The recent announcement that Christian Fittipaldi is to dump the CART series for a ride in NASCAR with Petty Enterprises seemed at first to be completely motivated by the Brazilian's desired to race stockcars. Now it appears that Fittipaldi's defection is part of a bigger plan by NASCAR to target South America as a new market for the series (see AUTOSPORT 15th August). It now seems that the move is set to benefit NASCAR more than the driver himself.
Fittipaldi is viewed as the trump card in this plan to get coverage of NASCAR into South America where at present no TV deals exist to show Winston Cup or Busch Series races. Given its exceptionally strong home base in the US, NASCAR is clearly gearing up to push into (for them) previously uncharted markets. While this is all very good for NASCAR and will undoubtedly cement it as the premier race series in both north and south America, for the likes of the IRL and CART, in particular, this defection and the bigger plan is extremely worrying.
CART is coming from a starting position well behind NASCAR in terms of promotional programmes, media coverage and television deals. Previously, the series could rely on its international flavour to set it apart from the IRL and offer something different compared to the dominant NASCAR series. This is potentially about to change, in South America at least which is doubly worrying given the strength of CART in this region at present. It is therefore the case that CART must put its house in order so to speak before NASCAR rolls into South America properly.
With Fittipaldi on board, NASCAR is in a great position to tout its product around South America. As the success of NASCAR in the years after the IRL/CART split has shown, even the largest audiences in the world can quickly lose interest and switch allegiance if a slick and superior product is offered. The same could happen in South America if CART does not ensure that it protects and builds upon its interests in that area.
Therefore, as CART strives to build upon its current platform, every effort needs to be made to ensure that the platform remains as strong as at present. Ultimately, if the series were to make gains in other markets (e.g. Europe) whilst losing ground in South America, all the efforts of Chris Pook and Co will have been for nothing.
One of the great problems of the CART series must be managing the portfolio of races and locations involved. But as I have said in previous pieces, these are the very things that make the CART series a potentially great product. Nevertheless, CART must appreciate that the defection of Fittipaldi is the harbinger of NASCAR's plans and CART must steady itself and maintain its strong presence in South America if it is to fight off a potential onslaught at some point in the next few years.
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