Krawlin

Check this out, found this on Pirate4x4.....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMGfmzu9CpU[/youtube]


I am an avid fan of the Lucas Oil series, and honestly I got really tired of watching TORC a long time ago when the Traxxas head honchos were always the ones winning. Not to mention I can't stand Traxxas as an RC brand either, but that's not the main point of this. Anyway, I just thought this was pretty cool and the guy makes some good points. Now looking deeper into it, this situation is ultimately a company selling products, and they don't want their competitor invading their area and their profits. TORC is Amsoil, Lucas Oil is obviously Lucas Oil. But again, the man makes some good points, and being a long time short course fan, I have to agree with what he has to say. Not to mention the whole TV programming issue, as TORC usually has inconvenient air times for their races. Another thing that irks me about TORC, is two years in a row now they were going to race in Tucson, Arizona (which is local for me), and then canceled the Tucson race only like a couple weeks before it was scheduled. Lucas Oil however frequently has races at Firebird Raceway outside of Phoenix, which I go to whenever I can, and I can't recall any time when they just flat out canceled a race at Firebird and moved the race to a track in a different state (Which is what TORC has done multiple times). In other words, I'm glad to see Lucas Oil asking racers not to race in TORC, because the racers doing more TORC races affects the Lucas series AND the TORC series in a negative way, and I don't want to see Lucas lose their TV schedule and I don't want to see short course racing go down the drain because of that.


So that's my view, what's yours? Discuss.

Krawlin

Seriously? No short course fans here that this concerns at all?

The_Shark

What?

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

I think that TORC should find a new sponsor. Lucas oils have done enough work, and used enough money, and that's when you quit. TORC should find a new sponsor, and then ask Lucas Oil to leave.

FahrtAutoRC

It should be sponsored by Tamiya. Come on yall, we know who the real game changers are here!!! lol jk

suburban_hooligan

this thread didn't turn out as well as the one on URC.   disappointing.

SyCo_VeNoM

well its in the OT forum which only a handful of member browse from what I can tell by the people that usually post here. Vs say the Electric forum where there might be more people interested in SC racing. But even there it seems SC racers are few.

Krawlin

Obviously you didn't watch the video or read the post. It's not about RC short course racing, its about real short course racing, as in 1:1 scale vehicles...





You have it backwards, TORC just needs to go away, TORC came about because Traxxass had to stick their nose into 1:1 motorsports, exactly where they do not belong. TORC is a Traxxas owned and operated racing series (again people, this is not RC, this is real short course racing). TORC has been trying to take away from the Lucas Series by scheduling events at the same time as Lucas Events, thus taking racers away from Lucas Oil, and TORC sucks as it is so no one wins. Why the hell is it "time to quit" when they have been #1 for a long time and made the sport what it is? TORC/Traxxass is hurting short course racing, not helping it.



Gee, what a surprise, Traxxas only wanting their logo plastered all over everything and no one else is allowed to show their name? Sounds EXACTLY like their forums, I wonder why.... Read the below article, really shows how much Traxxass is against being a team player...
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ________________


Quoted from this article.... http://www.race-dezert.com/home/a-be...exas-1500.html


"......My experience at the first two LOORRS races was positive and the staff went out of their way to assist me with immediate results which helps immensely when under deadline. The fans seemed to be just as complimentary about the staff and the organization. Of course there were things that could have been improved and built upon after the initial race, but what event is ever completely seamless? I decided to give the Traxxas TORC Series the same benefit of the doubt.

Upon my arrival at the track it was strange to see the obvious lack of grassroots racers – love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are the heartbeat of the sport. Nothing but the big dogs in the Pro 4WD, Pro 2WD, and Pro Light trucks made the trek out to the Texas venue and due to a lack of entries, the Pro Super Buggy competition was cancelled.
In any case, it was awesome to see such an elite gathering of professional racers assembled at an extraordinary venue such as Texas Motor Speedway. Many of the teams have not raced together since the undoing of the CORR Series eight months prior and it was refreshing to see the reunion of the major players in the sport.

Strolling around the pits, I noticed something strange at the Coyne trailer. I walked over to talk to one of the pit guys and at the urging of the powers that be from Traxxas, Travis Coyne was asked to remove the bedside and hood decals of the RC-10 sponsor from his Pro 4WD or “pack up and go home.� I think it goes without mentioning that it is extremely difficult to acquire, let alone maintain sponsors in the obscure off-road arena. After protesting the ultimatum handed down by the Traxxas brass and enforced by the TORC officials, Travis was presented with the difficult decision to leave or remove hismajor sponsor’s decal.



