Comments on: New Teams Finding Opportunities in Down Economy http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/ A blog by insiders for outsiders Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:03:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve C http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4648 Steve C Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:47:03 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4648 TC, I agree complely and wish Tommy all the best in a tough day and time. I would really like to see some of the good ole days of small teams being successful. A my age I'm really starting to miss it. (LOL) TC, I agree complely and wish Tommy all the best in a tough day and time. I would really like to see some of the good ole days of small teams being successful. A my age I’m really starting to miss it. (LOL)

]]> By: Ross http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4646 Ross Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:50:37 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4646 Do owners ever write "do not compete" clauses into their crew contracts? (And do those even hold up in court?) Where I work, most of us can't leave to go to a competitor for 6-9 months. That would certainly help lower paying teams keep their employees. Do owners ever write “do not compete” clauses into their crew contracts? (And do those even hold up in court?) Where I work, most of us can’t leave to go to a competitor for 6-9 months. That would certainly help lower paying teams keep their employees.

]]> By: T.C. http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4644 T.C. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:42:53 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4644 Steve: I think right now a lot of good people can be had for a very fair wage. With the recent growth and the spending, I believe some people in the sport have very inflated salaries, and this season and off-season may be the market correcting itself, so to speak. As the sport recovers down the road, some salaries may come back up a little, but it won't be a big shift. The very best people in the sport will always get the best money, because people are everything. But that doesn't mean Tommy Baldwin can't continue operating a lean organization with good people. And you never know, if he has some success, he may be on track to be the next big team, and he will be able to afford those folks... Anything is possible. Steve: I think right now a lot of good people can be had for a very fair wage. With the recent growth and the spending, I believe some people in the sport have very inflated salaries, and this season and off-season may be the market correcting itself, so to speak. As the sport recovers down the road, some salaries may come back up a little, but it won’t be a big shift. The very best people in the sport will always get the best money, because people are everything. But that doesn’t mean Tommy Baldwin can’t continue operating a lean organization with good people. And you never know, if he has some success, he may be on track to be the next big team, and he will be able to afford those folks… Anything is possible.

]]> By: Steve C http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4625 Steve C Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:37:23 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4625 I complely agree with Tommy and Neon. the only way I can see a start up teams surviving is to lock in sponsor money. There is no possible way for a team to do it without sponsor money. What I find interesting is that TBR is attempting to feild a car with a total of 11 employees. I do understand his thought process of hard work, but 11 employees can only handle so much work at a time. The other item that I am impressed with is the boldness of Tommy Baldwin stating publicly that he can do it for tha much less than the other teams. I agree that the smaller teams don't require the 20 -25 million dollar sponsors, but I still think 7-12 million is required to operate and stay competive. A driver making 5 million a year plus is obscene, a crew cheif making 2-3 million is obscene. So the lower wages I agree with,,, but,,, its no different than any other business, if your good some head hunter is going to buy you with a huge increase in pay,benifits and other things. Boom the cost savings just went out the window with that employee. This low wage deal will only last a short time. TC what are your thoughts. I complely agree with Tommy and Neon. the only way I can see a start up teams surviving is to lock in sponsor money. There is no possible way for a team to do it without sponsor money. What I find interesting is that TBR is attempting to feild a car with a total of 11 employees. I do understand his thought process of hard work, but 11 employees can only handle so much work at a time. The other item that I am impressed with is the boldness of Tommy Baldwin stating publicly that he can do it for tha much less than the other teams. I agree that the smaller teams don’t require the 20 -25 million dollar sponsors, but I still think 7-12 million is required to operate and stay competive. A driver making 5 million a year plus is obscene, a crew cheif making 2-3 million is obscene. So the lower wages I agree with,,, but,,, its no different than any other business, if your good some head hunter is going to buy you with a huge increase in pay,benifits and other things. Boom the cost savings just went out the window with that employee. This low wage deal will only last a short time. TC what are your thoughts.

]]> By: Neon http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4624 Neon Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:20:53 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4624 I concur w/ Tommy above w/ regards to start-n-parks. I also hope we don't witness a flurry of 2 car teams made up of a somewhat legitimate contender and a dedicated s-n-p only used as a donor to collect starting money transfusioned into undefunded car #1. It would be sad to see 1/2 the field at only 10 laps in. Is the glass half empty of half full? Makes you wonder if a "top down commission only" team would be proof positive in Cup. Where only the strong and willing survive. I concur w/ Tommy above w/ regards to start-n-parks. I also hope we don’t witness a flurry of 2 car teams made up of a somewhat legitimate contender and a dedicated s-n-p only used as a donor to collect starting money transfusioned into undefunded car #1. It would be sad to see 1/2 the field at only 10 laps in. Is the glass half empty of half full?
Makes you wonder if a “top down commission only” team would be proof positive in Cup. Where only the strong and willing survive.

]]> By: Tommy http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4623 Tommy Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:41:13 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4623 I wish Tommy Baldwin the best, but I have my reservations. How many times have you seen a team open their doors before the season, plan to run the whole season and then wind up closing their doors in June with a lot of debt? I agree that he can run a leaner business. There are many factors now that can't be controlled, such as travel, tires, good motors, etc. If he can't obtain some limited sponsorship, he won't be able to stay around for long, even if he qualifies for every race. I hope Tommy isn't going to do a start and park. I don't think he could do that, knowing his competitiveness. I wish Tommy Baldwin the best, but I have my reservations. How many times have you seen a team open their doors before the season, plan to run the whole season and then wind up closing their doors in June with a lot of debt?

I agree that he can run a leaner business. There are many factors now that can’t be controlled, such as travel, tires, good motors, etc. If he can’t obtain some limited sponsorship, he won’t be able to stay around for long, even if he qualifies for every race.

I hope Tommy isn’t going to do a start and park. I don’t think he could do that, knowing his competitiveness.

]]> By: Steve C http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/01/07/new-teams-finding-opportunities-in-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-4622 Steve C Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:48:37 +0000 http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/?p=842#comment-4622 This is an ideal time for a start up team to enter cup as long as they can secure sponsorship. New teams like TBR don't require the huge dollars from a sponsors as long as they keep their balance sheet in the black. These teams don't require the 15-25 million dollar sponsors, They have a pool of awsome personal to pull from. They can pay a lower but decent wage, their drivers don't require a huge salary. Lower salaries with preformance based bonuses could be an ideal way to make a start up team succeed the cup world. The pool of talent is there, sponsor money is out there, you just need to find it, As stated some will survive, some won't, this will be an interesting year in NASCAR. This is an ideal time for a start up team to enter cup as long as they can secure sponsorship. New teams like TBR don’t require the huge dollars from a sponsors as long as they keep their balance sheet in the black. These teams don’t require the 15-25 million dollar sponsors, They have a pool of awsome personal to pull from. They can pay a lower but decent wage, their drivers don’t require a huge salary. Lower salaries with preformance based bonuses could be an ideal way to make a start up team succeed the cup world. The pool of talent is there, sponsor money is out there, you just need to find it, As stated some will survive, some won’t, this will be an interesting year in NASCAR.

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