NASCAR President Mike Helton on Friday said that the formation of the Race Team Alliance "posed no threat to NASCAR’s governance of the sport," according to Vega & Harms of the BOSTON GLOBE. Helton said, "Any perception that there could be animosity based on this topic is incorrect and very unfortunate. We should set that straight, very quickly" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/12). Helton on Friday was "adamant NASCAR intends to continue to conduct business the way it always has." Helton: "We’ll talk to a lot of folks to help reach decisions, the way we always have.” Asked if he considered the RTA a union, Helton said, “You know everything that we know.” Helton said that the "only contact NASCAR has had with the RTA so far was a heads-up that it was announcing its formation" on July 7. He added that there were "no plans to designate anyone in NASCAR to speak with the group." Helton: “I think everybody in the garage knows how we do business and the role they play in it." He added, “Every car owner in here has a voice. We take that input and make what we believe is the best decisions that are good for the whole sport." Meanwhile, Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson said of the RTA, “I’m excited for the teams and the opportunity they have to work together and hopefully drive costs down, and have a more clear and concise voice in the industry on a variety of aspects, not only to NASCAR, but across the board. We will see how things go. It’s obviously very new, but I’m happy that the teams are working together to drive costs down" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/12). TNT's Kyle Petty said, "We'll see a paradigm shift a little bit in this sport. You heard Mike Helton say, 'We listen to our stakeholders, our individual stakeholders.' Now we have a group of collective stakeholders with one person speaking for them" ("Countdown to Green," TNT, 7/13).
INSIDE THE ALLIANCE: Michael Waltrip Racing co-Owner and RTA Chair Rob Kauffman said that teams outside of the inaugural nine that formed together have "expressed interest in joining and want to collaborate on initiatives and issues facing NASCAR." Kauffman said that teams that have "attempted to qualify" in 95% of the 72 Sprint Cup races over the last two years "would be eligible to join the RTA." The AP's Dan Gelston noted the "lag time from Monday's announcement to NASCAR's first comment on Friday led to speculation the stock series was unhappy with the alliance." Kauffman: "I think if the NASCAR folks said what they said yesterday on Monday, there would have been a lot less hoo-ha. But that's their prerogative and that's fine." Gelston noted SMI Chair & CEO Bruton Smith "lashed out at the RTA." Smith said, "I don't see anything that's going to be good for the sport." Kauffman said, "I respect the issues those guys have. But as far as the Race Team Alliance is concerned, we want to work collaboratively with the tracks." Gelston noted almost "any topic in NASCAR is open for discussion, especially if it helps grow television ratings and event attendance." Kauffman: "We want this to be more popular. We want more people in the stands, more people to watch racing" (AP, 7/12). Kauffman said, “What the alliance does is it’s created a mechanism for the teams to have an issue, hash it out, have a vote and then say that’s the answer and we’re done. That mechanism could be used [for] things like testing policies or other technical changes. ... Everyone has the same alignment of interests and want to improve the show. If you can lower costs, that’s great. You need to be thoughtful about it" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/13). TNT broadcasters spoke with Kauffman prior to yesterday's Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and the net's Wally Dallenbach said of the RTA and NASCAR, "It's good if they can all work together and not take this as a line in the sand" ("Countdown to Green," TNT, 7/13).
SENDING A MESSAGE: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Tripp Mickle notes "behind the scenes, NASCAR has sent a clear message to the nine owners that it’s not pleased" about the RTA. Sources said that NASCAR "let the organization know that it should direct communication from its lawyers at Jones Day through NASCAR’s lawyers, an approach typically reserved for when legal issues like a lawsuit or a sale are in play" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/14 issue). In Charlotte, Jim Utter wrote the RTA's creation was "announced very publicly and to attract attention." But if the goal was "simply to accomplish results, that could easily be done behind the scenes." Utter: "Whose attention is the RTA attempting to get? Perhaps fans, but whatever cost savings the teams gain do not necessarily transfer to fans." That "leaves the media and NASCAR, or more correctly, NASCAR through the filter of the media." Why is that "even necessary for a group that claims it does not seek confrontation?" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 7/12).
