DTM to North America?

[Matthew Little]

Grand-Am, DTM and NASCAR in 2013?

Back in early July, there was a rumor floating around the Daytona paddock during the 4th of July Grand-Am/NASCAR weekend that DTM could begin working towards running a North American version of its' series alongside either/both Grand-Am and NASCAR. Well, if Speed's Marshall Pruett is correct, that may end up happening................quoting from the article:

Hans Werner Aufrecht, head of the group ITR that runs the DTM series, says he expects to see a standalone American DTM championship that races alongside GRAND-AM and NASCAR in 2013.

"In America, we are working with the NASCAR organisation. Beginning in 2013, we hope to have a championship with 12 races in the United States," he told Autosport.com on Friday from the Hockenheimring. "They will be six with Grand-Am and six with NASCAR events, for a standalone championship in America. I believe this is very, very good for the future of motorsport in the United States."

This confirms something Pruett wrote in an earlier Speed article, Grand-Am: Revised Rolex Series in 2012.........quoting from that article:

(Aufrecht)--"From our efforts to understand what ties exist (if any), the most likely scenario would have DTM cars racing on American soil, but as a standalone series that offered a sprint racing format to compliment the endurance racing format that Rolex Series and Continental Tire Series fans are accustomed to."

Back in July, the motorsports blog Murphy the Bear in a July post(here is the link to the blog entry) had this to say(Grand-Am/NASCAR/DTM reference in bold print)..............

Grand Am had a team owner’s meeting and cocktail reception on the 8th floor of the new ISC/NASCAR digs on International Speedway Boulevard last Thursday afternoonand evening. It’s probably where A.C. saw FIA chief Jean Todt accompanied by fiancé Bond Girl (Wai Lin, Tomorrow Never Dies) Michelle Yeow (right, at Cannes, credit Georges Baird). Todt is heading an FIA delegation, including American Nick Craw, on a “good will” tour – shoring up support amongst racing series and motoring club after AAA’s recent resignation.

With Bernie’s payments for F1 rights about to end with 89 years of exclusivity left (what dumbo wrote that contract?) the Frogs are facing a big ($35 million) hole in the budget. If others follow AAA out the door, things will be dire indeed.

As if to illustrate how dire, Grand Am told the assembled dignitaries they are in negotiations with DTM for a tie-up that will bring DTM to the USA. Some think a NASCAR-DTM alliance could get along quite well without the FIA.

If this all pans out...........

The only foreseeable problem at present, according to Pruett............what Grand-Am and/or NASCAR have to say? FWIW, this could be a really interesting series to watch come 2013...........can't you imagine the boys from Ingolstadt and Stuttgard battling it out the weekend of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the scenic grounds of Kettle Moraine or the Glen.........maybe out in the desert sands of Miller Motorsports Park?