Edsel Ford II says Ford will not go IndyCar racing: “I’ll be six feet under”
IndyCar, IndyCar commentary — By Steph Wallcraft on May 14, 2014 8:27 am
Buddy Lazier was the last driver to take a Ford-badged car to victory lane at Indianapolis in 1996. No attempts to change that statistic are on the horizon according to Edsel Ford II.
Those longing for Ford’s return to IndyCar competition will evidently have to wait.
Edsel Ford II, a member of the Ford Motor Company Board of Directors and great-grandson of founder Henry Ford, says that the marque will not be going IndyCar racing any time soon.
“No, no, no,” Ford said when questioned on the topic yesterday evening at a private event. “I’ll be six feet under. No way. Not a chance.”
His reasoning is simple: “No one in the stands. The General Motors guys would like us there and Honda would like us there, but there’s just no value in it.
“I’ve talked to Jamie (Allison, Director of Ford Racing) a lot about it. He, Raj (Nair, Group VP of Global Product Development), I don’t think any of us really want to go to IndyCar racing.”
With the answer being so definitive, Ford was asked where the thought the rumor might have originated. “Probably by the GM people,” he said, “because they want some relief.”
Tags: Ford
Hmmm. I understand his reasoning, but his same argument about ‘no one in the stands’ could be made against WRC, USCC, Formula Drift, et. al. I’ll grant a huge disconnect between Indycar and their automotive customer compared to the other forms they race.
Bottom line appears that they’re just not willing to spend the money it takes to compete and succeed in Indycar with a spec, purpose-built Indycar motor, and that’s too bad for we Indycar fans.
Companies aren’t in business to spend money, especially when there is a negative ROI,,,,ask IZOD
It’s a fair argument, but one laced with quite a bit of silly, dramatic language. “Six feet under”? Please.
Try twelve feet under. No one with a brain wants anything to do with INDYCAR.
Where’s Audi/VW? They were the next savior. How’s Lotus doing?
I’ll bet that no one that enters a Chevy or Honda dealer to buy a car is even aware those two companies are involved in Indycar. So why would any car company spend the money.
You fools got what you wanted-IMS in charge of it all. Enjoy it.
No one watching on TV either! Ford has good management – that’s why they were the only US based manufacturer not to go on corporate welfare. IndyCar has followed suit and is courting taxpayer funds to prop up profits. Until IndyCar management is decentralized and the myopic focus on IMS is eliminated the series will continue to limp along.
Didn’t take corporate welfare, but it did borrow 23.5 billion from banks that participated in the TARP program. Without that 23.5 billion, they would have been right in line with the others to get the bailout from the US government.
Seriously, Bill? You are critical of Ford for borrowing all that money, leveraging all of its assets – including the Blue Oval itself – and then working hard and paying all the money back? Sounds like they had some smart and forward thinking people who planned for a downturn.
well I guess my next car will be a chevy or a Honda then
I’m right there with ya
So are the three other IRLHULMANcarfans.
[…] Ford, speaking at a private event earlier this week, was asked if the car company had any plans to get back into IndyCar racing. His comments appeared on the More Front Wing website. […]
Not sure how Edsel would know, Ford would have to get Cosworth to do a engine as they don’t have inside talent to do this engine just like Chevy had to to with Ilmor! Besides look how well the Ford Family has done with the Detroit Lions, a real bunch of wieners!
[…] Ford, speaking at a private event earlier this week, was asked if the car company had any plans to get back into IndyCar racing. His comments appeared on the More Front Wing website. […]
Nothing but boisterous hyperbole.
Mr. Ford is just one of two Fords on the 17 member Board of Directors. It’s not like he is running the company by himself.
I wouldn’t bet on Ford returning, but I also wouldn’t bet against it. I do know that I take what Edsel II says with a grain of salt.
Here is a way to get Ford back into Indy Racing. Do away with the mandatory badging of engines. Let the Cosworth and Ilmor run as Cosworth and Ilmor if they wanted to or stay badged engines if they wished. . Allow the Honda to continue to run as it is now. HOWEVER you then open it up to current NASCAR engine builders. Allow stock block NA pushrod engines from Hendricks, Roush and Gibbs to run along side the V6 turbos they currently have plus possibly Cosworth. ALL engine designs must be approved by Indy car. With NO CHANGES allowed for 3 years without special permission. ALL PARTS in the NA stock pushrod engines must be approved by Indy Car. So ANYONE could build their own NA stock block pushrod engine. But most would likely stay with the big three engine builders. You could potentially triple the number of manufacturers currently in the series. With gearing and RPM limits you can equalize the HP and torque of the current engines with the NA pushrod stock block engines. The power band may not be perfect match for all engines but they can be made close.
[…] That’s the thought, at least, from Ford Motor Company Board of Directors member Edsel Ford II, in comments made at a private event, discovered by the More Front Wing website. […]
And just like that, my desire to buy a Chevy over a Ford suddenly got stronger.