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Ford 222

Ford 222

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Are you more motivated as a fan of a manufacturer or driver? Does it even make a difference?

I went to my first race in 90 and I picked Mark since he was in a Ford and he seemed so humble. Maybe it’s me, but it seemed back then your more successful drivers were “Ford” or “GM” drivers and seemed to have some allegiance to a brand? I know Mark drove everything towards the end of his career but Roush couldn’t give him the part time gig he wanted and who could blame him when Rick Hendrick called when he had the best stuff out there to try for a title? It’s just hard to get excited about a Ford teams success when you know they will whore themselves out to the highest bidder of support (Penske and Haas). Not sure I would follow Brad if he or Mr Penske went to something else. Have to admire Jack Roush’s loyalty to Ford when he’s dropped to 3 on the lineup.

I always liked the underdog and not really big on jumping on bandwagons so supporting Ford drivers seemed the natural fit. I still cheered for Mark when he moved to the dark side but wished he was doing it all in the 6 again.

Ford’s. Success lately just feels hollow to me when a Harvick and Stewart (both who I thought would be lifelong Chevy guys) are doing most of it.

Rambling, I know....lol
 
I'm a fan of racing in general. If forced to choose between drivers and manufacturers, drivers. I've never been a gearhead and I can't really tell much difference between what the manufacturers are putting on the track (or on the street either).
 
I am a fan of Hendrick Motorsports and Ryan Blaney, manufacturers don't mean much but I haven't taken a liking to any Toyota drivers so maybe I do care somewhat.
 
I Have ALWAYS been a manufacturer first guy. Drivers come and go, teams come and go, sponsors come and go, but for the most part manufacturers stay. If you aren't running a GM product, you won't even begin to get my top level of support. I admire and respect many no-GM drivers and teams, (Roger Penske, Wood Brothers, Mark Martin, Ryan Blaney, etc.) but as long as GM competes in a series, one of their drivers will almost always get my primary support. I also gravitate to certain teams. I have been a Rick Hendrick follower since day one, so it was easy to fall in line with many of his drivers. (Yes, I even TRIED to like Kyle Busch). Jeff Gordon began to get my interest when he signed with HMS, and became my primary when Penske defected to Ford for 1994. I became a Jimmie Johnson fan (whom I had never heard of,) because 1) he was driving a Chevy, and 2) I was a huge fan of his crew chief Howie Lettow. In Indy Cars, for the most part I have gravitated towards Penske drivers, ESPECIALLY when GM has been involved and Penske was aligned with them. In sports cars, I am all GM all the time, even though I have some REAL issues with the way GM does business in those series. In drag racing, at least as far as Pro Stock goes, I was always a GM guy, first Reher and Morrison, and then Warren Johnson. That's another class of racing that has just been ruined and is currently unfit to watch.
 
Driver.

It is getting better however, as manufacturers are beginning to field cars worth being proud of to the track.
 
Yeah, it definitely makes a difference to me.

When I was old enough to start following NASCAR in the early 90's, Ernie Irvan was my driver. When he switched from the Morgan McClure Chevy to the Robert Yates Ford in '93, Jeff Gordon became my favorite and I never looked back. I've always been a Chevy guy and I quickly became a Hendrick Motorsports guy.

Once I became a Gordon fan, he could have switched to any team/manufacturer and he would have still been my favorite. So I guess I'm "driver first" but I typically pull for the Chevy teams before the other manufacturers, generally speaking. I still cheer for some drivers of other manufacturers though.
 
Driver.

None of these cars are manufactured in a factory.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Driver.

None of these cars are manufactured in a factory.
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No, but in NASCAR (and most other series,) you can't design your own body and engine, and at this level, nobody gets very far without factory money or factory engineering support. The entire concept of fan support in ANY sport is kind of nonsensical, so whether you support an individual driver, team, sponsor (I have rooted for a sponsor) or manufacturer, there really is no right or wrong.
 
Driver, I mean I picked my first driver by the sponsor as a 4 year old, because I liked the McDonalds car. But in order my drivers have driven, Ford, Dodge, Ford, Toyota, Chevy. So I root for them.
 
