Post by TC Ink on Feb 10, 2009 11:33:33 GMT 10
V8 Supercars has been dealt an economic blow on the eve of the 2009 season kicking off with the traditional blue riband Clipsal 500 street race next month.
The shock cancellation of the main support category for the V8 Championship series, Carrera Cup, has left a hole in the revenue stream for the touring car show.
While the exact make-up of the deal remains confidential, it is understood that Carrera Cup pays V8 Supercars TV several hundred thousand dollars to bring its package to air.
It leaves V8 Supercars with a sizeable hole to fill on its undercard as the Carrera Cup was not only a major show in its own right but many V8 team owners looked to the purpose-built 997 GT3 racers as a unique breeding ground for future touring car stars.
In recent years those who have made the jump from Carrera Cup into V8 Supercars include Fabian Coulthard, Jonathon Webb, David Reynolds, Alex Davison and the highly experienced Craig Baird.
V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane downplayed the development saying that it didn't alter the life of the series “all that much.”
“In all honesty it doesn't change our life that much,” Cochrane commented.
“Yes it makes a marginal differenced to our television unit but not very much.”
V8 Supercars officials will continue to hold talks this week to consider alternatives for a replacement support category.
“We've got a bit of time up our sleeve because none of this really affects us until May,” Cochrane explained.
“The first even is Clipsal, then the AGP and then New Zealand so its not for a few months (Winton in May) where we have to get concerned about support categories.”
Porsche Cars Australia public relations manager Paul Ellis said the Carrera Cup championship was ready to roll for 2009 but the decision was made to pull the plug at the last minute because of the inability of teams to commit to the full series.
“We were ready to go and had a series sponsor in place but we had to bite the bullet and everyone involved including V8 Supercars said the while it was a difficult decision they fully understood,” Ellis said.
“But I want to stress that Porsche is not pulling out of motorsport in Australia.
“Where-ever our customers race we will be there with our service truck and we will still be there this year to help and assist them.
“Motorsport is a strategic and integral part of our business and it's not merely a hobby for us.”
Porsche Cars is working with CAMS to alter the eligibility of the 997 GT3 machines so they can be accepted in the 996 populated GT3 Cup series and the Australian GT championship.
Author:Gordon Lomas
Source:BigPond Sport - copyright
The shock cancellation of the main support category for the V8 Championship series, Carrera Cup, has left a hole in the revenue stream for the touring car show.
While the exact make-up of the deal remains confidential, it is understood that Carrera Cup pays V8 Supercars TV several hundred thousand dollars to bring its package to air.
It leaves V8 Supercars with a sizeable hole to fill on its undercard as the Carrera Cup was not only a major show in its own right but many V8 team owners looked to the purpose-built 997 GT3 racers as a unique breeding ground for future touring car stars.
In recent years those who have made the jump from Carrera Cup into V8 Supercars include Fabian Coulthard, Jonathon Webb, David Reynolds, Alex Davison and the highly experienced Craig Baird.
V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane downplayed the development saying that it didn't alter the life of the series “all that much.”
“In all honesty it doesn't change our life that much,” Cochrane commented.
“Yes it makes a marginal differenced to our television unit but not very much.”
V8 Supercars officials will continue to hold talks this week to consider alternatives for a replacement support category.
“We've got a bit of time up our sleeve because none of this really affects us until May,” Cochrane explained.
“The first even is Clipsal, then the AGP and then New Zealand so its not for a few months (Winton in May) where we have to get concerned about support categories.”
Porsche Cars Australia public relations manager Paul Ellis said the Carrera Cup championship was ready to roll for 2009 but the decision was made to pull the plug at the last minute because of the inability of teams to commit to the full series.
“We were ready to go and had a series sponsor in place but we had to bite the bullet and everyone involved including V8 Supercars said the while it was a difficult decision they fully understood,” Ellis said.
“But I want to stress that Porsche is not pulling out of motorsport in Australia.
“Where-ever our customers race we will be there with our service truck and we will still be there this year to help and assist them.
“Motorsport is a strategic and integral part of our business and it's not merely a hobby for us.”
Porsche Cars is working with CAMS to alter the eligibility of the 997 GT3 machines so they can be accepted in the 996 populated GT3 Cup series and the Australian GT championship.
Author:Gordon Lomas
Source:BigPond Sport - copyright
Thats a real shame. The Carera cup was a great category and it seems strange that all of a sudden they don't have enough commitment from their teams... Wonder what/if they will to replace it.
