JUNE 15, 2009

NASCAR is watching F1...

NASCAR boss Brian France is keeping a close eye on the politics in Formula 1 and pointing out that there are other options for the car manufacturers.

France says that he has been talking with several companies but nothing is planned in the short term

"I'm not going to name names," France said at Michigan International Speedway. "But we have companies that are interested in particular in developing the North American market as robust as they can, and you are well aware as we are of the foreign manufacturers now producing cars here in America. That was part of the rationale that Toyota used, that helps them associate more with this market.

"We have been talking to people for off and on for a long time," he said. "These are decisions in terms of the new manufacturers joining the sport that would take a long time to evaluate and actually enter. So those aren't something that we turn the light switch on tomorrow morning and it would happen.

"Of course, we're the pre-eminent place in North America for car manufacturers to build their business with an auto racing group. We remain that and clearly there's some companies that are going to look at opportunities that may not have even been there in the past that could be presented in the future."

NASCAR rules dictates that only cars built in the United States are eligible to compete.

France said NASCAR will look to new companies, new technologies and, particularly, to the growing green industry.

That sounds like something that would be appreciated by Honda.