The Race Team Alliance is a 501 Delaware not-for-profit business organization that consists of 14 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams as of 2018. The RTA is intended to increase revenues and budget efficiency for NASCAR Cup Series 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. It was established on July 7, 2014 and then comprised nine teams. The current 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, led by Richard Petty. Shortly after a boycott of the 1969 Talladega 500 over track conditions the union disbanded. 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.
Formation of the RTA
In 2014, the top race teams in the sport created the Race Team Alliance. 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 calling it the "worst thing we could ever do". NASCAR, through president Mike Helton, assured the media that there is no animosity between the RTA and the sanctioning body.
Actions
In May 2018, The Race Team Alliance named Jonathan S. Marshall as its first Executive Director. Now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Marshall was formerly World Surf League's chief operating officer, and was recruited for the role by executive search firm RSR Partners. Marshall’s previous experience also includes spells with USA Today Sports Media Group and Westwood One, the New York-based mass media company. “The RTA has matured to a point where its board and members determined it was time to have a full-time executive who wakes upevery day thinking of how to move the collective interests of the RTA member teams forward,” said Robert Kauffman, co-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing and chairman of the RTA. “During the process of finding our new executive director, we were fortunate to have met with a number of highly qualified and talented individuals which made our decision that much more difficult. Ultimately, we selected a candidate who had a range of experience across sports, intellectual property and media rights, operations and sponsorship. I think Jonathan’s diverse background will be a big boost to the organization.” “I’m a race fan, first and foremost”, added Marshall, “and I’ve been impressed by what the RTA has been able to accomplish in its short history. It shows the strength of the teams working together on common goals. “There is no doubt that stock car racing, like all major sports, is evolving and working on new ways to engage their fans in deep and meaningful ways. I am beyond thrilled to have been selected as the RTA’s executive director and am looking forward to working with all of the member teams and other industry stakeholders to advance the sport of stock car auto racing.”
Charter system
In advance of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, the RTA played an integral role in forming an agreement between NASCAR and the various NASCAR Cup Series competitors 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 Cup Series teams that had been active in a full-time capacity since at least the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. There are a total of 36 charters, and a new total starting field in each race of 40 providing four "open" spots on the weekly race grid. Failure to field a car results in the loss 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 apiece to Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart Haas Racing.
