As if NASCAR Cup couldn't get more boring.

[Cazzie]

Dodge is pulling out of racing in 2013.

http://www.nascar.com/news/120807/do...car/index.html

[stansdds]

Yep, Dodge is gone again, leaving only Chevy, Ford, and Toyota.

[Panther_99FS]

Bigger question is why no other team wants to switch to them?

[stansdds]

Good question, it's not like teams and drivers are not getting top 10 finishes with Dodges, just look at Brad Keselowski. The Miller Lite Dodge team is doing very well with three wins so far, 7th in the points and climbing. It might be money, perhaps Fords are less expensive to build than Dodges? Maybe it's factory support for the sport?

[eddie]

Penske wanted a 5 year committment from Dodge, they only offered 3. Maybe teams don't feel like Dodges heart is really into NASCAR?

[stansdds]

That is certainly a possibility. Three years is not really that long of a time period for NASCAR teams. I can understand Penske dropping Dodge if Dodge was unwilling to commit to anything more than a three year contract.

[Panther_99FS]

Well..
I guess that rumor of Andretti using Dodge if he moved to NASCAR is now dead.....

[Terry]

Well..
I guess that rumor of Andretti using Dodge if he moved to NASCAR is now dead.....

Or delayed until 2014 when they can come up with more teams and someone to run the engine program.

[Panther_99FS]

Or delayed until 2014 when they can come up with more teams and someone to run the engine program.

Who would come over in 2014 that didn't choose to stick with or join Dodge in 2012 and earlier

[Terry]

Who would come over in 2014 that didn't choose to stick with or join Dodge in 2012 and earlier

I don't know. Just speculating based on Dodge and Brian France leaving the door open. Also Evernham made some comments along those lines.

Meanwhile Alan Johnson's Dodge sits at the top of the heap at NHRA, so they are still in racing.

[Panther_99FS]

Well it would be nice to see Petty back in a Dodge.....

[Cazzie]

Well, Honda and Mazda might be asked to join, but both are into "real" race car development, both in engines and cars. I have heard Honda was approached and not even interested in "generic" racing. Maybe the Italians have second thoughts for Dodge. Let's face it, Stock Car racing as us old pharts knew it, is dead.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

NASCAR as old pharts knew it was dead the day the money got big and insurance liability showed up and that was some time ago. I got over it - you can never go back into the past.

No Dodge ion NASCAR just kills me as I am MoPar through an through - If I could have my way I'd be buried with my 90 3/4 ton 4x4 Cummins turbo diesel pickup - there is nothing I love driving more. Big boxy rough riding loud inside only 21 mpg but if you have that diesel sound in your blood... But I digress.

I am tremendously disappointed at the loss of Dodge in NASCAR - Good cars good engines - Penske should have gone with a 3 year contract. Look at what Brad is capable of and if Penske got another real STOCKCAR (not open wheel) driver they could simply and go win a bunch a races. What was wrong with that plan?

As for other "brands" I've no problem with the idea - my preference would probably be Nissan even though we had a Honda Accord - most dependable well built car I've ever seen even though it got it's first oil change ever at 16,000 miles - the body finally rusted away at over 300,000 miles - and we now have a Nissan xterra - outstanding durability and dependability even with krappy fuel economy and now our econobox car is a Toyota Yaris which we've had a relatively short time and seems good. Mazda might be good too but what would they use as a base car?

-Ed-

[Panther_99FS]

Penske should have gone with a 3 year contract. Look at what Brad is capable of and if Penske got another real STOCKCAR (not open wheel) driver they could simply and go win a bunch a races. What was wrong with that plan?

-Ed-

One can't put 100% of the blame on Penske. Don't forget the other teams that up and left and still the other teams that opted not to join. I notice that there is silence on the net these days about Petty leaving Dodge yet many want to blast Penske....

[eddie]

Well, with Penske moving to Ford, and getting Roush engines for them, maybe he can save a few dollars in his Engine Dept. With Dodge, he had to work more and invest more on those engines.