Dodge Vows To Stay Committed To NASCAR For Foreseeable Future

Dodge President Says Company Will Stay Committed To NASCAR

Dodge President & CEO Mike Accavitti yesterday pledged that the automaker "will remain in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," according to Bob Pockrass of NASCAR SCENE. Accavitti, making his first comments on Dodge's future since assuming his position in June, said, "We remain committed to this sport. NASCAR people are performance-loving people and Dodge people are performance-loving people, so it's what you would consider to be a match made in heaven. ... We intend to remain involved with the NASCAR sport for the foreseeable future." Pockrass noted a "big question" is whether Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) will "remain a Dodge team as its contract ends after this season." Accavitti: "We value them as partners. They continue to be our partners. Kasey Kahne is one of our all-star drivers and we appreciate everything they're doing this year. Beyond this year, it would be premature for me to answer any questions" (SCENEDAILY.com, 8/16). Dodge only backs two multi-car Sprint Cup teams -- RPM and Penske Racing -- and Accavitti said, "We're not a big organization. We haven't really been. We need to start acting like the organization that we are. We're nimble and we're smaller than the other guys. And we feel like if we focus our resources on fewer teams, that we can produce better results." The AP's Chris Jenkins noted Kahne confirmed that he recently "did a photo shoot for sponsor Budweiser with a Toyota in the background, adding to speculation that the Petty team would not be back with Dodge next year." Meanwhile, Accavitti confirmed that payments to RPM "were delayed," but he "attributed the issue to procedural issues related to Chrysler's bankruptcy and said it has been resolved" (AP, 8/16).

DRIVE TIME: The affect of the economy on the American auto industry was examined during ESPN's pre-race coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Carfax 400. Chevrolet General Dir of Advertising Sales & Promotion Kim Kosak said when the company was "having to make cuts in this very difficult economic climate, what we had to do was invest in the assets and the teams that gave us the greatest return, quite frankly. So we focused mainly on the Hendrick teams and Stewart-Haas, as well as Richard Childress." Ford Dir of North American Motorsports Brian Wolfe said we "wanted to make sure we're fully competitive" in the Sprint Cup series, so "when we put our budgets together we really budgeted that, from not only from a technical perspective but a financial perspective to ensure our teams can be championship capable." Kosak: "It's part of our DNA and we think it's really important to be both in the Nationwide and the Sprint Cup and really what it comes down to is the fact that we sell cars and trucks with it." Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick said of his team’s relationship with GM, “They've had to make some cutbacks, but the teams have had to make cutbacks too. The that part that really plays the most important piece to us, the technical support, is still there and we work with those guys every day” (“NASCAR Countdown,” ESPN, 8/16).

Penske Interested In Bringing Saturn Brand Into Auto Racing

A DIFFERENT KIND OF COMPANY: In Detroit, Angelique Chengelis writes Penske Racing Owner Roger Penske, who in June began finalizing his purchase of the Saturn brand, likely has "considered a way to bring Saturn" into auto racing. Penske said, "We need to get the deal done. I would love to have a connection to motor sports at some point, I just don't know what that would be. Time will tell." Penske said of the acquisition, "I'm confident if both sides stay focused at the table, our goal is to have it done by the end of September. So we're going to have the answer here pretty quick" (DETROIT NEWS, 8/17).

HOT WHEELS: ESPN.com's David Newton cited sources as saying that Regan Smith has "agreed in principle" to drive Furniture Row Racing's No. 78 Sprint Cup entry next season. Smith this year is "driving a part-time schedule" for the team, but "tentative plans are to run a full schedule" in '10 (ESPN.com, 8/15).