Just a few short years ago there were only a select number of what we call rent-a-rides (if you are not sure, a rent-a-ride is a team, usually smaller, that sells races in their equipment to the highest bidder) throughout the sport. Today it seems just about every ride fits this description.
For owners today, money often trumps talent, and if you have a lot of it, chances are you will have the opportunity. The days of teams going out and finding sponsorship and money for drivers is slowly fading away. Even at some of the sport’s largest organizations, given the right amount of money, an opportunity likely exists.
Many of these rides are in the truck series and serve a vital role, filling the often light field. Teams from Roush Fenway to TRG to Bill Davis have rent a rides as part of their operations.
Roush Fenway has the #09 team, which has had Travis Kvapil, Bobby East, John Wes Townley and Joey Clanton, behind the wheel this season. Joey Clanton began the season as the full time driver of the truck, bringing with him the Zaxby’s sponsorship from Wood Brothers/JTG. After just one race he was replaced in the truck by a slew of drivers.
Bill Davis Racing recently announced Brian Scott, whose father had earlier purchased XPress Motorsports from Dave Fuge, would be the newest driver to drive for the team. Also, TRG had Donny Lia, who has bought a ride in the Randy Moss Motorsports #81 for this weekend and next, as well as TJ Bell, who has been with the team for nine races this season.
The truck series is not alone. Fitz Motorsports, Front Row Motorsports and BAM Racing are some of the most prominent rent-a-ride teams in the Nationwide and Cup Series.
So you are probably thinking, how much is it to drive one for one of these teams? Well, the price tag can range anywhere from the low six figures to well past the million dollar mark depending on which team the deal is with and how many races the driver wants to buy.
For better or worse, these teams serve a purpose and give those with the means an opportunity to showcase their talents. Unfortunately, many of them do not have the best equipment or the greatest resources, so their benefit is not always clear.
The corporate attitude and money driven nature of the business make it almost a prerequisite to bring in your own sponsorship. This unfortunately limits the opportunities to drivers who are not well off, or well connected. In the end, though, one thing is clear, rent-a-rides are here and they are here to stay.
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on Sep 12th, 2008 at 6:03 am
In road racing circles (no pun intended) drivers that bankroll the team are known as “Gentlemen” racers. Some have developed into very competive drivers after hiring professional endurance co-drivers to coach them along the way. The pupil occasionally ends up out running the coach.