Race Team Alliance

Race Team Alliance (RTA)
Founded 2014 (2014)
Members 15 (see below)
Key people
Office location Charlotte, North Carolina
Country United States
Website raceteamalliance.com

The Race Team Alliance (RTA) is a coalition of 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams in a business association intended to as a single entity increase revenues and budget efficiency for Sprint Cup organizations, as well as to make promotional deals, attract sponsors, market the sports teams and drivers and to present and work with NASCAR in a single voice. The organization is seen to many as a union involving the teams. It was established on July 7, 2014 and was then comprised nine teams. The chairman of the RTA is Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing, one of the teams that is part of the RTA.

History

NASCAR and union-like organizations

NASCAR has always in the past had a negative view of and has resisted union like organizations and the formation of them, in 1969, NASCAR stars formed the PDA (Professional Driver Association), led by Richard Petty. After a boycott of the 1969 Talladega 500 over track conditions the union disbanded shortly after. NASCAR pioneers Curtis Turner and Tim Flock were banned from the sport after trying to form a union among the drivers and get the Teamsters to represent them.[1]

Formation of the RTA

In 2014, the top race teams in the sport created the Race Team Alliance.[2] The organization structured similar to the former FOTA in Formula One.

Much like with Union like organizations of the past, NASCAR took a negative view with chairman Brian France stating that the RTA was a bad idea and that there was no need for it calling it the "worst thing we could ever do".[3] NASCAR will only deal with the RTA though attorneys as well as the International Speedway Corporation, which is controlled by the France family and owns many of the tracks that NASCAR utilizes. NASCAR though president Mike Helton assured media that there is no animosity between the RTA and the sanctioning body.[4]

Actions

Charter system

In advance of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season an agreement was made between NASCAR and the RTA on a charter system which would guarantee full-time license holders automatic entrance into every race of the season for nine years. Charters which are transferable were granted to full-time Sprint Cup Series teams that have been active in a full-time capacity since at least the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. There are a total of 36 charters total for the new total starting field of 40 providing four open spots on the weekly race grid.[5] Failure to field a car results in the losing of that charter.

This action was driven by the RTA in an effort to increase the value of the current full-time teams. Two charters granted to the since defunct Michael Waltrip Racing were sold for over a million dollars a piece to Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart Haas Racing.[6]

Members

Current members

Former members

References

  1. ↑ "Fireball Says Union Honest". Florence Morning News. Asheville, North Carolina: Berkshire Hathaway. Associated Press. August 11, 1961. p. 13. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  2. ↑ Ryan, Nate (July 7, 2014). "NASCAR's most powerful teams form Race Team Alliance". USA Today. Charlotte, North Carolina: Gannett Company. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  3. ↑ Gluck, Jeff (July 21, 2014). "NASCAR's Brian France says Race Team Alliance unnecessary". USA Today. Charlotte, North Carolina: Gannett Company. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  4. ↑ Pockrass, Bob (July 16, 2014). "Race Team Alliance must go through lawyers to communicate with NASCAR, ISC". sportingnews.com. Sporting News. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  5. ↑ Huddleston, Jr., Tom (February 10, 2016). "NASCAR Announces New Charter System in Major Structural Shake-Up". Fortune. Time Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  6. ↑ Jensen, Tom (February 9, 2016). "What are NASCAR charters worth? Team co-owner Rob Kauffman has a good idea". Foxsports.com. Fox Sports Digital Media. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
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