Lee Holdsworth Sandown 2010
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By Briar Gunther 5:51 PM Thu 13 January, 2011
Source: BigPond Sport
Fujitsu Racing GRM owner Garry Rogers is one team owner who is receptive to more manufacturers joining the V8 Supercar Championship.
Talking to V8X magazine, Rogers pointed out that there were many imported road cars available in Australia now and that more manufacturers could attract a greater, currently untapped, audience.
“We have all sorts of ethnic groups in Australia who would support all different types of manufacturers, be they Hondas, Toyotas or whatever, so let’s have a crack at bringing them into V8s,” Rogers told V8X.
“The Ford-Holden rivalry set the grounding for it (V8 Supercars); we’ve been raised with that.
“But I also think if we threw a few others into the mix – as long as it’s all to the same rules – I say we should bring them on.”
With many drivers and even some teams jumping the blue side for the red side or vice versa, Rogers suggested that fans were more open to change in the category.
“People are more likely to change given all the changes in loyalty between teams and drivers,” he said.
“Some will be Holden and Ford fans for life, but we (GRM) still get Ford fans who come up to us and say they like us because of what we do and how we go about it, even though we are a Holden team.
“Racing, so long as it is competitive, can be enjoyed as everyone versus everyone.”
TeamVodafone switched manufacturers, taking star drivers Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes to Holden, at the start of the 2010 Championship.
“There were a few lunatics on the Ford side who were cut up about it, but the vast majority of our fans understood what and why we did it,” team boss Roland Dane told V8X.
“We’ve had a good reception (in 2010) and that shows that the teams and drivers have their own fan base, irrespective of the manufacturer.”
