2012 MCMA boycott

The 2012 MCMA boycott was the response by the Master Cup Manufacturers' Association and its teams to its requests for provisional starting grid spots for the marquee races in the 2012 TM Master Cup season being denied by series officials.

Origin

 * Main article: Master Cup Manufacturers' Association

The origin of the boycott came from the group's original request to have provisional places on the starting grid for the 2012 Karjala Grand Prix. On the day of the start of prequalifying, the appeal for allowing provisional places on the grid to manufacturer teams was denied. The MCMA reportedly requested that the top 10 manufacturer cars not already in the race be given positions 33-42 on the grid.

"Who in their right mind would have granted that?" TM Master Cup president Terry Schoffner stated to the media. "It was too late for that decision to have been made anyway."

Schoffner's timing with the MCMA appeal angered many on both sides of the debate. Under TM Master Cup series rules, the qualifying procedure may not be altered without unanimous consent of all participating teams after the final practice session. Schoffner scheduled the MCMA hearing to take place after the final practice session.

"The officials didn't even give the MCMA a fair chance," FLASH Racing co-owner Frank Lawrence said. "I'm not sure I agree with the tactics there, they seemed pretty unfair."

Rebuffed, the MCMA reiterated its request for provisionals, this time, for the Round of Indianapolis. This time, the request also came with a threat: grant our request or we sit out the Round of Michigan.

Official response
The response to the threat from TM Master Cup officials, and league president Terry Schoffner in particular, was stern. Schoffner, in a public statement made after the Round of Wales, said that any team that boycotted the 2012 Round of Michigan would lose its guaranteed entry for the 2013 season. "Show up and race, or have your entries for next season revoked. Not a difficult concept to understand," he said. "They'll sort out what they want to do, but they will act like adults or they won't get to race next season. I'm not too sure what their complaint is, really. The series is going back to what it was in 2001 and I thank all of our supporters for that."

Schoffner stated that three manufacturers had already pledged their support for the series, but he would not reveal who they were. Most believe that those three manufacturers are Calton-Morel, Gessler, and Volpi (whose status as a true manufacturer has always been in considerable doubt since it came to the series in 2009, making it doubtful that Volpi qualifies as a manufacturer).

Hodges-Walter Racing owners Alan Hodges and Carl Walter came out in public defense of Schoffner. Both Hodges and Walter cited the TM Master Cup series rulebook as their defense.

"The rules say that in order to change the qualifying procedure, at least 85% (rounded up) of all teams must support the measure." Hodges said. "Carl and I are not going to just hand a bunch of teams an advantage just because of a badge on their cars. Not many of them look much like they do in the dealerships anyway, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"Gessler and Volpi have informed us that they will not allow select teams to be given provisionals for Indy, so that's enough opposition. Both Gessler and Volpi appear to be doing just fine on the track... I know the MCMA teams aren't really a threat to us." Walter stated.

Cyril Volpi was considerably more scathing and cynical when interviewed.

"Saar has enough teams to block any rules change that might harm them, which is the only reason they let BlackDiamond Racing exist in the first place. BDR uses a Saar engine, anyone with eyes can tell you that." Volpi said during a phone conversation. "Isn't it amusing how a rule that the spoiled Detroit brats put into place now comes back to get them? I'm sad that it's going to cost some people their jobs and their drives, but I'm not surprised or saddened. The series doesn't need teams owned by brats anyway."

Carl Richter of Gessler Richter had very little to say when asked for comment.

"We at Gessler Richter will be racing at the Round of Michigan and we will defend the rules as they were at the start of the season. That is all I have to say."

As of now, only Hodges-Walter Racing, Gessler Richter, Volpi Racing Team, Team EFR, and Scuderia Tutino have confirmed they will go racing at the Round of Michigan. All four Independent's Trophy cars are also preparing to run as well.

After Schoffner's initial comments, other teams and drivers weighed in on the situation. Power Steering, Incorporated boss William Power, whose team was not suggested to be part of the MCMA, said, "We have every intention on being there, depending on what Tonare decides, that is. I don't see the reason for all the hubbub myself. I'm of the opinion that if another team or manufacturer is faster than you – then work on your own stuff to improve it and better your own organization. All this does is light a fire under us at PSI and make us even more determined to not only close the gap, but to surpass them eventually. Besides, we joined in the tire wear protest at the 2009 Round of Texas a few years back and a fat lot of good that did. I didn't want to, but Inglesby kind of made us. I vowed not to make that mistake again. Race teams race. Let's get on with it."

