Jim Campbell

U.S. Vice President of Marketing, Chevrolet, Chevrolet (General Motors)

GM’s Racing Domination: Jim Campbell on 2024 Wins | EXCLUSIVE Interview

🎥 Dec 05, 2024 📺 EPARTRADE ⏱ 39m 👁 416 views

Jim Campbell, Vice President of GM Performance & Motorsports, celebrates GM’s incredible 2024 motorsports season in this exclusive interview at EPARTRADE’s 5th Annual Race Industry Week. From sweeping NASCAR championships to dominating globally in IMSA, IndyCar, NHRA, and Supercars, GM is setting the pace for innovation and success on the track. 🌟 Key Highlights: Chevrolet’s clean sweep in NASCAR Manufacturer’s Championships Cadillac and Corvette Z06 GT3.R expansion in IMSA and WEC for 2025 IndyCar milestones, including Josef Newgarden’s back-to-back Indy 500 wins Record-breaking performance...

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Transcript (40 segments)

Interviewer0:06

Jim, welcome back. Motorsports is hugely important to General Motors through Chevrolet and Cadillac brands. It's been another excellent year. Let's start with NASCAR – for the second straight year Chevy swept the manufacturers' title in all three series. 15 Cup wins including Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400, Xfinity victory powered by Justin Allgaier's driver championship, and 12 truck wins. How gratifying is that?

Jim Campbell1:15

It was an intense year. I'm really proud of all our teams across all three series. Sweeping the manufacturers' championship two years in a row is very special – it's a key goal every year. The teams did their jobs, put wins on the board, and utilized our technical center in Charlotte with driver-in-the-loop simulators, data analytics, and other tools. We didn't get the Cup driver championship, but Justin Allgaier finally delivered one for JR Motorsports, which was awesome.

Interviewer4:29

You mentioned the Cup champion didn't come from GM. How frustrating is it to win most of the battles but not the war with the greatest prominence?

Jim Campbell5:02

No doubt. Winning the manufacturers' championship is a top priority, but we also want to support our teams to win races and get to the final race in Phoenix. When you don't win, it's motivation for the next year. You can see William Byron winning the Daytona 500 and Justin Allgaier's win. It's frustrating but Motorsports is about how you react when you don't win – that's as important as celebrating when you do.

Interviewer6:19

Sticking with frustrations, the Cadillac V-Series.R was often the fastest in IMSA this year – six poles but only two wins. Is that just the nature of endurance racing?

Jim Campbell6:58

Great question. Six poles and nine races, two wins, second in the championship – we think a lot about how to improve. There's no off-season. For next year, Action Express will race with Cadillac in IMSA, Wayne Taylor Racing returns, so we'll have three cars in IMSA. In the WEC, Team Jota will have two entries, so five total. We're preparing now and excited about the year ahead.

Interviewer8:46

The GTP class has been reintroduced with a lot of excitement. Has the hypercar lived up to the hype?

Jim Campbell9:19

I think so. When Cadillac won the championship in 2013, that was special. Now more manufacturers and teams are entering both IMSA and WEC. The racing is incredible. Attendance at races is up, fan response online and on TV is amazing. This could be the best time in sports car racing. We want to do better next year, but we're super excited about it.

Interviewer11:12

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a fast and sexy car. Having two full-time entries again in GTD Pro, and expanding to DXDT in GTD, does that take extra commitment?

Jim Campbell11:52

Great question. With the convergence to GT3 globally, there's incredible competition. We're on track to meet production requirements. Teams like Pratt Miller, AWA, TF Sport, and DXDT will run our cars in IMSA, WEC, Asian Le Mans, GT World Challenge America, and the British series. We had teething issues with the new car early on but gained momentum. Year two should be strong.

Interviewer13:44

One big story for DXDT is Robert Wickens. Are there many modifications to make the Corvette compliant for his unique needs?

Jim Campbell14:19

Yes, there are modifications. Robert contacted us, and our team found a way to put the program together. We're super proud and excited to see him debut next year.

Interviewer15:01

Do you expect the Z06 GT3.R to compete for GT3 titles in 2025?

Jim Campbell15:11

That's definitely a goal. Corvette has been strong since 1999, and we now operate as a factory support effort. We aim to compete for team, driver, and manufacturers' championships in both IMSA and WEC. Year two of the car should be stronger.

Interviewer16:33

Moving to NHRA – a magnificent year for Chevrolet. Austin Prock wins Funny Car championship in his rookie season with eight wins and a record 341.50 mph. And Greg Anderson wins Pro Stock. How proud are you?

Jim Campbell17:33

So proud of Austin and John Force Racing. Austin was focused and had an incredible season – eight wins, brought home the championship. He's got a race edge. Also proud of Jack Beckman stepping in for John Force and finishing second. Greg Anderson, sixth championship all with GM products. Great year in NHRA.

Interviewer19:44

In Supercars, 16 wins for Chevy versus 8 for Ford, and a one-two in the championship. The GM-Ford clash seems more polarized with only two manufacturers. Does it feel special?

Jim Campbell20:30

The Chevrolet-Ford rivalry goes back decades. Triple Eight did an amazing job. We worked on homologation, powertrain, durability, and efficiency. It was special. When we wound down Holden, we decided to stay, and it gave the series momentum. Toyota entering in 2026 is a good sign.

Interviewer22:03

Camaro has triumphed in NASCAR, NHRA, and Supercars. What can you share about the future of this beloved nameplate in motorsports?

Jim Campbell22:20

There are still Camaros in dealerships and on track. We're working on what could be next, but nothing to announce yet. In the meantime, we'll continue running Camaro in most series.

Interviewer22:51

Chevrolet's ninth manufacturers' crown in IndyCar since the 2.2L engine came in 2012. The highlight must be Josef Newgarden's second straight Indy 500 win, plus the top eight cars were Chevy-powered. Is that right?

Jim Campbell23:33

That was special. Chevrolet has a deep history in IndyCar – Louis Chevrolet himself raced there. To have that many Chevrolets qualifying and finishing is very special. We didn't get the drivers' championship, so that's on our list for 25.

Interviewer25:20

You must be gratified by the addition of the hybrid unit in IndyCar, especially how seamless it was.

Jim Campbell25:36

It was a team effort between Chevrolet, Ilmor, HRC, and the series. We're fierce competitors but we came together to lift the series. The hybrid system ran really well. It was a positive step, and they'll likely look for more power down the road.

Interviewer26:54

Do you agree with IndyCar's approach, giving a small power boost now with potential to replace push-to-pass later?

Jim Campbell27:14

Yes, it's a great first step. In the LMDh cars, the hybrid system is unique – you leave pit lane under electric power and fire up the V8. That sound is special. I think there could be another step for IndyCar in the future.

Interviewer28:14

How satisfying is it that Cadillac has been given the green light by future F1 rivals to join in 2026?

Jim Campbell28:34

F1's growth is incredible, especially in North America. It's been a long journey, and we have the support of FOM and now it goes to the FIA. We've been preparing at our technical centers in Charlotte, Silverstone, and Indiana. We committed to a power unit near the end of the decade. It's the pinnacle of motorsports and a chance to demonstrate our engineering expertise.

Interviewer30:11

Congratulations, Jim. Magnificent year for GM. Best of luck in 2025.

Jim Campbell30:22

Thank you. It's a team effort with Dr. Eric Warren, Josh Wilson, Patrick Canup, Mark Steel, Matt Borland, and many others. Thanks for having us on again.

Narrator31:03

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