MONOZCA during the May 9 driver’s briefing. Photo by Tessa R. Salazar
No races allowed, only solo runs.
Heather Lutz, vice president for sales and marketing of the Nascar Racing Experience, bared in an e-mail to Inquirer Motoring that their final agreement with businessman Paul Monozca was just for a racing experience, not an actual race.
Monozca, under his Monozca Foundation, recently organized the so-called “Nascar RaceEx World Circuit Cup 2013” which supposedly would have put into actual race competition a five-man contingent from the Philippines with 12 other countries around the 250,000-seater Charlotte race oval.
The race, which was supposedly scheduled for May 10, never happened supposedly because of miscommunication problems between Monozca and Nascar Experience. Monozca later said he has arranged for the trip’s return to Charlotte fully funded by the program.
In an e-mailed response to Monozca’s lengthy statement, which was published in full in Inquirer Motoring, Lutz said: “Nascar Racing Experience in no way ever misled Paul. We never promised a race—we sold him a racing experience and shared great detail via e-mail. Nascar Racing Experience is a racing experience, not a race,” said Lutz.
NASCAR driver Mark Green of the US team and A1GP driver Denis Lian of Singapore. Photo by Tessa R. Salazar
In the presence of Philippine racers and this writer, Lutz stressed on May 10 that she had clarified in various e-mails and phone conversations with Monozca that her program could not conduct races, only solo runs, and that Monozca didn’t have the rights to use the Nascar Racing Experience logo.
Derik Crotts, general manager of Rev Racing, also clarified with the Inquirer that there were no formal agreements reached, but only proposals.
“There was a proposal to Mr. Monozca to train and race up to four drivers for a single race event. There were two additional proposals to individual drivers for a more detailed program that involves up to 12 races in varying series. These are stand-alone proposals between Rev Racing and the parties involved. They are not part of or associated with any other corporate entity or program. At this point, they are merely proposals and no formal agreements have been reached with any party.”
Stefano Marcelo, one of the five Filipino racers, told the Inquirer “I don’t believe that the Nascar Race Experience scammed or fooled Paul. On the e-mails it clearly states that Lutz said that there wasn’t ever going to be a race. We saw it numerous times and it can’t be put clearer than ‘there cannot be a 30-minute race.’ She made it clear that they were not a racing outfit, but an experience. (They were) not even a racing school. Their outfit caters mainly to corporate events.
CHARLOTTE Motor Speedway remains to be a dream for race car drivers in the Philippines. Photo by Tessa R. Salazar
Another member of the Philippine contingent, Carlos Anton, told Inquirer Motoring: “For now, I really have to wait and see until after May 27. If the checks clear and everybody is paid back by Mr. Monozca, then I guess intentions were good, but the plans simply fell apart for Monozca. If nobody gets paid back then you already know what it is.”
Asked to comment on Nascar Race Experiences’ statements, Paul Monozca told Inquirer Motoring in an e-mail: “Please refer to my official statement issued to the Inquirer and Philippine Star (last May 15). This is the last time I will answer this issue. Thank you,” he said.