Romney's Daytona 500: A speedway full of foreign cars

[kpete]

Today, the Daytona 500 will host its 54th race. These days, it's hard to imagine a NASCAR race without American cars. Four years ago, it seemed entirely possible. But President Obama made the tough decision to extend loans to Detroit automakers when they were in crisis, and today, NASCAR fans will be treated to the best stock car racing in the world, made possible by Detroit.

If Mitt Romney had had his way and we had "let Detroit go bankrupt," today we'd be watching a Daytona Beach speedway full of foreign cars. Detroit would not be producing stock cars—or any cars at all.

We made a few photos to remind everyone what Romney's position on Detroit would have meant for American car racing. Pass them along.



http://www.democrats.org/news/blog/romneys_daytona_500_a_speedway_full_of_foreign_cars

[FarCenter]

1. NASCAR cars are hand built and have almost nothing to do with Detroit (or Toyota) production cars

They get a VIN number and the engine block from the manufacturer. Nothing else is production except that they all used to used the same Ford differential, and possibly still do.

[liberal N proud]

2. The point is that if GM Ford and Dodge were no longer in business NASCAR would use foreign cars

[HopeHoops]

3. Originally they were ALL Fords - and then a few other cars slipped in.

But even then, they were swapping in engines from other manufacturers. It was originally a contest of moonshine runners.

On Edit: ...which is why I don't see a problem with the General Lee being a pace car despite the confederate flag. It fits the history of NASCAR rather well.

[Fawke Em]

9. Point of fact: Most moonshiners were hillbillies and most hillbillies were

Northern sympathizers.

I really wish people on this board would learn more about the South and some of our history before typing crap they know nothing about.

The less prosperous nonslave-holding whites were known as "poor white trash" and "hillbillies." Next came the mountain whites who lived in the valley of the Appalachian range. Civilization hadn't reached them yet, and they supported Abraham Lincoln's Union party.

[HopeHoops]

10. What the hell does that have to do with Fords?

It's a fact. NASCAR started as moonshiners racing on dirt tracks (mostly sand) and was almost entirely Fords because they were the best cars available for the job.

I really don't have a clue what your post is about, and I certainly didn't use the words "poor white trash" or "hillbillies". They made some damn good money running booze.

[FarCenter]

4. No, they'd still build them by hand in garages in places like Mooresville, NC

Besides, you have two domestic and two foreign manufacturers -- GM and Ford, and Toyota and Fiat.

[liberal N proud]

5. If GM didn't exist, there wouldn't be a GM brand name on the car

[FarCenter]

8. Chrysler no longer exists, and there are still Dodges in NASCAR

The demise of the GM corporation would not necessarily mean the demise of the Chevrolet brand, which is an asset that would be sold out of bankruptcy.

Note that saving GM did not save the Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Saturn brands.

Pontiacs used to race in NASCAR.

[liberal N proud]

12. Chrysler no longer exists?

http://www.chrysler.com/en/



Dodge is part of Chrysler and the company is owned by Fiat but runs independently.

[FarCenter]

14. Fiat runs Chrysler

A Merger Once Scoffed At Bears Fruit in Detroit

DETROIT — The unlikely union of Chrysler and its Italian parent, Fiat, is beginning to produce new vehicles that combine the talents of both companies.

Industry analysts have been skeptical of the combined potential of the two automakers since Fiat took control of Chrysler after it emerged from its government-sponsored bankruptcy in 2009. Memories are strong of another overseas partnership — the German automaker Daimler-Benz’s merger with Chrysler — that ended unhappily in 2007.

But the integration of Fiat and Chrysler is nearly complete and some analysts now say it could become a model for trans-Atlantic cooperation in the auto industry. Sergio Marchionne, the chief executive of both Fiat and Chrysler, spoke enthusiastically of the combined company at the auto show in Detroit on Monday.

