Finally, they'll come for NASCAR

Posted Nov 23rd 2008 1:40PM by Gary Sattler
Filed under: Competitive Strategy, Ford Motor (F), General Motors (GM), Marketing and Advertising, Business of Sports

Many of today's "investors" place their bets on the stock market's wheel of fortune. They hope that their number will come up. I have news for those stock players: the majority of their ranks are no longer true investors. They are gamblers, plain and simple.

Would those gamblers like a hot tip? Here's one in keeping with today's economic defeatist attitude. I suggest that they immediately dump shares they hold in anything that's associated with motor racing. The reasoning for my saying this is simple: NASCAR has a measurable carbon footprint.

Please understand that I'm playing the devil's advocate here. I myself have nothing against motor sports.

NASCAR has already made one move towards a green future by introducing a new hybrid pace car. However, that's not going to cut it for the peak oil crowd. Additionally, this week the government announced its disdain for corporate America, with the curt dismissal of Detroit executives by a Pelosi-led crowd. We must also consider that advertising money is drying up, and with that, may go some sponsorships. NASCAR is in dangerous waters, and I believe that the sharks are circling.

To avoid the coming public relations quagmire that I believe is directly in front of NASCAR, in my opinion there is at least one good solution. Auto racing must return to the past. It must retake hold of the vine from which it grew.

Virtually all of the performance and suspension enhancements that were introduced to automobiles during the 1960s and 1970s were introduced and proven on the race tracks of America by Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM). It's time for those two companies to get back into the business of innovation. If they can't field race cars that feature hydrogen injection or natural gas fed motor plants, perhaps it's time that their investors toss them aside to make room for some more exciting, growth-minded companies.

Tags: advertising, carbon footprint, Ford, General Motors, GM, hybrid, NASCAR, sponsor, sponsorship