This might be interesting to some, I didn't know this was going on back in the day. . Back when Chrysler pulled out of the series because Nascar banned their Hemi and Chevy had long ago quit supporting the series, Fords won almost all the races in 65. Nascar had only 5,000 fans show up for Daytona. I think it matters to Nascar, they made a deal with Chrysler/Ford to run the Hemi on short tracks only the next year. The Ford company/drivers were part of the push to get them back because it was crickets at the tracks. so it mattered not only to Nascar, but to the manufacturers. I don't know how much that matters to fans in today's world anymore. I think it does to a point though. Newcomer Toyota is spending bezillions in the lower series, I mean down to the local dirt street stock level to get their brand out there to compete with established brands. Matters to them. Drivers come and go but they make a difference too. I pulled for Smoke whatever brand he drove and I still pulled for SHR when they were in GM's and switched to Fords, Same for Penske. I pull mostly for Chevy and Ford, I would pull for Dodge if they were around.
 
I actively cheered against Ford because of Jack Roush...never liked the guy.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Why GM?
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Probably because My family was overwhelming GM, and until I was a married adult, they were STILL the king of the hill in terms of size, power and sales. My dad has never bought anything but Chevy and Buick, his dad was diehard Buick man, My other Grandpa always had Chevy trucks on the farm. The cousins that lived down the road from me were all GM people. When I was a kid, I the first cars I took interest in were Corvettes and Camaros. My first ever vehicle was 1969 Chevy C-10 which I rebuilt and modified. My second vehicle was my 1972 Chevelle SS Convertible which I still have. Even my wife has always been a GM girl.
 
ReturnTrip said:
I actively cheered against Ford because of Jack Roush...never liked the guy.
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Joe Gibbs for me.
Formerjackman said:
Probably because My family was overwhelming GM, and until I was a married adult, they were STILL the king of the hill in terms of size, power and sales. My dad has never bought anything but Chevy and Buick, his dad was diehard Buick man, My other Grandpa always had Chevy trucks on the farm. The cousins that lived down the road from me were all GM people. When I was a kid, I the first cars I took interest in were Corvettes and Camaros. My first ever vehicle was 1969 Chevy C-10 which I rebuilt and modified. My second vehicle was my 1972 Chevelle SS Convertible which I still have. Even my wife has always been a GM girl.
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Before I was born my dad was a Lincoln Mercury mechanic. I grew up with Mercury's, Lincoln's and Fords. Me, I liked them all. Fords, GM's whatever was fast.
 
I started out as a Mopar fan, back when NASCAR coverage for me was a monthly car magazine. When cable came to my area and I could watch all the races Chrysler was gone. So I started following the drivers. I'm loyal to a few drivers for the good, the bad, and the ugly. But I also like a lot of drivers and that group can vary. I get to cheer for a quarter to a third of the field which means one of my favorites is always in contention.
 
StandOnIt said:
This might be interesting to some, I didn't know this was going on back in the day. . Back when Chrysler pulled out of the series because Nascar banned their Hemi and Chevy had long ago quit supporting the series, Fords won almost all the races in 65. Nascar had only 5,000 fans show up for Daytona. I think it matters to Nascar, they made a deal with Chrysler/Ford to run the Hemi on short tracks only the next year. The Ford company/drivers were part of the push to get them back because it was crickets at the tracks. so it mattered not only to Nascar, but to the manufacturers. I don't know how much that matters to fans in today's world anymore. I think it does to a point though. Newcomer Toyota is spending bezillions in the lower series, I mean down to the local dirt street stock level to get their brand out there to compete with established brands. Matters to them. Drivers come and go but they make a difference too. I pulled for Smoke whatever brand he drove and I still pulled for SHR when they were in GM's and switched to Fords, Same for Penske. I pull mostly for Chevy and Ford, I would pull for Dodge if they were around.
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To add to this, Richard Howard who ran Charlotte Motor Speedway at the time contracted Junior Johnson to build a Chevy for him to field just so he could get all the Chevy fans out there to show up to races. Charlie Glotzbach put that 71' Chevy on the pole (with I believe a Robert Yates Chevy 427 engine that some NASCAR engine rebuilders dismissed a damn school bus engine) for the World 600, the fans showed up, and the rest is history.
 
manufacture is meaningless now, just a different decal.
 
Formerjackman said:
To add to this, Richard Howard who ran Charlotte Motor Speedway at the time contracted Junior Johnson to build a Chevy for him to field just so he could get all the Chevy fans out there to show up to races. Charlie Glotzbach put that 71' Chevy on the pole (with I believe a Robert Yates Chevy 427 engine that some NASCAR engine rebuilders dismissed a damn school bus engine) for the World 600, the fans showed up, and the rest is history.
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That is why Smokey was such an oddball also, he ran Chevy's and won. Total privateer.
 
