WTCC race in the USA in 2012?

[I Rosputnik]

Rather curious.

Marcello Lotti is currently working with USTCC boss Ali Arsham to get a race in the USA for 2012 and to have S2000 cars racing in the USTCC.

Interesting developments here, but could this lead into a possible US team racing in the series?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

I really don't see it. No one would go, unless they gave away the tickets, and they'd go home dissatisfied. Super 2000 racing so far away from what Americans want and are used to. Club racing? Sure. Outside of that? Not a chance.

[Roy4]

I kinda like the idea of WTCC racing in the US, but then again who'd attend the event as touring car racing isn't as popular in the US.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Roy4

I kinda like the idea of WTCC racing in the US, but then again who'd attend the event as touring car racing isn't as popular in the US.

Not in the mainstream no, but there are plenty of semi professional/pro series that have survived and thrived in the USA over the past 30 years racing showroom derived sedans. There are plenty of local centers of road racing oriented people out there. I don't think the WTCC would draw massive tens of thousands, but I think properly promoted and maybe run with another known series such as ALMS, it'd probably draw 15000-30000 people.

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Not in the mainstream no, but there are plenty of semi professional/pro series that have survived and thrived in the USA over the past 30 years racing showroom derived sedans. There are plenty of local centers of road racing oriented people out there. I don't think the WTCC would draw massive tens of thousands, but I think properly promoted and maybe run with another known series such as ALMS, it'd probably draw 15000-30000 people.

When is the circuit in Austin, Texas supposed to be race ready ?
I remember a similar stunt when Istanbul circuit in Turkey was race ready and the ownership managed to get LMS and WTCC for one or two years on top of the F1 cake. Seen from that point it isn't out of the world and might happen indeed especially since the North America race rumour goes on for the good part of 2 years now

[NaBUru38]

If they had chosen SCCA World Challenge or Grand-AM Conti Challenge, fine. But this is far from professional and marketable. Poor choice by Lotti.

[mz2k]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

If they had chosen SCCA World Challenge or Grand-AM Conti Challenge, fine. But this is far from professional and marketable. Poor choice by Lotti.

Agreed. This is a series that is confined to three tracks in California and draws 8 cars per race. And as much as Super 2000 are intriguing, I'd rather see the new B-Spec adopted. Touring cars, IMO, should remain as close to stock as possible.

[iceman-1987]

in USA there are formula indy, nascar, stock race. it failed also the F1 and i dont see how many hope can have the wtcc.
i think that if there will be the race in usa it will be done to make a pleasure to the american manufacture chevy.

anyway if i should choose the us circuit i would choose for sure Laguna Seca.

[Deleted]

They said back in 2009 that WTCC was definitely coming to States... nothing happened, can't see it now either. Wrong market, wrong ally.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Well, the races are on SPEED in the winter in a wonderful Monday afternoon timeslot, so maybe a dozen more people in the U.S. know about WTCC than they did last year.

Honestly, V8 Supercars and BTCC seem to be more popular in the U.S. (especially the V8s; they're forming a really nice niche here), while the WTCC is either unknown or found disinteresting. I don't see how linking up with a series that less Americans know about than WTCC (seriously; I don't think anyone knows what USTCC is without Googling it) helps the WTCC break into the nation. And on that note, I don't really see why the WTCC needs to break into the nation, or why they'd do it now when auto racing as a whole is on a big downswing in the U.S.

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by Chiana

They said back in 2009 that WTCC was definitely coming to States... nothing happened, can't see it now either. Wrong market, wrong ally.

Maybe they (FIA) just waited to support a new race circuit when it is built rather than going to an already existing venue. who knows

[NaBUru38]

The most interested group must be Chevrolet. Showing their winning Cruzers at Laguna Seca or Sears Point would be attractive. But it would be moreso at Long Beach or Baltimore coupled with IndyCar and ALMS.

(Jacques, the BTCC is today a national sport very much unlike 10-15 years ago. The WTCC and DTM are much more widespread.)

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

(Jacques, the BTCC is today a national sport very much unlike 10-15 years ago. The WTCC and DTM are much more widespread.)

No, Jacques is right. He's talking about the popularity of the BTCC and V8's in the USA - both of them are better known and have better TV coverage on SpeedTV than the WTCC or DTM have in the US. I guess he should also know as he lives there!

