Global Rallycross CEO Colin Dyne spoke at Tuesday’s Racing and Performance Forum Panel, held at the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. During his 10-minute speech, Dyne spoke to the established strengths of the sport, as well as the immediate future of the series.
“I’ve been involved in building many brands,” began Dyne, whose work with William Rast included a victory in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with Dan Wheldon and a licensing partnership with Danica Patrick. “I see fashion, sports, and all these elements fusing together as one.”
Dyne was one of eight speakers on the panel, which also included representatives from all three major American automakers, multiple racing series, and technical partners. The two-hour panel featured videos and presentations, the subjects of which ranged from technological innovation to safety to building and elevating brands. For Global Rallycross, one of the key points was the sport’s growing and desirable fanbase.
“Our fanbase is young, it’s dynamic, and that’s the demographic that everybody is looking for,” Dyne commented. “Our superstars—we call them action sports heroes—create their own worlds. They have conversations with their fans every day… (and) what’s interesting in our sport is that we’ve shown virality in the social world, and really taken off in that aspect.”
Dyne also spoke to the extensive manufacturer support within the series. “Manufacturers play a big role in supporting the series,” he noted. “We have great support from Ford, Subaru, and Dodge. Hyundai is looking at coming back into the series next here, and will be racing this weekend. MINI will also be here with us, and we have a couple of manufacturers that will be joining us as well next year.”
Dyne concluded his presentation by announcing the series’ new partnership with Red Bull, which will see the energy drink join the series as title sponsor in a multi-year deal, and confirming that a 10-race schedule will be announced in the near future.
