NASCAR is in “aggressive conversations” with manufacturers to join the sport, Steve O’Donnell told “The Morning Drive’’ on Monday.
“We are aggressively pursuing new (manufacturers),’’ O’Donnell said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio without divulging details. “We want to make sure that they come in similar to how Toyota did and it’s really changed the sport. They’ve done a tremendous job and really helped the industry.
“Those conversations are ongoing. It’s a tough process. There’s a lot to consider doing this, but that is a huge goal for the sport right now.’’
Toyota was the last manufacturer to move to the Monster Energy Cup Series, joining in 2007. Toyota debuted in NASCAR’S Goody Dash Series in 2000 and moved to the Truck series in 2004 before going to Cup and Xfinity three years later.
Toyota won its first Cup title in 2015 with Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing.
The Cup series last had four manufacturers in 2012 with Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota. Dodge left the sport after that season, going out with Brad Keselowski and Team Penske winning the Cup title for the manufacturer. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters in December that he thought the Dodge brand, owned by Chrysler, possibly could return to NASCAR but didn’t give any timetable.
Talk of manufacturers come as Keselowski stated last week on “Race Hub” on Fox Sports 1 that adding a fourth manufacturer is the “most important things that we could do to this sport right now. … Everyone wins with the increased competition, the increased investment and the return to our fans and to the sport in general.’’
After crashing Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, Keselowski was vocal about the car design, saying that changes need to be made.
“It is time for the sport to design a new car that is worthy of where this sport deserves to be and the show it deserves to put on for its fans,’’ he said.
O’Donnell said he was “disappointed” in Keselowski’s comments about the current car.
“My immediate (reaction) is that Brad Keselowski had input on this rules package,’’ O’Donnell said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday. “I think he was frustrated. He had a tough night, and the cars are supposed to be hard to drive. These are the best drivers in the world. You’ve got one of the best seasons we’ve had in a while in the terms of different winners. I’d chalk that up with frustration, heat of the moment, but it’s something we always work on improving the racing.
“Brad is a leader of our sport. Understand heat of the moment but definitely disappointing to see that because I think you’ve got to take the entire context and that’s more of our job. You can’t react just to one event, obviously, unless it’s a safety thing where you’ve got to make an immediate change. For us it’s balancing what we’ve seen over the entirety of the year to so far.’’
O’Donnell said last week on the NASCAR on NBC podcast with Nate Ryan that NASCAR would meet with team owners this month to begin working on the long-term strategy for the Gen 7 car, which could make its debut in two to four years.
