http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/motorsports/obama_orders_chevrolet_and_dodge_out_of_nascar_car_news

Nascar has ruined itself, so I don't really care if it's true or not, but it's interesting.

4/1/2009 10:18:57 AM

There is no way NC would have gone to Obama had he announced this before being elected. He fooled you with his silver tongue.

4/1/2009 10:27:07 AM

If this is true, it will do more damage than his wasteful spending, power grabs, etc... The idiots who don't care that he's selling us out will care about their favorite carmaker being in NASCAR.

4/1/2009 10:28:46 AM

NASCAR...lol

4/1/2009 10:42:38 AM

I just hope he doesn't mind signing a bill to bail out Nascar when the time comes.

4/1/2009 10:43:45 AM

haha, that's definitely a joke. besides the obvious clues within the "story", if this was really to happen it would cripple nascar to the point of possibly not even running. it's way too big/successful of an industry for any such thing.

if you remember, car and driver was pretty harsh on obama and poked fun at him during the campaigns as well for some of the ridonkulous statements he made in reference to automotive subjects. i see this as them having another laugh at him.

[Edited on April 1, 2009 at 10:47 AM. Reason : GAS IT 'N GO LEFT]

4/1/2009 10:46:45 AM

Quote :

"HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY! THIS IS A JOKE. LIGHTEN UP, PEOPLE."

I think that might give it away just a tad..

4/1/2009 11:16:09 AM

^ You might be on to something there.

4/1/2009 11:31:35 AM

the link I clicked didn't have the disclaimer

4/1/2009 11:33:10 AM

we all know you can't read

4/1/2009 11:35:03 AM

i must be blind too, all i see is the "HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!"...? which still makes it an obvious joke right at the start, though.

the saddest thing on that page is this retard in the comments. i can only hope it's a joke playing along with the article, but i fear it may be serious.

Quote :

"I think this is great! If GM and Chrysler are in trouble financially, then it is their own fault. They have either failed to produce a product that beats the competition or they run their company so poorly that they can't profit enough to stay in buisiness. That's basic capitalism. If my tax money is going to help fix their buisiness then they MUST change their methods. Nascar is a sport. Nothing more. A company should only spend money in Nascar if they can afford it. If that same company needs a bailout in order to prevent bankruptcy then obvoiusly they can't afford it. Once GM and Chrysler figure out how to do their job on their own dime they can play games. "

4/1/2009 5:38:46 PM

How much profit do they make off of their nascar programs?

I'm curious and not trying to troll. I have very little understanding of the money flow in the "sport" of nascar.

4/1/2009 6:43:21 PM

it's just advertising

and good advertising

4/1/2009 8:34:45 PM

I guess its hard to place a dollar amount on advertising.

4/1/2009 8:37:39 PM

what makes it so good is the average nascar fan is stupid enough to actually think that the make that wins more races is actually a better car. a good number of them think those are real chevys/fords/whatever going around the track.

and this is coming from a nascar fan...

4/1/2009 8:43:25 PM

^^^^honestly, i don't really have any clue as to any numbers. i enjoy going to a race here and there, but don't really pay much attention to it otherwise. it's possible they don't make any profit if you look at it in a narrow scope, but like ^^^ said the marketing/advertising potential is huge. they also benefit from the r&d side of things as well. i'd say it's a challenge to put a price on those things, especially if they're successful.

however, the main reason i called it a ridiculous comment is the fact that nascar isn't "just a sport". it's a huge national industry in its own right, not to mention hogging a significant market share of auto racing in whole. just consider all the jobs provided and economic contributions from the manufacturers, sponsors, nascar itself, the tracks, apparel/merchandise vendors, the media, and the list goes on and on. then you've got to consider the social relief provided. i'm of the opinion that nascar today allows millions of americans the same escape from hard times as baseball did during the great depression.

any money spent by gm or dodge on their programs pales in comparison to the overall positive influence on the economy. punishing any manufacturer for being involved would be like a dollar waiting on a dime. the resulting devastation to the industry as a whole and the loss of tremendous resources to promote their products would far exceed any dollar amount they might be "losing". maybe years and years ago it wouldn't have been such a big deal with multiple other manufacturers involved and lack of interest from mainstream society. no way today.


[Edited on April 1, 2009 at 9:58 PM. Reason : ^haha, what's even funnier is the only car made in america is the camry. ]

4/1/2009 9:57:29 PM

Quote :

"they also benefit from the r&d side of things as well"

i'd have to disagree. they're huge carbureted push rod engines. not exactly cutting-edge.

neither are any other aspects of the cars. the suspensions, transmissions, aerodynamics, etc are all outdated. it's not like they have much freedom to play around and R&D new technologies anyway. nascar tells them exactly what they can run.

4/1/2009 10:17:37 PM

IMO america should abandon NASCAR and join the rest of the world in F1 and the WRC. but my opinion doesnt matter so whatever

4/1/2009 10:36:22 PM

different strokes

4/1/2009 10:43:57 PM

Quote :

" April Fools' - Car News April 2009 Car and Driver has a proud tradition of irreverent editorial and we amplify that each year with our April Fools’ Day joke. Check out coverage of this year's prank: "

4/1/2009 11:22:33 PM

[old]

4/4/2009 6:03:00 PM

nope

4/4/2009 6:18:08 PM

and gay

4/4/2009 7:19:19 PM