NASCAR vs. RTA Alliance – Let the war begin!
The alliance of the nine biggest multicar teams in the Sprint Cup Series announced its formation July 7, and it has caused a stir in the racing community as it’s the first time the teams have aligned to work together.
Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing and chairman of the group, has said the purpose of the group is to work together to use their leverage in landing cheaper costs for common expenses such as travel, insurance and parts. It also would, when asked, serve as a collective voice of the teams, he said.
NASCAR President Mike Helton said Friday there is no animosity between the team owners and NASCAR, although NASCAR has had no conversations with Kauffman as part of the RTA.
"I wanted to dispel the perception of animosity to start with and then back that up with saying we’re going to do business as usual," Helton said Friday. "I think everybody in the garage area knows how we do our business and the role they play in it, and so we’ll continue to do it that way."
But apparently no NASCAR officials will be talking directly with the RTA. NASCAR confirmed Wednesday that in a move they say is done for legal prudence and not as a sign of animosity, it has directed that all communication between NASCAR and the RTA be done through lawyers.
After the Sporting News published a column on the RTA Tuesday saying the development is a sign of an increased lack of trust between NASCAR and the teams and vice versa, Kauffman tweeted that ISC also has issued a lawyer-only edict. Sporting News