Star Team Nemoto driver Tom Delgado said, "I feel bad for my fellow drivers who are being put in this situation where they will lose a paycheck and potentially a chance to run in the future. Really wish they would have gotten this done sooner and not left it all on the line here," Delgado said of the situation. "Nevertheless, I will be at the West Midland Bullring, hopefully to take part in a race that I won last year. If we have to sit out, there will be a ton of angry drivers in the back who won't take kindly to having their paychecks and their careers ripped from them. They will be vocal, and then we'll see what's gonna happen."

Other drivers, including Blake Camphausen, Kraig Mummert, and Ryan Matthews also expressed optimism that the boycott wouldn't happen. Mummert was especially vocal, saying, "I have a wife who is due to give birth to our first child, a son, in about six, seven weeks. I need to race at Michigan to keep money flowing into the checking account for some last-minute stuff before the birth. This boycott is ridiculous. We need to race because it's what the fans want to see. They don't care about all the closed-door politics; they want to watch a race."

Matthews, who was on record as supporting the MCMA earlier in the season, said the disagreement changed his mind. "I used to think the MCMA had a point in this whole thing. I don't anymore," he said. "This saber-rattling has to stop, because it isn't doing anyone any good. And it's the drivers - and by extension, the fans - who are the innocent parties in all of this. I've read about Texas, and this could be many times worse. I just hope cooler heads prevail and we can go racing."

They did not.

The boycott
Inklings of action by the MCMA came via Dan Mullen's Twitter account, where he reported that Majestic Motorsports, one of the MCMA teams (and, interestingly, the team Matthews drives for), would skip Michigan because "they can't afford to run and the fine for missing the race is smaller than if they parked." He also added, "... anyone buying that excuse???"

Then the official word came down: the MCMA's request was denied.

As a result, the MCMA made good on its threat and announced it would indeed boycott Michigan. "We can no longer tolerate the continued attacks on the stars and cars that have made the series what it has become," a statement from the MCMA said. "In order to express the severity of the impact rules changes have had on our business, we have decided to boycott the Michigan race of this season. We hope that series organizers and fans learn that our participation is necessary to ensure a more stable long-term future for the TM Master Cup series."

Teams that were initially listed as boycotting the race included Team Saar USA, Mitchell & Sons Racing, BlackDiamond Racing, FLASH Racing, Owen DeGarmo Enterprises, Xenos Racing, Majestic Motorsports, and Star Team Nemoto. Mysteriously, however, Star Team Nemoto's name was wiped from the list several hours later, with neither the MCMA or Star Team Nemoto commenting on it.

None of the seven teams that are boycotting the race sold their entries for the Round of Michigan, which meant that the race only featured 22 cars. As a result, they have, as Schoffner promised, lost their guaranteed entries for the 2013 season. (Three of the teams, Mitchell & Sons, BlackDiamond, and Star Team Nemoto, did indeed make it onto on the 2013 grid.)

The announcement sent the entire paddock into turmoil, with PSI offering its third and fourth cars to Delgado and Leonid Roderick in an effort to keep the drivers in the field, but Delgado politely declined after Star Team Nemoto pulled out of the MCMA, and opted to take Michigan and the next round, the Round of Quebec, off so he may have some work done on his back and be 100% for the rest of the season. Mitchell & Sons driver Scott Steudler explored the option of entering his own car for the race, and also going on record against the MCMA's decision.

"I am highly disappointed in the MCMA's decision to boycott Michigan. What they are essentially doing is screwing over the fans, and I cannot support that at all. If this means being kicked out of my ride, so be it. I have Hershey's backing on whatever I do, and I will do whatever legally possible to field an entry for Michigan, if for the fans, and my family that come to see me race at Michigan."