I used to root for exclusively Chevy. Then Gordon retired and I didn't care so much anymore because I was pulling for Fords (Penske) as well. Then SHR moved to Ford too.

I generally don't like Toyotas but that might be more the drivers/teams. I like Suarez.

That said, I still root for GM first and foremost in most other series I follow that they happen to be in. And I still think manufacturer involvement is important for NASCAR and am glad to see Chevy and Ford up their involvement recently.
 
bigspud said:
manufacture is meaningless now, just a different decal.
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Sure doesn't seem like that to me. For one thing, you can't deny the engine design, although they all share similar traits. If the bodies didn't make any difference, there wouldn't be such a big deal made about it. Are they a LOT alike? Yes. Are they a little bit different ? Yes. If you think NASCAR's popularity is in decline now, just take the manufacturers out of the equation and see what happens.
StandOnIt said:
That is why Smokey was such an oddball also, he ran Chevy's and won. Total privateer.
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True to a point, but much of the time that he ran Chevy's, he was either officially or unofficially on Chevy's payroll. Smokey was a contract killer. He would work for whoever would pay him, often competing brands at the same time. He DID play a huge role over the years in developing Chevy as a performance brand though.
 
FLRacingFan said:
I used to root for exclusively Chevy. Then Gordon retired and I didn't care so much anymore because I was pulling for Fords (Penske) as well. Then SHR moved to Ford too.

I generally don't like Toyotas but that might be more the drivers/teams. I like Suarez.

That said, I still root for GM first and foremost in most other series I follow that they happen to be in. And I still think manufacturer involvement is important for NASCAR and am glad to see Chevy and Ford up their involvement recently.
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I believe Toyota in a back handed way is responsible for Ford's recent successes and even ol dragging their feet GM stepping up their game. Chevy didn't have to do much they dominated every year, and Ford had Roush slowly getting worse but decent in the series. When Toyota started getting their sheet together things have picked up. They woke everybody up IMO.
 
I like about 95% of the drivers for who they are as people. But as I am old school fan I love my Ford racing its been like that my whole life and nothing will change that. I Compare it to Football teams...the players come and go but we always stay fans of the teams don't we.
 
2 Sweet said:
Yeah, it definitely makes a difference to me.

When I was old enough to start following NASCAR in the early 90's, Ernie Irvan was my driver. When he switched from the Morgan McClure Chevy to the Robert Yates Ford in '93, Jeff Gordon became my favorite and I never looked back. I've always been a Chevy guy and I quickly became a Hendrick Motorsports guy.
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Awesome, same here, I found some new respect for you :cheers:
 
ToyYoda said:
I pull for all the Toyota guys, but my favorite driver drives a Ford. So I guess it matters to me somewhat, but it's not the end all be all.
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This is where I am at, I have no cares for Ford or Chevy, but I like Kurt and he drives a Ford, but I dont want all Toyota drivers to win either, but I am happy when a Toyota wins so its complicated. But I am starting to be very impress with Ford and what they are doing this year.

I think its a 50/50 for me most weekends.
 
Grew up in a Ford family...my Grandfather was a cop from the late twenties until the mid sixties. Mostly a motorcycle cop, but when he had to use four wheels, he said the V-8 Ford's couldn't get beat.

So when my Dad came of age...his first cars were all Fords. A '37, '38, '40 (have pictures of that one...sweet Business Deluxe Coupe), '48 (Built it into his first race car when it was one year old!), '46 to replace the '48, then a '50...in 1951 he started racing the AAA circuit...became a "factory driver" from '52 until '58 (Mom made him quit). Somehow he ended up with a '56 Ford AAA stock car that sat in the corner of the garage until the early sixties.

Needless to say...guess Ford was inbred into me. Especially when I was in college and did a dissertation on the first thirty years of American Automobile Industry. Came to despise everything GM...it is fitting that Hendricks is a GM guy...a dirty rotten scoundrel just like the founders of GM.

Later on though...became more open to having the driver being the focal point. Followed AJ, Parnelli Jones, Rutherford, Leroy Yarbrough, Curtis Turner, Fireball Roberts (was devastated when he got burned up at the World 600, was listening to it on the radio, details were sketchy but Ned Jarrett became a hero that day), Junior Johnson, Joe Weatherly, Richard Petty (even though I later had the opportunity to turn a couple laps against him), David Pearson, and Buck Baker.

