V8 Supercars seem to be struggling at the moment for popularity, if what you read in the media is any indication. The defection of Lowndes to Holden next season seems set to alienate more fans, although his change to Ford years ago was accepted without too much drama.
Maybe that was due to fans of the Blue Oval looking for someone to carry the torch, where this time it’s quite the opposite.
Time will, of course, be the telling factor.
I was raised on a mix of Fords and Holdens, little Toyotas and the like all vying for track position at the annual Bathurst showcase.
I remember sitting there with my older brother, who insisted I follow the Holdens, unmoved for a whole day, watching with anticipation at the possibility of a crash or a big spin or some other heart stopping event.
The Moffat 1-2 was a highlight. Yeah, my brother never did have his way!
And we saw Volvos and Chevy Comaros, wild Mazda rotaries, and who can forget the all-conquering Nissans or the fragile pace of the Sierras?
Touring cars were where it was at. The varied manufacturers and speed differentials made for exciting racing.
But somewhere, the powers that be lost their way.
The insistence on the Aussie brand rather than the international dominance won out and we saw the two manufacturer format we now have.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m an Aussie through and through. V8’s have been a great competition to watch. The racing is close and definitely exciting.
However, my days of watching the races have shrunk from every round to two or three a year. I still watch Bathurst religiously, but couldn’t honestly say who’s won the last few years.
I know my beloved Fords have been up there, and after so many years in the wilderness, it’s almost a disappointment that my enthusiasm has waned. Maybe I’m just getting older!
With the advent of One HD, I find myself following Marcos Ambrose again, this time in his NASCAR adventures.
Maybe it’s the different format I haven’t seen much of in the past, or the fact that an Aussie is sticking it to the Yanks at their own game, but even the oval tracks, which I once despised, I find myself enjoying more and more.
I know the competition is nothing like the touring cars that once held my passion. I don’t know what it is but I do hope our home grown V8’s find that spark for me again.
Maybe this latest NASCAR sojourn will be enough to reignite that fire that once burnt strong within.
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