I just returned from spending last week at Sebring on a TransAm crew and heard vibes there about Mercedes going NASCAR racing to help their USA image. So then it'll be OK to eat chicken bones in MB dealerships?? Then today I read my new issue of the Star and sure enough there is an article on the subject to use a S class coupe and make the engine into a pushrod version to comply with the rules.

Anyone have any thoughts on this launch and how the results may be, pro or con?? There are TransAm Jaguars running Ford motors as they are owned by Ford and also the Qvale Mangusta. Maybe we'll see a Volvo running NASCAR next!! With all the buyouts and mergers, anything is possible. Curious of other thoughts on this subject from the forum members....

Tobias MB
4 MBs

Tobias,

Hey there. How's the 400e coming along. Im serious about driving down to Charlotte to check it out. :-)

I always liked NASCAR Winston Cup, even when I was in California. I think it is great that FOX covers the races now. Can't get enough of that bumpin and rubbin. Even better now that I'm out here.

I think it will be interesting if MB does start running with the American cars. It would be pretty cool seeing an S Class leading the pack at Lowe's or Rockingham.

I've always been a nascar fan, I think it would be insane to see a benz crusing around giving the american cars a run for their money.

I would love to see more mercedes racing all over.

I would love to see the DTM races with the mercedes and other cars like honda, peugot, BMW, etc etc competing in races, happening here in the states.

It would also be a kick to see MB's kicking but in the paris-dakar rally. or in some of the crazy races.

I always loved watching the 6 wheel 4x4 unimogs on these crazy climbing and ditch trailing fests, when I spent the summer in europe.

The Big Rig Races were also great, something which you would think would be popular here in the states with the huge Trucking industry.

Alon

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roas,

I guess you need a redneck like me to explain to you about NASCAR. I guess those rednecks like Joe Gibbs(yes the SuperBowl winning football coach has run two NASCAR teams for about ten years now) and Jack Roush are a little hillbilly for you. They're both highly educated, from the North and really class individuals. How about the young Purdue Engineering graduate that is one of the up and coming Winston Cup drivers. How about people like Andy Santerre from New England, or the Bodine brothers from upstate New York.

What about Jeff Gordon from Indiana or the Wallace brothers from Missourri or Joe Ruttman from Detroit. Alan Kulwicki, an engineering graduate Winston Cup champion some years ago was also from Missourri.

Yes, many of them are from the Carolinas where NASCAR really got going at Darlington and Charlotte. Just because they have a Carolina accent, you mean that they didn't graduate from high school?

Maybe in your view these people are just a bunch of inbred hillbilly rednecks, but this may be the only pro sport left that's not overwhelmed with drug use and widespread immoral behavior.

You need to do some research before you make such broad brush accusations. Believe it or not we have Universities in the South. And believe it or not, even country bumpkins like me have college degrees.

There is so much engineering and technology that goes into NASCAR you wouldn't believe it. How much technology goes into mainstream sports. Let me see... oh yeah, I guess it takes a lot of technical knowledge for an NBA or NFL player to know the maximum cocaine dose they can take and still be able to play ball tomorrow. They probably have instrumentation for this that is so easy to use that even someone with a physical education degree can understand.

As far as MB in NASCAR, I thought that it was only for American car manufacturers, but I guess not. If they did this, the only thing that would be MB would be the engine and the skin. This is the only difference in these cars, all the other components are basically the same regardless of make.

So now you can go back to your city traffic and noise and hold your pinky out just right while you sip your favorite citified beverage. While sipping that beverage you can be happy knowing how superior you are to someone who happens to have a Southern accent.

I guess you think that anyone who eats chicken wings should not be allowed to purchase an MB. I prefer chicken breasts myself, should they allow me to buy one? I'm "country folk" as you put it. I live at least 20 miles from the nearest railroad track or four lane highway. You can have the traffic as long as you let me keep my peace and quiet.

If you don't want MB selling cars to "country folk" you should probably get in touch with MBUSA.

Have a great day,

[Edited by LarryBible on 03-21-2001 at 07:17 AM]

I have nothing against NASCAR, the South, or any form of racing, I watch NASCAR occasionaly and often find it entertaining and hope to do some laps in a Cup car soon,
but I would much prefer that Mercedes put their energies into Sport Car racing in the US. It was sad to not see a DTM CLK dicing with the new V8 M3 at Sebring last weekend.It seems to me that MB should competeing against their showroom competition. I would love it if MB got involved in the Motorola Cup, Speedvision GT, Trans AM or ALMS. But I also understand their rational for NASCAR....in simple words: huge TV audience.

That aside the good news is that they are not going to run the Dodge motor....they are planning on having Ilmor build a new 5 liter push rod modeled after the old Penske motor that won Indy. Compared to other forms of racing with the stature of NASCAR there are serious problems with their technology, as the recent events focused on. In both safety and performance these cars do not match up to the gains made in other series as most of the teams will readily admit.

Knowing MB's strength in technology and safety one can only hope that they will raise the bar in NASCAR and we will get even better and safer racing.

Is this related to the article in the most recent edition of the Star? Even has a painting/picture of what the MB entry would look like, based on the CL, leading a bunch of Dodges, etc. into a corner.
I think the key line in the article, though, was that "the official announcment will be made on April 1, 2001."