Still always pulled for a Ford to win as it is the embodiment of all that is REAL American...always had to beat off the establishment...and the world all on their own. Hey...a guy like Kulwicki....just like him.
 
FLRacingFan said:
That said, I still root for GM first and foremost in most other series I follow that they happen to be in. And I still think manufacturer involvement is important for NASCAR and am glad to see Chevy and Ford up their involvement recently.
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There is no doubt that OEM support is important to Nascar, both technical and financial. Among a certain crowd here, it is fashionable to poo-poo the differences as "just decals." Those who believe that should talk to Tony Stewart and Rodney Childers, and call them liars to their face. But clearly the differences are less than back in the mid-1960's, when production cars were last raced in Nascar.

Despite the naysayers, there are many fans who care about the manufacturers and prefer one over the others. To anyone who observes social media even a little bit, it is impossible not to see that. IDK why some people want to put that down..:idunno:

I am first and foremost a fan of my favorite drivers, and have secondary allegiance to certain manufacturers and/or teams. Been a fan of Team Penske since before Roger Penske quit driving, but mainly outside of Nascar. In Nascar, Mopars in Petty Blue and Fords with David Pearson. My Ford allegiance multiplied when they hooked up with Carroll Shelby, gave birth to the Cobra, gave birth to the GT-40, and went to Le Mans with guys like Foyt and Gurney. That's badass, and that's a natural fact..:salute:

B Kez is my driver; Blaney is my other driver; and I'm a fan of really all the young guns... Larson and Bubba and Chase and Buescher in Camaros... Suarez and Jones in Toyotas... Logano and Almirola too. I have a special disdain for Kyle Damn Busch, Yap Yap Harvick, and Hambone. When any of those win, I'm having a bad day..:mad:
 
OldTimer said:
Came to despise everything GM...it is fitting that Hendricks is a GM guy...a dirty rotten scoundrel just like the founders of GM.
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Just in the interest of equal time, Henry Ford I was a rotten human being at least on par withe the worst that could be said about anybody from GM, and Henry II was a piece of work too. I also find it interesting that Rick \Hendrick gets to take the full brunt of the Honda scandal by himself, while everyone else skates. I guess that's the price for somebody being able to put a face with a name. There's a fine line between bribery and extortion, and that whole deal has always struck me as being as much one as the other.
 
TRD powered Toyotas....'til I die. Before somebody asks.....I don't want to know a world with Kyle Busch in something other than one of MY TRD powered Toyotas....so, no I don't even go there.
LewTheShoe said:
There is no doubt that OEM support is important to Nascar, both technical and financial. Among a certain crowd here, it is fashionable to poo-poo the differences as "just decals." Those who believe that should talk to Tony Stewart and Rodney Childers, and call them liars to their face. But clearly the differences are less than back in the mid-1960's, when production cars were last raced in Nascar.

Despite the naysayers, there are many fans who care about the manufacturers and prefer one over the others. To anyone who observes social media even a little bit, it is impossible not to see that. IDK why some people want to put that down..:idunno:

I am first and foremost a fan of my favorite drivers, and have secondary allegiance to certain manufacturers and/or teams. Been a fan of Team Penske since before Roger Penske quit driving, but mainly outside of Nascar. In Nascar, Mopars in Petty Blue and Fords with David Pearson. My Ford allegiance multiplied when they hooked up with Carroll Shelby, gave birth to the Cobra, gave birth to the GT-40, and went to Le Mans with guys like Foyt and Gurney. That's badass, and that's a natural fact..:salute:

B Kez is my driver; Blaney is my other driver; and I'm a fan of really all the young guns... Larson and Bubba and Chase and Buescher in Camaros... Suarez and Jones in Toyotas... Logano and Almirola too. I have a special disdain for Kyle Damn Busch, Yap Yap Harvick, and Hambone. When any of those win, I'm having a bad day..:mad:
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Some of your posts are just drop mic awesome. This is that. Well done, man. I enjoyed this.
 
From the board it looks like most of yall who are brand loyal are so due to family values rather than research, performance, reliability, etc...

Interesting.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
From the board it looks like most of yall who are brand loyal are so due to family values rather than research, performance, reliability, etc...

Interesting.
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Most families are loyal to a brand because of the reliability and performance they've had with their brand, therefore doing the research. I know the one Ford I've owned was a piece of ****.
 
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