Cars 'n' Stars: Porsche Boutiques Coming, New Riley & Scott IRL Car Coming Along, New Car Mega-Store War Heats Up
5 June 1997
Porsche says it is seriously considering opening a series of boutiques in their stores in major markets. They'll sell Porsche badged clothing, caps, and motorsports paraphernalia.Riley & Scott, the only builder of WSC race cars that can keep up with and beat the Ferrari 333SP, says they will have five cars ready for the Oct. 11 IRL race. Lots of wind tunnel testing on this one, which will join Dallara and G-Force as THE cars in the IRL.
Recently there have been recalls on the Jeep Grand Cherokee for memory seat wiring; on Mercedes-Benz's S-Class because the front wheels can hit brake hoses; and on the Buick Park Avenue for weak rear seat belt anchors.
NASCAR team owner Felix Sabates fielded an Indy car for Robby Gordon and had this comment, as do most European drivers, re taking a whole month and a ton of money to qualify and get the race off. Sabates: "It sure makes me appreciate NASCAR. Why can't they just go qualify in two hours and then go race?"
Formula One boss Bernie Eccelstone is still considering going public. If he does, he will be a $zillionaire. The plan, however, which has a gross of $4 billion, is running into legal obstacles and may never take place.
As pointed out here recently, Bob and Gary Bahre have left the New Hampshire Raceway to manage the new Las Vegas Speedway. Las Vegas media reported that the pair had made a deal with NASCAR to get a Las Vegas Winston Cup date moved from Richmond to Vegas next May or June. And that is what it is going to take to save Vegas. Only a few events have been run at the beautiful 110,000 seat edifice, and there are at least 60,000 seats that have never felt a race fan's buns.
It has been rumored for some time that SportsCar (IMSA) and SCCA just might co-mingle, even though the likelihood of getting 50,000 SCCA members to agree is highly doubtful. The two sides continue to talk about running some events together--more cars, better racing, lots of workers. Listen up CART and IRL. These discussions took place at Limerock, CT recently, where the WSC race was won by Andrea Montermini from Italy. Keep your eye on this shoe--he's hot and drives a Ferrari.
Toyota recently said they would not stand by and watch Republic Industries (Wayne Huizenga) buy up all their dealerships and then let Republic dictate prices and marketing strategy. So does Republic back down to the Japanese auto making dynasty? No, they said they will fight Toyota in court. This one will take place in Houston.
Speaking of legal stuff, race team owner and mega-dealer Rick Hendrick is still facing a court battle over racketeering re a lot of Honda garbage. His Lawyers have tried to get the Judge in Charlotte to let them interrogate the Federal prosecutors. The Judge said no. We predict this case is going to get a lot of media coverage.
Ford is planing a HUGE new van, probably on the crew wagon frame, and it will probably will have V-10 motor. It may have six doors and be 20 feet in length. It will be larger than the upcoming Lincoln Navigator.
The Target/Chip Ganassi CART team is in a charitable mood these days. It recently established a scholarship program at Ivy Tech State College and has donated $10 grand toward the construction of the Target House at St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis.
Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel