No more factory-backed SRT Viper race effort?

Just got the release. So, discuss: Are factory-backed road racing programs worth the investment?

Chrysler Group LLC Announces Discontinuation of Factory-backed Road Racing Efforts

Announcement to withdraw from racing program with the conclusion of the 2014 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season

Chrysler Group LLC announced today that it is discontinuing the factory-backed SRT® (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports racing program in IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) with the conclusion of the 2014 season. This decision affects participation in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with the Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R GTLM-class team. The Dodge brand will redirect its focus and efforts on the brand's product lineup.

"Our company has made a business decision to discontinue the SRT Motorsports Dodge Viper GTS-R racing program," said Ralph Gilles, Senior Vice President of Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. "We are very proud of the amazing achievements our fantastic teams, drivers and partners have achieved on track the last few seasons. We thank them for their hard work, effort and commitment to SRT Motorsports. It's been an honor to be a part of the inaugural IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season and we wish them every success in the future."

The Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R 2014 racing season concluded Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Petit Le Mans. The two-car SRT Motorsports team won the team and driver (Kuno Wittmer) titles in the inaugural IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GTLM-class. SRT Motorsports won two-of-three championships contested in the class and finished second in the GTLM manufacturer championship in just its second full year of the program.

As the company announced May 6, the SRT brand will continue to be aligned with the Dodge brand, delivering SRT ultimate performance vehicles to complement the Dodge brand's mainstream performance vehicles.

Does this mean that there won't be the availability to make a Viper racer? Or does that go away with the factory team as well?

TK blew this up a few weeks ago when announcing that he was going grand-am racing. For funding road racing you have to find a way to make the investment work from an exposure standpoint away from the track. Either via slick video production to be hosting online, or other media production. Even with a T.V. deal Tudor/IMSA is effectively campaigned in front of eyes that "already know" the market, providing no real value impact for a manufacturer and thus no reason to fund a team other then to build a racing heritage or pedigree for future potential marketing efforts

Now we know the real reason for Corvette's BoP adjustment. Vipers were given a going away present.

That is too bad.

That's a bummer. I can see why they don't view it as worth the investment, though. Unless you're actively looking for it, you're not going to find these races on TV and think, "Hey, this is cool." That comment about eyes that "already know" the market is spot-on, IMO.

In reply to unevolved:

Even if you are actively looking for the races on TV they are hard to find. No Fox sports 2 for me unless I switch to satellite.. It's either streaming or tape delay on Fox Sports 1, if then.. The Tudor TV package is teh suxxors..

racerfink wrote: Now we know the real reason for Corvette's BoP adjustment. Vipers were given a going away present.

Have to agree with this one.

06HHR wrote: In reply to unevolved: Even if you are actively looking for the races on TV they are hard to find. No Fox sports 2 for me unless I switch to satellite.. It's either streaming or tape delay on Fox Sports 1, if then.. The Tudor TV package is teh suxxors..

Right? Seems like it's hard for any racing. I had to give up on watching F1 this year because we moved and I can't get NBCSN without paying out the ass. No other ways to watch online or anything, I don't understand why they think that sort of thing sells channels.

It's standard practice for many companies. Look at the Neon program in the '90's for an example.

We also had a factory backed effort from Toyota in the '90's for the TT Supra and NA Supras. They put a big effort into the project, but it died when the Supra did. We won a championship and won the most races in a two year stretch before Toyota pulled the plug.

Personally, I don't view it as bad. For however long you have, they provide a good foundation for teams that need the support. They provide jobs in many cases, as well as race cars built for certain series. And usually, you end up with some manufacturers coming while others are going. It's all a cycle.

Some like Porsche are always there, but for the most part, they all come and go. The best part is the race cars usually filter down to the lower levels and are normally built to a much higher standard.

Its unfortunate that they're pulling the plug but yeah, the people in charge of marketing and airing the races seemed like they were begrudgingly doing us fans a favor by even airing it. Even though it was on FS2 (a channel no one gets) or a shortened tape delay.

This race program was effectivly a marketing program that was only reaching people that already knew the product, not ones that didn't. And with a $100k car like the Viper, people buy them for an image. If no one sees the races and there isn't a buzz about the cars pedigree then the people that have the means to buy a car like that aren't gonna buy one, there's more image appeal in a Ferrari or Lamborghini to those buyers.

Screw SRT and the horse they rode in on. Tudor threw them a bone and after winning the title that bone was upchucked back in the series' face. Considering Dodge's historical commitments to road racing, it should be no surprise they were just in it for some temporary glory.

