NASCAR – Is it Still Stock Car Racing?

Alex Meshkin — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:36:09 +0000

On Friday, Wired published an article titled – The Car of Tomorrow Has an Extension Cord – a discussion of the future plug-in hybrids coming soon to your local car dealer showroom. This discussion further demonstrates the continued divide between NASCAR and all automakers.
The founding principle and most basic concept behind NASCAR was and is “stock car” racing; and the ability for carmakers to demonstrate their performance of a car that closely models a car in the local showroom. This principle is no longer applied in NASCAR and is one of the basic problems existing for carmakers today in justifying their marketing expenditures in NASCAR.
“Stock car” doesn’t mean “old” or antiquated but means the use of current technologies which are closely tied to their street car equivalents. The age old adage of “Win on Sunday and Buy on Monday” is no longer applicable in NASCAR – and is contributing to the eroding sales of the Big 3. Furthermore, the COT is alienating carmakers by further dividing marketing objectives of the carmakers and the value proposition of NASCAR.
The future of carmakers exists in plug-in hybrids – the combination of battery power and biofuels. According to Wired; it all starts in 2010. General Motors (GM) promises to have the Chevrolet Volt rolling into showrooms by then. Toyota says it will roll out a small fleet of plug-in Prius hybrids to see how they do. Volkswagen has similar plans for its plug-in Golf. And Fisker Automotive hopes to have a few dozen pricey Karma sedans in driveways within 18 months. Ford and others are moving more slowly, aiming for 2012 and beyond.
It may surprise some to learn that widespread adoption of plug-in hybrids isn’t in the distant future and may be in consideration for your next car. According to Mike Omotoso of J.D. Power & Associates “…we could see critical mass by 2015.”
NASCAR has a real opportunity for leadership – and can provide automotive manufacturers a real marketing platform that demonstrates alternative energy as performance cars – that are viable, affordable and energy efficient – and return NASCAR to its roots as “stock car” racing at its best.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Shelby SuperCars – World’s Fastest Electric Car

Alex Meshkin — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:50:00 +0000

Shelby SuperCars is introducing the Ultimate Aero Electric Car that has over 500hp and can go in excess of 200 mph.
Conventional wisdom wouldn’t immediately associate Shelby SuperCars as an innovator of alternative energy cars, but maybe this announcement should not surprise us. As one of the leading innovators in new car technologies, they are at the forefront of electrical and plug-in hybrids. With the new found demand for alternative energy vehicles– we should hope that more carmakers become innovative. Moreover, let us hope that innovators and entrepreneurs will accelerate their advances in alternative energy vehicles; and perhaps even work in conjunction to find additional solutions.
Motorsports has the opportunity to leverage these innovations in performance electric and plug-in hybrids vehicles to create a marketing platform for mainstream automakers as they introduce alternative energy vehicles in the coming years. In the coming years, I look forward when a major motorsports series announces plans to race an electric or plug-in hybrid.

Excerpts from the Shelby SuperCars Press Release:

Powered by a 500 horsepower electric motor, the Ultimate Aero EV will have true supercar performance. Additionally, SSC is exploring the potential of a twin 500 horsepower electric power plant producing 1,000 horsepower in a 2 or 4 wheel drive configuration.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Alex Meshkin » Plug-In Hybrids

NASCAR – Is it Still Stock Car Racing?

Shelby SuperCars – World’s Fastest Electric Car