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After reading about the possible demise of Australia’s much revered V8 Supercar series, the question becomes inevitable. The answers, however, are harder to come by. The series depends on General Motors and Ford, which have halted all new development on their real wheel drive platforms. Unlike other popular forms of racing, such as F1 and NASCAR, a V8 Supercar’s chassis is based on a production car. This keeps costs down for racing teams and gives the event a grass roots feel.

I don’t believe the popularity of the series will fade solely on the basis of financial reasons. It would fade based on the direction automakers either move or are forced to move in. Too many drastic changes to keep the two manufacturers viable will deter fans. The gap between a pro racer and an average joe may grow considerably larger if the car moves to a special chassis, losing the charisma of watching a 4 door car production car defy physics. The gap may also considerably grow if regulations tighten to allow smaller displacement imports to enter the field (imported cars are taxed substantially higher making then unaffordable for most, losing grassroots feel).

The most optimistic Supercar fans want to think that GM and Ford will regain their luster and continue to provide muscle cars, while the reasonable are wondering how the series (and production) cars will look like when the current Zeta and Falcon platform are obsolete. Most are just hoping that the troubles of these car manufacturers do not lead to bland vehicles that we are forced to commute in, and watch with disdain on the track.