Bob Vandergriff Racing shut down

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It appears his close contact and CEO of his major sponsor suddenly died shaking Bob up making him reconsider his life choices. A major factor could also be the new ownership is less willing to continue sponsorship since their oil and gas business has been hurting with it's stock price dropping from $33 in 2014 to $1.75
 
If you read carefully, a sudden shutdown like this is probably due to no cash flow. with the only choice be shut down or wait and screw vendors and employees out of pay, what do you do.

When the only choices are bad and awful bad is a good decision.

Rod
 
Certainly, but what consequences happen if they want to resume? Bernie nearly had a stroke when Manor wanted to miss the first race of the season some time ago, and they simply didn't miss. I don't know how much of it involved him not having any of it. I wouldn't have wanted to be in the shoes of those at Caterham explaining their financial woes to Bernie when there was concern about showing up on the grid at the end of their last season, either.

Sauber right now is paying people late. You don't show up on the grid, the sponsorship dollars disappear in short order.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Certainly, but what consequences happen if they want to resume? Bernie nearly had a stroke when Manor wanted to miss the first race of the season some time ago, and they simply didn't miss.


I don't think you can compare the NHRA to Formula 1 in that regard. People come and go from the NHRA all the time. Others like Chris Karamesines, have run limited schedules for years. You show up, and if your car passes tech and you qualify, you can race. It's open to most anyone in that regard. Formula 1 is so intertwined with rules and politics it's 2 year process to just TRY to get in...... Assuming you have a few hundred million just lying around, waiting to spend to come in near the bottom, or else dead last. AND you can convince someone to sell you engines, chassis, etc. That are all slow enough so you won't beat them. Remember what happened to Peter Windsor when he so desperately wanted to start up an American Formula 1 team? He never came close to making it. No doubt about it, Formula 1 is a complete mess the way they treat newcomers compared to any other motorsport.
 
I admit I don't get to follow that nearly as well. That's why I was surprised by it. F1 is like an outlaw gang; once you're in, you can't leave, and you must pay your protection money, I guess.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: Garak
Certainly, but what consequences happen if they want to resume? Bernie nearly had a stroke when Manor wanted to miss the first race of the season some time ago, and they simply didn't miss.


I don't think you can compare the NHRA to Formula 1 in that regard. People come and go from the NHRA all the time. Others like Chris Karamesines, have run limited schedules for years. You show up, and if your car passes tech and you qualify, you can race. It's open to most anyone in that regard. Formula 1 is so intertwined with rules and politics it's 2 year process to just TRY to get in...... Assuming you have a few hundred million just lying around, waiting to spend to come in near the bottom, or else dead last. AND you can convince someone to sell you engines, chassis, etc. That are all slow enough so you won't beat them. Remember what happened to Peter Windsor when he so desperately wanted to start up an American Formula 1 team? He never came close to making it. No doubt about it, Formula 1 is a complete mess the way they treat newcomers compared to any other motorsport.


And they don't treat people who want to put on F1 races any better.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Certainly, but what consequences happen if they want to resume?


As already mentioned, if someone comes along and buys BVR, they could be back running right away. There are some strict rules and regulations for competing in the NHRA, but not nearly as draconian as in F1.

As for why Bob packed it in, he stated his reasons in the first linked article. It takes a lot of money to run a successful team. If the money stream slows to a trickle or dries up, it's not hard to call it a day. Especially with missed family time, and the reality of ones own mortality being brought to the fore.

I can't fault him for his decision.
 
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