Topic: Is Gymkhana the future of motor sport?

[TopGun]

An interesting discussion on FastLaneDaily - link below.

Sure, it`s fun to watch...but is it the the future of motorsport?

Well, Gymkhana have two things going for them:

• Lots of eyeballs (which attracts marketing dollars looking for effetiveness i.e. numbers)
• Relevance to production cars

http://www.youtube.com/user/FastLaneDaily#p/a/u/1/eL9x-2M1_x8

[blur911]

The Ken Block clip is not motorsport, it's a video production with special effects and lots of drifting, a mini movie that bears little resemblance to actual Gymkhana.

[wing]

Haha yeah really, watch the video, it's not like that is one take or anything that's hundreds of takes of the same trick to make some eye candy.

[TopGun]

The Ken Block clip is not motorsport, it's a video production with special effects and lots of drifting, a mini movie that bears little resemblance to actual Gymkhana.

Haha yeah really, watch the video, it's not like that is one take or anything that's hundreds of takes of the same trick to make some eye candy.

OK...acting as the Devil's advocate then, here's why it IS the future of motorsport:

• These videos have received a huge number of views.  Why not pull your sponsorship of GrandAm and just do events like these?
• Car companies want to sponsor events that are relevant.  NASCAR doesn't do that...F1 and IndyCar doesn't do that...and WRC is too hard to televise.  Things like Gymkhana (Ford) and Pastrana's Mt. Washington (Subie) event are able to achieve that.
• Traditional events are too long...these events are popular because you don't need to sit in front of a TV for hours to see the start and finish.

[wing]

X-Games Rally-X sure, but not this junk. This junk is good viral media though.

[blur911]

• These videos have received a huge number of views.  Why not pull your sponsorship of GrandAm and just do events like these?
• Car companies want to sponsor events that are relevant.  NASCAR doesn't do that...F1 and IndyCar doesn't do that...and WRC is too hard to televise.  Things like Gymkhana (Ford) and Pastrana's Mt. Washington (Subie) event are able to achieve that.
• Traditional events are too long...these events are popular because you don't need to sit in front of a TV for hours to see the start and finish.

But it's not an "event", it's a long TV commercial.  Hillclimb's are the same as WRC, hard to do live, it's all in the editing in post-production.
People want to see things "live", you can't do that with those videos.

[rrocket]

Cars in gymkhana are still a bit too specialized IMO.

I think "Time Attack" is where the future is.  It's basically a TT...racing against the clock on a road course.  Any class from "Run what you brung" all the way to the most modified street cars on the planet.

[Turbo Bob]

WRC isn't hard to televise at all, the UK channels have done it very well.  It's just that North Americans aren't interested.

Ken Block is skillful, but I find it boring to watch.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

What's a gymkhana?

[Erik]

What's a gymkhana?

Wasn't that an optional suspension package on mid-70's Corvettes?

[initial_D]

Ford is trying to generate more interest in Rally to American fans, hence Ken Block is on contract to race in a full WRC schedule next year. The dude can drift a car, but didnot grew up with rallying like everyone else, and he is about 40 years old already. His participation in WRC is not for winning points, but maybe can get other corporate sponsors onboard, and more time on TV with actual NA viewers.

Gymkhana future of the sport? No way.

[triuman]

X-Games Rally-X sure, but not this junk. This junk is good viral media though.

I watched the X-games rally X and found it entertaining, could expand if brought to the mainstream with a good sponsor....