In an apparent sign of protest, Coyne decided to make a statement while abiding by demands of the exclusive radio control sponsor and series officials. Travis and crew covered up the RC-10 sponsor identification with bright orangish-red “X’s� that could be seen as far reaching as the sky view terrace above the luxury suites. Following suit in a show of support was Pro Light driver, Casey Currie.

While I believe it is admirable for Traxxas to step up to the plate as the title sponsor of the TORC Series through 2011 andsupport the PDG travel fund, I am not so sure I am sold on the idea of exclusive contracts that allow title sponsors the power to dictate racer endorsements. It would seem as though TORC is more concerned with their financial interests than the interests of the teams who have invested personal and sponsor funds – not to mention blood, sweat and tears into their race programs. Without the racers and their sponsors, there would be no show to attend. Without the influx of title sponsorship, the sanctions would not have the where-with-all to execute and promote races. Ah, what a double-edged sword.

In my not-so-humble opinion, exclusive title sponsorships allowing room for only one brand of toys in the sandbox harms the future and the growth of the sport. The short-sighted rush to gain a title sponsor allowed Traxxas the upper-hand to capture the monopoly and strong-arm TORC into the decision ultimately handed down to the Coyne crew.

It is no secret that competition creates a better product while exclusivity limits advancement and in this case alienates the racers and possible future sponsors. What happens when the Traxxas contract expires in 2011? Putting all the eggs in one basket and allowing title sponsors veto power is probably not the best example of a “unifying� force the TORC Series touts on their website......"

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______

SyCo_VeNoM

ahhh ok I did watch it (well most) I was extremely confused from the Traxxas head honchos always winning thing being mentioned that you said in the 1st line. But then again I'm not really up on the race scene so I never heard of either races.

Now that its clarified it makes a hell of a lot more sense, and why lucas was as mad as he was

I'll be honest I only knew traxxas sponsored some cars in funny car races, and in the stock cars. I didn't know they had their own entire race they sponsored.

Krawlin

No offense, but have you been living under a rock? Traxxas started their TORC racing series like 2 or 3 years ago, they had it all over their website and sent out their usual spam emails and such. They only recently started sponsoring drag racing (the Force family, funny cars). And they do not "sponsor" the TORC series, they own the TORC series. It's Traxxas' "The Off Road Championship" series (Talk about unoriginal right?). Amsoil is their title sponsor, Traxxas owns it. Thats why they pull the BS of making anyone who is an Associated sponsored driver cover up their sponsor decals in the TORC races, because Traxxass can't play nice and be a team and they are worried they would lose business from a competitor brand being shown in their events.

HJJFFFAA

Pfft, Traxxas.

SyCo_VeNoM

No offense taken but as someone who has been to the Traxxas website probably 4 times in the past 4 years with ad block, all flash disabled, and not registered for anything traxxas like newsletters(seeing I don't really care what they make the 1/16th revo into this month) please forgive my ignorance .
I'll be honest only reason I know about them even sponsoring the cars in the classes I mentioned is because they made RC versions which people posted up the forums here.

Honestly I thought TORC stood for Traxxas Off-Road Championships lol

But yes I agree its pretty crappy of traxxas to pull invite racers to race, and make them cover up sponsors logos if they conflict with theirs. I'll be honest it should be allowed ONLY if traxxas is willing to pick up the loss of income of the racer, and take over sponsorship.

Krawlin

I did too until I googled it.


Well not only that, but they are pulling them away from another series, a more popular series, causing the Lucas Oil series to lose money, in addition to potentially damaging the competitor sponsored driver's relations with his/her sponsor (In this case, Associated). As noted in that video, TORC has low truck counts, low viewer counts, and low fan turnout at races. TORC knows that their series is dying out, if they don't see it they all have their heads up their behinds. And since they more than likely know that their series is dying, trying to invade the driver group by trying to get them to race in TORC, by taking TV and track time and drivers from the Lucas Oil series, they are showing how immature they are as an organization and they just can't accept the fact that they are failing and will eventually have to go away. They obviously feel that if they are going down, they have to pull Lucas Oil down with them. Talk about a cheap shot.

SyCo_VeNoM

Its Traxxas does anyone have to say anymore?

yes I know that was a cheap shot at a company that sells nothing cheap

Krawlin

In the real world, only sometimes do you get what you pay for. A TORC race for instance, if you go to a TORC race and watch only a few trucks race and its always the trucks with Traxxas decals all over their trucks that win, and that's not getting your moneys worth from the ticket. Same goes for your TV package, if you pay X amount of dollars to get channel X to watch short course, which will entertain you more for your money? Lucas Oil. And any real short course fan will tell you that, like mentioned in the video, Lucas Oil does have the best air times and the most time slots for their races, TORC does not.

The_Shark

Just like almost all American run businesses, they are greedy and twisted.

im so happy I'm not a fanboy of anyone, especially trashass