I think that a Mercedes in NASCAR would not work. I like NASCAR and watch it every now and then, but most people that are NASCAR fans will not like a Mercedes or any other forgin car compnies in NASCAR what do you think would happen if Honda entered into NASCAR. I have a few friends that are big NASCAR fans (the sterotypical fan) and if merceds were to enter in NASCAR they would ***** and complain forever.
I think the only people who would be a fan of the Merceds would be people who own a Benz or just love them. I dont think that Mercedes would be let into NASCAR raceing, and it just dose not make sense to back track technology, come on a push rod motor that is horriable when we have new overhead cam technology.
Why not bring some of the DTM races over to US soil.
I think it would be cool to have mercedes in NASCAR I would like to see it happen.

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If that was the case, then I'd be watching NASCAR, every race, just to see MBZ win,win,win. !!!!!

MBZ would not be accepted by the general NASCAR crowd. Most of them are fans of American cars, and dislike MBZ's , especially the southerners, who have a grudge against rich folk cars.

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Larry,

Why the ruffled feathers?

I’ve been a car fan for a long time, and have to agree with Ross. The “image” of Nascar is so hickafied as to be laughable in a pathetic way. Sure there are some, even a lot of competent and probably highly skilled folks involved in the “sport.” That’s not the point. Nor does it change the fact that the “sport” targets so many of those who think chewing tobacco is a symbol of high society. Much the same image holds true of pro wrestling. It sucks too.

Mercedes going into Nascar is all about money and little about advancing anything except perhaps getting more of blue coller folks to buy or at least worship Mercedes.

Lighten up a little.

…Tracy

roas and LeBenz,

The ruffled feathers have little to do with NASCAR. What hits a cord with me is the negativity displayed here toward; "Good ol' Boys", a Southern accent, chicken, etc. and how it makes anyone guilty of these things stupid. In my community I am considered a "Good ol' Boy". Here that means that you are honest, fair, considerate and can be trusted to whatever degree on a handshake. In case that "went over your head" that means that "Good ol' Boy" is a complementary term.

If being a "Good ol' Boy", eating chicken and having a Texas accent makes me an idiot, then "guilty as charged", I guess I'm an idiot.

It's not totally your fault for thinking this. Hollywood has been promoting the stereotypical Goober for years. Where you are showing your lack of understanding of people, is buying in on this discriminatory image.

So long, I'm out o' here,
Larry

[Edited by LarryBible on 03-22-2001 at 09:50 AM]

It’s unfortunate you had such a strong reaction, Larry. I would suggest that since really there was no negativity stated towards anything but the highly developed image of NASCAR, you were perhaps over-reacting.

As an aside, and to make the point in a different way, we are all sensitive to one type or another or racial or social insults. Some folks will tend to lash out at these insults, and others will let it go. That doesn’t have anything to do with their being an idiot, or a “GOB” or an honorable person. It is simply an example of one’s social tolerance.

OTOH, it seems that just about everyone on this site likes to lecture from time to time; usually in the name of “helping” someone.

All this aside, and back to the original point, IMO Mercedes in NASCAR is a pointless exercise. I really don’t think the so-called “win on Sunday and sell on Monday” philosophy will apply to anyone wanting a performance tuned Mercedes. Or will inspire anyone to buy an older Mercedes to use to customize. We all know that the performance modifications for MB are few and fairly pricey. Perhaps Mercedes will turn to Chrysler for MOPAR pushrod engines to retrofit in the 123 and 124 chassis? I don’t think so….. unless Mercedes is out to bastardize their image. That would be really stupid.

And I don't see it as an opportunity for Mercedes to promote the thousand variants of comparatively low cost C class vehicles, either. Not that anyone would call the C class inexpensive. While they do have mass market appeal, they do cost a tad more than the average Ford, Chev or Chrysler.


…Tracy

roas,

So, am I the square peg, or the round hole? A machine is a machine. There are too many people here that associate an image with a machine.

So I'm a GOB as you put it, and I have an appreciation for a quality machine. How does that make for a square peg in a round hole? Are GOB's supposed to be too stupid to appreciate a fine machine?

The article in the STAR is a joke. Check the table of contents. Larry is pissed about the condescending tone, but ironically, some discerning Mercedes owners believe everything they read.

HAH!!! I know I got suckered...I just went back and read the list of sponsers too....

I guess it goes to show that these days we don't know what exactly to expect from Mercedes and the US market.

But seriously wouldn't you love it if MB took a position in US sports car racing....they should be selling customer DTM CLK's and let some privateers campaign them over here...if I had the cash to burn I would be bangin on their door.

I want to go after that V8 M3!!!

While NASCAR does have good ol' boy roots it is far from that now. Ever heard Frank Stoddard, Jeff Burton's crew cheif talk? This guy is from New England. What about Greg Ziffandeli? Talk about northern accents! Wow!
Anyway I'm sure these good ol' boys don't care much about what people say about the sport because NASCAR, and it's superstars are eatin' chicken wings all the way to the bank!
BESIDES THE ARTICLE IS A HOAX!!!
Look at the table of contents and you will see noted below the headline of the article that "this is a March/APRIL issue."

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