According to NASCAR, citing an Associated Press report, Hans-Joachim Stuck, the head of Volkswagen's motorsports program was on site at Homestead and met NASCAR officials on Saturday. What was discussed is unknown, but Stuck's presence at the scene fuel speculation about the first German NASCAR entry.
According to the ones analyzing Stuck's options in NASCAR, the Germans may head for a series which may allow them to showcase their technology. Such a series would be the Grand-Am Road Racing Series. Stuck however says NASCAR is not yet on Volkswagen's agenda and his presence at Homestead was merely accidental.
"I love NASCAR racing, and I have a second home in Delray Beach, so I came here on holiday. Of course I took the chance to meet with NASCAR," Stuck was quoted as saying by NASCAR. "We won't even have a plant in the United States until 2012. When we announced that, we were contacted by all types of sanctioning bodies."
According to some, however, Volkswagen's involvement may become closer to reality as NASCAR will switch from carburetors to fuel injection starting 2011. Having that in mind and the projected opening of the Chattanooga facility the same year, Volkswagen would be good to go to enter NASCAR.
Good news or bad, the entry of more and more foreign carmakers into NASCAR is almost a sure. As Brian France says, NASCAR is welcoming new manufacturers into the series. Today, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz have plants States side and meet the requirements Toyota met when was accepted in 2002.
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