Vijay Pushanda, whose team, Scuderia Tutino, was not part of the boycott, was more concerned with drivers – specifically, Steudler, according to rumors – buying his ride. Pushanda said, "You can't not be worried, I live to race, and now I feel like I might not be a part of the Round of Michigan. I have kept my silence on the MCMA issue because I really don't know the details of the issue. Whatever happens, happens, if I do lose my ride, I hopefully can jump back to my ARLA car, however I will take all offers from any TM Master Cup Series team if my ride were to be taken. We here at Tutino have a great group of guys and girls working for us, and I would hate to turn my back on it."

Steudler later announced on his Twitter that he would be indeed driving for Tutino for two races, but in the No. 50 car usually run by Dan Mackay.

Lance Andrews reported that the Mitchell & Sons were "pulled into the MCMA against their will, heard Thomas Mitchell say he'll never work with Saar again."

The fallout wasn't limited to teams. Michael Sykes took to his Twitter account and complained: "Don't worry #theysaid, we're going to race no matter what happens #theysaid, we'll see you in the pit lane #theysaid we'll let you know if anything changes #theysaid #lovingtheteamworkguys".

An olive branch: The Round of New York

 * Main article: 2012 Round of New York

After the boycotted Michigan race, various reports confirmed that there were negotiations for a TM Master Cup series race on the streets of New York City, a date that currently belonged to Champ Car. The New York race organizers had been keen to have the TM Master Cup series race during the Champ Car weekend, however both sanctioning bodies were initially hesitant. Talk of the race happening died out for a while, but those rumors resurfaced after American Le Mans cancelled its support race, slated for Saturday.

Champ Car gave the green light for a TM Master Cup series event that was proposed by the owners of Mitchell & Sons Racing and Majestic Motorsports. Mitchell and Majestic's proposed race will be open only to the MCMA teams that boycotted the Round of Michigan plus select representatives from other manufacturer teams. TM Master Cup series supremo Terry Schoffner confirmed his interest in a New York race, saying that it was a fair way to make amends to the sponsors and fans of the teams that boycotted Michigan.

"I'll talk to Thomas and the DuClare family and we will see what can be worked out with the MCMA and the other teams." Schoffner said. "It's hard to make everyone happy, but I know New York loves its motorsport and it loves the companies and brands that weren't able to run Michigan."

Prior to the 2012 Round of Wisconsin, the TM Master Cup Series sanctioning body agreed to the race, as Mitchell and BlackDiamond Racing boss Mike Rossiter presented Schoffner with a multi-year deal to race on the streets of New York. The first running of the reincarnated Round of New York would only comprise the teams that boycotted Michigan.

"The sponsors of the MCMA teams were paramount with the negotiations for this race. Without pressure from them to run our cars in 20 races, we would not have been able to put this deal together." Mitchell said in the press release. "I understand many of the grievances that my fellow competitors will have, and I understand many of them, but I think today the MCMA has demonstrated here that we can give the TM Master Cup series an event in one of the grandest locations ever."

Reaction
However, the deal Mitchell and Rossiter were able to organize with the TM Master Cup series drew considerable ire from other teams in the paddock.

"It's not the way I would get us into New York," Cyril Volpi, head of the Volpi Racing Team said during practice for the 2012 Round of Wisconsin. "I understand why Tom Mitchell and Mike Rossiter did it, though. After what the MCMA pulled at Michigan I don't think Schoffner would have taken anyone but them seriously. I know Mitchell and BlackDiamond were the two teams that really suffered from the whole MCMA deal."

Volpi expressed his opinions on why the Round of New York will actually take place. "Saar and Inglesby wanted this race pretty badly. Saar I think wants to go out on a high note, while Inglesby I think wants to restore its image to the fans. I can't speak for the rest of the manufacturers, but 14 cars is kind of a sorry sight, isn't it?"

Carl Richter, co-owner of Gessler Richter MC Team, was quoted as saying that the Round of New York was "better put off for next season". Team Saar USA boss Peter Keyes, no stranger to controversy, was quick to defend the New York race, saying, "The New York fans are robbed of two potentially great races with the GT and sports car categories pulling out. I personally thank Thomas Mitchell and Mike Rossiter, as well as the DuClare family for thinking of the New York fans while also taking into consideration the participants and their sponsors."