Maserati...will we ever know?

[almzkid]

Suddenly a new rumour appears. Now Wayne Taylor is involved with the purposed ALMS Maserati program.

With Sebring a mere 5 weeks away, shouldn't this issue get solved and quickly? Is there ever going to be an official announcement. I think the ALMS needs to make a stand and make it quick this is getting ridiculous. Either there in or there out, make up your mind.

Do you think we will ever see an official announcement? I sure hope so.

[vs346]

wayne taylor, what?

at the Rolex 24 he told everyone in the press room how happy he was to be with the SunTrust Riley!

where did this rumour come from?

[Fosca]

msa (swiss motorsport newspaper) indicated two alms teams for season 2005:
-Risi
-Wayne Taylor Suntrust

[Gabrio]

From what I know, they are spot on.....

[Fogelhund]

I would be suprised to see the Suntrust sponsorship on the Maserati, but good to see Wayne Taylor back, and great to see Risi back, just when it appeared that he had packed it in.

Be patient kid, it was only worked out late last week that these Maserati's would even be allowed to run.

[Foster]

If Wayne Taylor takes his same group of drivers from the Daytona 24 to the Maserati, I would have to say that it is one deepest teams out there. It would be interesting to see if the factory would send a mechanic or two over to help the team out. Because you know they would have enough talent to win GT1 honors.

[vs346]

i still feel like i'm missing something here with Wayne Taylor and his SunTrust group.

From what I know, they are perfectly happy running the DPs, and in fact Wayne was saying during a press conference that the cars are affordable and fun to drive. The Suntrust team is on top of the world right now, specially having just won the Rolex 24. Why would they go and spend millions on Mazza?

It's just not adding up.

Risi, on the other hand makes perfect sense.

[Danske]

People have been known to run or sponsor two programs in two different series. Within the past week SunTrust also announced that they have extended their Grand-Am involvement through 2006 as both the sponsor of the #10 Riley and as the "official bank" of Grand-Am ( http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=176689 ). That doesn't mean there won't be a Taylor-run SunTrust Maserati at Sebring, but it would seem to me to throw doubt on their leaving Grand-Am. However, I suppose contracts have been broken before as well.

[extramundane]

The presence of Wayne Taylor doesn't necessarily mean the presence of SunTrust.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by Danske

People have been known to run or sponsor two programs in two different series. Within the past week SunTrust also announced that they have extended their Grand-Am involvement through 2006 as both the sponsor of the #10 Riley and as the "official bank" of Grand-Am ( http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=176689 ). That doesn't mean there won't be a Taylor-run SunTrust Maserati at Sebring, but it would seem to me to throw doubt on their leaving Grand-Am. However, I suppose contracts have been broken before as well.

Indeed two programs, and indeed why would it be so strange to put sponsorship money on what would be the most photographed car at Sebring (Aston Martin/Prodrive must be really ticked!)?

The return on investment for money spent in ALMS is leagues better then Grand Am. I think the article on Crash.net put it at something like 75% greater value or better. The ALMS audience is the type of audience to market a bank's different financial programs and products to, and don't forget also that even a U.S. Bank is now courting oportunities around the world.

I for the life of me can't think why Sun Trust would not sponsor the Maserati in ALMS. It would be silly not to. This would be what is called a Golden Opportunity... We in the US just had the Super Bowl, for which a 30 second purchase of commercial TV time could fund a sports car team for a year. There is money out there, and buying into the major exposure that ALMS offers is something of a bargain, especially when you have a target clientel with the demographics you want.

For either Risi or W Taylor, would they be paying full going rate for these cars, or would they be given the cars? Also, is Maserati supplying major funding towards running these cars (how there is any money left after the redesigning the cars what, three times, is beyond me...)


robert

[LouisTheShark]

"I for the life of me can't think why Sun Trust would not sponsor the Maserati in ALMS. It would be silly not to. This would be what is called a Golden Opportunity..."

Why, because a few people take pictures of the car and some drunk folks that barely can afford their free checking accounts will be attending?

"We in the US just had the Super Bowl, for which a 30 second purchase of commercial TV time could fund a sports car team for a year."

True, and more people watched the 30 second Superbowl commercial then all sports car races this year combined.

"There is money out there, and buying into the major exposure that ALMS offers..."

This is according to the ALMS and their spun numbers. They don't tell you that the only winners in their numbers are automotive related manufacturers and that the ROI for non-automotive sponsors is far less rosy. Dyson's sponsors (his companies) got about 1/4 of the sponsorship value then he spent to run the cars.

"... is something of a bargain, especially when you have a target clientel with the demographics you want."

Bargain? Again see above statement about Dyson's company's ROI. Also, SunTrust's race program demographics are competitors and potential competitors, not spectators. Their sponsorship is a B2B not a consumer based program. This BTW is about the only sponsorship rationalizing today one can offer a non-automotive sponsor in sports car racing.

