

How dare V8SA spend money and put effort into promoting an event into another market!

Maybe they should do what some others do... Sit on their hands and pray that people turn up or tune in.

No doubt Peter is also against the AFL spending millions on GWS and the Gold Coast?

[Paradise City]

My NASCAR V8 guide:

NASCAR Nationwide on Road Courses = V8 @ Bathurst.

NASCAR Cup on ovals < V8

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

A lot of people trash "time buys" and they assume it is some negative, when actually time buys are how most cable TV is done and if done right can make the time buyer a nice profit.

I dont think anyone is bagging a time buy for the sake of it being a time buy. All my post did was identify that it is a time buy, something that V8SA has tried to pass off as a genuine broadcast rights deal within the USA.

Nothing wrong with a time buy, just the same as there is nothing wrong with identifying it as a time buy coverage.

As we are all aware, V8SA has purchased coverage from Speed in order to try and 'sell' north american interest and coverage to the Qld Government to try and keep the event on Gold Coast in existence.

Look forward to seeing the legitimate viewership figures coming out of the US following the event.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

I dont think anyone is bagging a time buy for the sake of it being a time buy. All my post did was identify that it is a time buy, something that V8SA has tried to pass off as a genuine broadcast rights deal within the USA.

Nothing wrong with a time buy, just the same as there is nothing wrong with identifying it as a time buy coverage.

As we are all aware, V8SA has purchased coverage from Speed in order to try and 'sell' north american interest and coverage to the Qld Government to try and keep the event on Gold Coast in existence.

Look forward to seeing the legitimate viewership figures coming out of the US following the event.

Well personally although it probably is a time buy, I have not seen any proof on paper that is the case. And at the end of the day, to me personally it doesn't really matter, my main issue was people assuming a "time buy" is a bad thing and it is often anything but.

Speed has been putting a lot of effort into promoting it, so I think they are looking to make it work.

I've enjoyed the coverage so far. I think they did a pretty good job pre race showing a bit of historical footage and describing it in a common sense way. To me it was all Australian motorsport 101, but to a lot of new people turning in, good to show them a bit of the past history.

I've noticed a few little foibles on naming a few things or a few misspoken things, but overall they are doing good and seem to have at least done some research and also if anything Leigh Diffey knows everyone and knows what is going on. Calvin Fish is also doing a good job in the pits.

I was watching it in a restaurant with locals and everyone was watching and people were taking an interest.

I'm kinda sensing that some Australians are almost wishing this will fail, I don't really know why and it's good to start building interest for April 2013 in Texas. I mean at the end of the day what is it really to anyone down under the fact the race gets broadcast in the USA?

[Amaroo Park]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

That was a nasty little article with nothing positive to report. I don't really get the writers point. Why trash getting races live on US cable TV? Stupid. What a buffoon.

I think there are something like 105 million US households and speed is in 4/5ths of them. I don't really care to look up all the numbers to be honest.

No need to slag it off, it hasn't even aired yet and Speed is a making an effort to bring it live on a Saturday night and everyone likes Saturday night racing.

Guicci McKay has never got over the fact that all his great mates at the ARDC (Of which he and wifey were media managers at bathurst) lost there little dung heap

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Amaroo Park

Guicci McKay has never got over the fact that all his great mates at the ARDC (Of which he and wifey were media managers at bathurst) lost there little dung heap

Ah, I figured there was some sour grapes rolling around there.

Are they still associated with the ARDC? I've heard that name around somewhere.