How about this?
 

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/16...hips/?hpt=Sbin

Force might end up funny car King of the Hill by default.

Re: How about this?
 

Id rather see the Govt. spend tax money on racing than pizzing it away on foreign aid and illegal alliens any day.

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I have to wonder why they would spend money on sponsoring anybody. If they can afford to do that defense budget is too high.

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Winner!!!!!!!!!

Re: How about this?
 

Always wondered what the Pentagon's logic was for sponsoring any race car. Is it PR,troop morale,or recruiting ? Have to agree with Ed & X-Tech,gov't is damned sure expert at wasting other people's money.

Re: How about this?
 

I just read an editorial on Comp +by DSR and what they said seems to make a lot of sense.
I'd rather see the money go to race teams for public relations/recruiting than to the banana republics we send billions to in foreign aid.Half of them bastards hate us anyway.

Re: How about this?
 

Agree 100% on influence peddling abroad , usually comes back to bite us in the a**. Surprisingly the amounts aren't that great, they claim(FOX NEWS website) $7mil NASCAR and $5mil NHRA (Army) ,just doesn't look good when the deficit has the public's attention. If memory serves me right,their involvement started as a PR gambit at the end of VietNam era when anything military was held in low regard . I have to wonder if its a good investment when you could park a tank, a 109 and a 110 next to a card table to get "leads" as the KyARNG used to do. Seems a lot more cost effective .

Re: How about this?
 

BTW having been in some "allied" countries receiving our aid , had to wonder why we supported governments so anathema to our values .

Re: How about this?
 

x2

Re: How about this?
 

I don't agree with pumping money into foreign countries either. That should also stop.

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For the 2011 season this is a moot point as the checks are already cashed,2012 budget battle currently going on could be interesting as sponsorship issue could become a POLITICAL hot potato. Effect on motorsports as a whole would be minimal if DOD participation were cut out but news media ts guarenteed to blow the whole issue all out of proportion if they choose to pick up on it .

Re: How about this?
 

If the Army should not advertise with the NHRA or NASCAR, where should they advertise? Should they advertise at all? Seems to me that someone once determined that advertising pays dividends in the long run. Is having ads in magazines or on TV a better investment? How would that be determined?

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You think kids enlist because of DSR's race cars?

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What gets them interested in the Army? Does any advertising have anything to do with it? They need to get some info some place I would say. DSR may or may not be an influence, but they may just talk to one of the soldiers at the Army display at the races and have their interest kindled. Can you say that that never happens?

Re: How about this?
 

I have a nephew who is the age the Armed forces is looking for. At Indy last year they (Armed forces) took a bus load of kids to Indy, wined and dined, toured shops close by and watched racing from the tower. Impress some kids enough to sign up.

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Exactly. And this is another form of advertising in the racing world. It seems to me, that it all ties together. Does Matco sell tools or does Castrol sell oil because of advertising at the races? I know that tax dollars don't pay for their ads, but they get exposure there. So does the Army.

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I have concerns about the use of tax dollars issue. In a time when fiscal restraint should be paramount EVERY expenditure needs scrutiny and like a great many other programs racing sponsorships should have to prove effectiveness or be cut from the budget much as any business must do. Like others here I would extend this idea to ALL spending.

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I would agree with that, but I have not seen any figures regarding this. All I have seen are calls for it's abolishment. Are there some legitimate numbers out there to show that the money spent on advertising is wasted?

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That is great but it could be done with out them spending Millions between Nascar and NHRA. I am sure that the Army would have no problem setting up a trip like this even if they did not have teams they sponsor.

One of the things about the Army car that has always annoyed me is calling Tony Sarge. That is a title that should be earned. As far as I know Tony never spent a day in the military. If I am wrong some one can feel free to correct me.

Re: How about this?
 

Tony does not rate carrying a real Sargent's jock strap. He is just anoying.

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The numbers I saw on FOX NEWS website were:$7mil NASCAR and $5mil NHRA. Buried in the article was interview with a Col. from the office which administers program. I also find it very grating to hear Tony refered to as "sarge",but then again radio and TV are full of "military experts"who never served.