[skycafe]

So what you are saying is that Sun Trust's participation in Grand Am is only to market to the competitors and potential competitors, and not to any fans either at the track or watching a broadcast of the race?

robert

[billnchristy]

I believe suntrust gets a much larger ROI in Grand am. They offer financial support to teams, give contingency type money away and have a very plainly obvious car that many people now recognize. What will they get in ALMS GT1? A recap as the vettes lap them, a quick shot when they break down, and a report of how many laps ahead the audis are? On top of that I have a hard time believing that the Maserati wont cost astronomically higher amounts of money to get 1/3 or less of the airtime. Dont kid yourself, the ratio of ALMS fans that watch is not so much higher that the cost will be offset.

Taylor has also been a part of an abandoned factory team before...im sure that left a bad taste in his mouth...and im sure it will happen again if he does go to ALMS...

just opinion of course...if he does run both series i think we will see which one returns the next year if it comes down to deciding.

[Fab]

According to Bill Oursler in MotorSport.com, things seems to settle between ALMS and ACO, to the best.

The last events might even have strenghten the relationship, giving more importance and credit to ALMS.

And the Mazzas will be here.

[Dani Filth]

thank god ..

[LouisTheShark]

SunTrust's Grand Am effort is to market their Motorsports Private Banking Group. Among their normal financial services, this group provided financing of race cars and equipment to qualified individuals.
http://www.shareholder.com/suntrust/...leaseID=127501

SunTrust's NASCAR sponsorship has a little more consumer sponsorship to it and SunTrust is using NASCAR for some consumer oriented marketing. But the main focus still is the expansion of their motorsports financial business.

[xjr14]

Regardless of whether or not this SUNTRUST MASERATI Rumor actually happens, we've got the Maserati in FULL SUNTRUST LIVERY for your viewing pleasure. RISI Version coming also!

www.racingfanatics.com

ENJOY!

XJR14 - The Ultimate Cat

[Fab]

Superbe !

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

I believe suntrust gets a much larger ROI in Grand am. They offer financial support to teams, give contingency type money away and have a very plainly obvious car that many people now recognize....

On top of that I have a hard time believing that the Maserati wont cost astronomically higher amounts of money to get 1/3 or less of the airtime. Dont kid yourself, the ratio of ALMS fans that watch is not so much higher that the cost will be offset.

Well, according to Joyce Julius, yes it would - if their program were about getting eyeballs of fans.

Originally Posted by skycafe

So what you are saying is that Sun Trust's participation in Grand Am is only to market to the competitors and potential competitors, and not to any fans either at the track or watching a broadcast of the race?

This would be accurate. It's also a way to market themselves to the sanction owners.

[LouisTheShark]

"Well, according to Joyce Julius, yes it would - if their program were about getting eyeballs of fans."

Paul, without getting back into the details from another thread in another forum, Dyson's sponsor/company according to the JJ numbers did only get about 1/4 exposure value of the money they spent to run their program. Again, as I mentioned in that other thread, this is the second place running team in LMP-1! What kind of exposure do you think will a sponsor get on a GTS/GT1 second or third place team?

I am not doubting that SunTrust will help Wayne Taylor a little with the program if he is running the MC12. But I doubt it will be anymore than a B2B deal and their commitment will be far less than Grand Am or NASCAR, regardless of the size of the sticker on the car. Actually, it might just be a discount on the interest rate to finance the Risi MC12s.

[Gabrio]

Maserati will probably push the deals as they have to sell cars in the US.

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by LouisTheShark

"Well, according to Joyce Julius, yes it would - if their program were about getting eyeballs of fans."

Paul, without getting back into the details from another thread in another forum, Dyson's sponsor/company according to the JJ numbers did only get about 1/4 exposure value of the money they spent to run their program.

Right, and I guess I wasn't clear, as I wasn't intending to suggest that in the ALMS they (Maser) woul'd cover their costs per JJ, just that the relative exposure between series was not as close as b'n'c thought. Based solely on media exposure, not B2B (which, I think we've established, is SunTrust's motivation anyway).

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by paul-collins

Right, and I guess I wasn't clear, as I wasn't intending to suggest that in the ALMS they (Maser) woul'd cover their costs per JJ, just that the relative exposure between series was not as close as b'n'c thought. Based solely on media exposure, not B2B (which, I think we've established, is SunTrust's motivation anyway).

I wasn't actually really suggesting that any SunTrust sponsorship would either, thinking that most of the funding would be from Maserati (how is this going to work anyway, are these factory funded teams?).

I was aware that SunTrust's sponsorship in GrandAm was mostly intended to be 'within the paddock,' but had thought they also had other intentions. Certainly different then Sun Bank's (yes, I know the distinction) sponsorship in years gone by of the Daytona 24 Hour race, which was used for corporate entertainment for employees and clients, and name recognition within the state, back in the days of banks competing within state borders.

robert-off to the liquor store now to load up, and then to later attempt balancing my check book.

[Yow]

It seems strange to me that Wayne Taylor is mentioned in maserati deal. From an interview on windtunnel last year he talked about his furstation with the at end of the Cadillac lmp program.

[skycafe]

Don't forget Oldsmobile prior to that.

robert