Reply #48: Racing has not been R&D for Autos for decades, it is advertising [View All]

[happyslug]

And every one of the Companies that participate in racing (and that is ALL of the Auto Companies) believe it is worth every penny as advertisements. Real R&D goes on on their own test tracks where they can do things Racers can NOT even do. Some of this R&D goes to the Race Track to get more advertisement value, some goes into your own car (Example would be the various safety improvements in Race cars over the last 20 years, reducing the risk to life and limb if the car gets in an accident but never appears in your car, including emergency fire equishitioners, four point seat belts, re-enforced driver protection etc.

Yes, NASCAR is boring to many people, seeing people race around a track, but it is one of the most watched sports in America, and the Car Companies know it and NOT going to leave that crowd NOT see they car. NASCAR is real liked for the cars MUST look like the manufactured car. It can be completely re-worked, with not parts not even the body parts, the same as on the car made for the general public, but it has to LOOK like that car. For the car makers that is all that is needed, for then the spectators of NASCAR see themselves as driving like the racers when they test drive the regular car.

One of the concepts of Advertising is that it is more then saying "Buy X" it is making X look like something people want, and NASCAR fulfills this dream.

Indy racing is also supported by the Car Makers, but the people watching are NOT looking to see what they can buy (at least in their own mind driving a NASCAR speed car) but hearing that the winner is driving a car made by Company X. If X can make a car that can win an Indy Race, how good are the cars they make for the general public. Now, you can say these are two different design teams with two different design concepts (Indy vs the car you drive at home) but by winning the race, the spectator see and hear what they want to hear, and that is what the Car makers is depending on.

No, very little research comes out of Racing (Some goes into Racing, but not out of racing) the main purpose of Racing, since the 1930s, if not the 1920s has been advertising.