“We are making all the decisions together as one management team,” Mr. Marchionne said at a media briefing. “There is no question about who runs what. I run one company.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/business/chrysler-and-fiat-merger-shows-fruits-of-teamwork.html

Chrysler Corporation is no more as an independent corporation, even though the Chrysler brand is being preserved under Fiat management. Fiat owns 58% of the stock of the Chrysler subsidiary, and it will increase ownership to 100%.

[liberal N proud]

17. You said Chrysler does not exist.

That is a false statement.





It's headquarters are still in Detroit.

http://www.ibtimes.co.in/topics/detail/359/chrysler/

[FarCenter]

19. Chrysler no longer exists as an independent American auto maker

Chrysler Group LLC is a majority owned and controlled susidiary of Fiat. Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat, runs Chrysler. Chrysler is starting to manufacture cars based on Fiat designs, such as the Dodge Dart.

Only GM and Ford remain as independent US automakers.

Fiat meets last fed goal for takeover of Chrysler

Fiat SpA today announced it has accomplished the last of three goals set for it by the U.S. government as a condition of its takeover of Chrysler Group LLC: commencing production of a vehicle with an unadjusted combined fuel economy rating of 40 miles per gallon.

That vehicle is the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart, which will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show next week. Having "irrevocably committed" to producing the fuel-efficient compact, Fiat's ownership of once-bankrupt Chrysler has now been increased from 53.5 percent to 58.5 percent, in accordance with the 2009 bailout brokered by the Obama administration.
"The acquisition of a further 5 percent of Chrysler is a fundamental step in completion of the integration between our two groups," said Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne in a statement released Thursday in Turin, Italy.

"We are particularly proud of this accomplishment because it represents repayment of the trust placed in Fiat to introduce its fuel-efficient cars and engines to the U.S. market," he said. "The commitment to ecological and sustainable mobility, which has made Fiat the most eco-performing automaker in Europe, is integral to our business strategy. Together with the know-how developed by Chrysler, we have formed a strong, competitive auto group with a technological capability among the most innovative in the world."

The United Auto Workers' retiree trust fund owns the remaining 41.5 percent of Chrysler.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120105/AUTO01/201050399

[liberal N proud]

20. Chrysler is still making cars

Chrysler is still an automobile company.

You said they do not exist. PERIOD!

[FarCenter]

21. Chrysler is a brand of Fiat, not an independent company

The Chrysler Group LLC is just a legal and accounting thing, not a real company.

[liberal N proud]

22. symantics

[FarCenter]

23. Facts! Chrysler was "rescued" by selling a majority interest to a foreign auto company

Of course, it had been owned by the German company Daimler previously, after what had been termed a "merger of equals". That idea lasted until Dieter Zeitsche arrived in Detroit.

But Daimler had never had much interest in integrating the Chrysler operations with the Daimler operations. A Hemi-Benz or a Gullwing Dart would probably not have worked.

But Fiat is intent on integrating the remains of Chrysler with Fiat.

Whether "Fix It Again Tony" can fix Chrysler remains to be seen.

[DippyDem]

6. It would be the end of NASCAR as the rednecks will refuse to sponsor foreign cars. n/t

[meaculpa2011]

7. Toyota races in NASCAR.

[HopeHoops]

11. It doesn't matter. All of them look alike now. The logos are the only way to tell them apart now.

[liberal N proud]

13. Toyota built a plant in the south

this give them support of southerners who make up the largest population of NASCAR rednecks.

[hughee99]

15. I thought it was *'s bailout?

If I remember right, it happened before Obama got into office.

[Justice wanted]

16. And the IRONY of this is that while he is "watching the race" he will have to see an ad for

Santorum on a car for however long it lasts on the track (and not get mixed up in a bunch of crashes)

[Baclava]

18. building the cars today having nothing to do with Detroit

all the frames, bodies, engines are hand-built in private shops






Roush-Yates engines are built in Mooresville, NC

but the manufacturers do have their racing R&D subdivisions that support them

FR-9