Hopefully Tudor learned a valuable lesson or two and the same goes for anyone looking to jump onto SRT's next bandwagon.

SRT cut the cord because how can you support a race program based on a car that sold 230 models from in the last 4 months. Even Aston Martin sold more cars than the viper did. It was great for them to be involved and I loved seeing them but let's face it the viper is pretty much dead. I think there were more viper race cars at the COTA race then what they sold in the entire month of June.

SRT owned by Chrysler owned by Fiat. Ferrari owned by Fiat. SRT beat Ferrari. Can't have your bastard stepchild sportscar brand (SRT) beating your company's halo brand.

maybe I'm too cynical for my own good

Seems like as good as the car may be the new Viper has everyone at FIAT running to grab buckets to bail out the sinking ship. Wonder how long the TA challenger will last.

Interesting article at Motorsport.com

http://www.motorsport.com/tusc/news/why-dodge-killed-the-srt-viper-racing-program

wbjones wrote: SRT owned by Chrysler owned by Fiat. Ferrari owned by Fiat. SRT beat Ferrari. Can't have your bastard stepchild sportscar brand (SRT) beating your company's halo brand. maybe I'm too cynical for my own good

This is completely logical though.

Matt Farah also talked about how the Viper is in a weird price class all by itself last year. I think he said that it's around 120-140K, and people look at the price and leave the lot because SRT doesn't have the pedigree to get people to spend that kind of money for it, not to mention that the interior isn't as good as the 911 Turbo, R8, and other high end sports cars.

I didn't even think about it but I hope Ben Keating doesn't get hung out to dry in all of this. Being a privateer, running the only Viper in the series may be difficult. He is a good racer and a good guy overall. He may be forced back into a porsche.

I hope the Viper survives, as it really is a nice car to drive. Maybe its not the same quality as other cars in its class, but it has other positives they do not. What other V10 monster can you buy for that kind of money, with fantastic looks and handling that truly does feel almost Miata-like? The time I spent on track with one ranks in my top 5 track day experiences. I'd absolutely love to have one.

The more I learn about United Sportscar Championship (which is, admittedly, not that much), and sports car racing in general, the more I marvel that ANYONE makes a go of it financially. I love the series, attend some races, and watch the TV broadcasts - thank you, DirecTv for showing Tudor USC, PWC and CTSCC - and I still haven't figured out how it all gets paid for. Recall the old joke: How do you make a small fortune in racing? Start with a large fortune.

It would be cool if a team gave GRM some access to their business model resulting in some ongoing reportage about the and ups/downs faced by teams, especially non-factory-backed. Although most of us can only fantasize about competing in sports car racing, each of us who loves cars has a little Walter Mitty in them, I think. Maybe it would spur attendance and support if fans had a better idea what was involved in getting racecars on the track. Most of us only have a dim understanding, I think, and it would be involving to know more.

I honestly am not a big fan of factory backed race teams... HEAR ME OUT!

Factory backed race teams make it hard to impossible for practically anybody else to compete, which drives away competitors from motorsports. Instead, what I like to see are factories SUPPORTING privateers or independent race shops.

For instance, in the WRC, various manufacturers develop a CAR for a class/series (like the R2 fiesta developed by m-sport/ford). Then, privateers/teams can get those cars and go race them. The manufacturer gets exposure, the teams get a well engineered product, everybody fights everyone, life is good.

When a manufacturer steps in to run its own race team, the sheer cubic dollars they are able to throw around severely distorts the competitive landscape of a series. The only other people that can compete are other manufacturers.

There is a happy medium to be had.

This weekend (before seeing this) I heard a radio commercial for a musical play about women and menopause. It went on about the joys and sorrows of 'the change' and such. And at the end of the commercial the announcer said "proudly sponsored by The Chrysler Group, LLC."
Really!! GM sponsors the Woodward Dream Cruise, the Detroit GP, and a few other big-name motorsports things and Chrysler sponsors a musical about menopause? So, GM is trying to woo young to middle-aged men who like adventure and fast cars. Chrysler is wooing 65-year old white women??

conesare2seconds wrote: It would be cool if a team gave GRM some access to their business model resulting in some ongoing reportage about the and ups/downs faced by teams, especially non-factory-backed.

Yeah, we have kicked around that story. It could be a bit personal, though--kinda like asking how long someone's manhood is.

Here's the short version: Race cars run on money. Follow the money, and then it starts to fall into place.

I think that it can be worth it to manufacturers if they use it to make their road cars better. I'm not sure if they get the same experience if they only support teams.

In reply to David S. Wallens: You could ask for generalizations so people don't feel too exposed.