[NaBUru38]

I didn't meant to say that Jacques was wrong - I believe his words.

[I Rosputnik]

And in other news...

[kmchow]

The success of the WTCC race and S2000 will depend on the support of manufacturers. If manufacturers and sponsors put the efforts like they do in Nascar and the CART/indycar series, the series could succeed. But the manufacturers will likely have to bear the sponsorship burden/promotion first until the sponsors start participating.

[mz2k]

Originally Posted by kmchow

The success of the WTCC race and S2000 will depend on the support of manufacturers. If manufacturers and sponsors put the efforts like they do in Nascar and the CART/indycar series, the series could succeed. But the manufacturers will likely have to bear the sponsorship burden/promotion first until the sponsors start participating.

That's stating the obvious. Don't you think that World Challenge and Continental Tire will do what they can to prevent manufacturers from doing that? As stated before, the USTCC can barely field 8 cars, is not on TV, and is confined to 3 tracks in California. What value do they offer to the manufacturers?

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

I really don't see it. No one would go, unless they gave away the tickets, and they'd go home dissatisfied. Super 2000 racing so far away from what Americans want and are used to. Club racing? Sure. Outside of that? Not a chance.

If they have Subaru then people will come.

[Matt]

Run it as a support to ALMS.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Matt

Run it as a support to ALMS.

I'm not sure if Lotti wants to see his world championship product playing second fiddle to something that is basically a (far superior) regional series.

[kmchow]

Originally Posted by mz2k

That's stating the obvious. Don't you think that World Challenge and Continental Tire will do what they can to prevent manufacturers from doing that? As stated before, the USTCC can barely field 8 cars, is not on TV, and is confined to 3 tracks in California. What value do they offer to the manufacturers?

Other than Mazda/Honda which acknowledges their touring cars efforts in some commercials and on their motorsport website, most manufacturers don't support the current touring car series other than providing some contingency money to race winners. Most manufacturers obviously don't support touring cars like GM/Ford/Toyota does Nascar.

So to make touring cars visible, they will have to buy prime time airtime to air races and not rely on specialty channels like Speed, or at least not initially. They need to more actively link use their motorsport involvement in their car ads.

But in this current economy, I can't imagine this happening.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by kmchow

Other than Mazda/Honda which acknowledges their touring cars efforts in some commercials and on their motorsport website, most manufacturers don't support the current touring car series other than providing some contingency money to race winners. Most manufacturers obviously don't support touring cars like GM/Ford/Toyota does Nascar.

So to make touring cars visible, they will have to buy prime time airtime to air races and not rely on specialty channels like Speed, or at least not initially. They need to more actively link use their motorsport involvement in their car ads.

But in this current economy, I can't imagine this happening.

At the end of the day, the current S2000 cars don't really cut the mustard. I've watched some WTCC races over the past number of years, along with other random S2000 stuff and it's like taking a sleeping pill, compared to Supertouring cars without aero aids.

Also that end of the market is already catered by the plethora of confusing American championships, most of which I don't keep up with anymore, admittedly.

I'm all for touring car racing and I think it would gain traction in the USA, if you had decent rules and cars that didn't stick to the track like glue with some exciting racing.

[Matt]

Bring the V8's over.

[Félix]

If Chevy AND Ford (the WRC Fiesta is already being promoted in the US and of course there's a touring Focus coming) support the championship officially, I'm sure they can make it happen and turn some small championship into something respectable for at least one international race. If other entrants (BMW, Honda, Subaru, Toyota?) join in and try to make the best of this US date it can only get better...

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

I really don't see it. No one would go, unless they gave away the tickets, and they'd go home dissatisfied. Super 2000 racing so far away from what Americans want and are used to. Club racing? Sure. Outside of that? Not a chance.

Have you even been here? I've been to your country....

Anyway, we would embrace WTCC, why do you assume nobody would go? Nobody goes to Grand Am cause its crappy there's a reason. I don't know why people outside the country always assume people won't go see anything but NASCAR related series. That's complete BS, of course we would, but venue is important, if they can link themselves up with another good series they'll be fine.

USTCC is NASA Sport series and they may be looking into Pro Racing. USTCC was popular CART pulled the plug on it. Dodge burned up quite a bit of money into it.