So I returned from another busy weekend of racing to discover (thanks to the Internet) what many in the NASCAR media have been fronting for weeks; that all of NASCAR is finally starting to implode! OH MY GOD! WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! SAVE YOURSELVES! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!
A quick look around the Internet today and you would have seen the following headlines: RCR is dropping to two teams, Kasey Kahne will be in a Toyota by August, Toyota is pulling their support from the NNS and CWTS, Red Bull is leaving Toyota, and there could be spec engines coming to the NNS and CWTS.
Whew! That’s some scary stuff. Until you actually read what was said by the important people.
Richard Childress actually said he plans on having four teams next year, but some sponsorship stuff is still up in the air. The Shell and Jack Daniels deals need to be renewed, but even if they aren’t, it’s not necessarily the end of the line for the #29 and #07 teams.
Lee White (head of TRD Operations) denied the Kasey Kahne rumor, but even if he’s lying, there are too many moving parts here. Something smells fishy. Why would an organization build Toyota’s for one team, and Dodge’s for the other three? I know the COTs are similar, but there are some differences. I’m just not seeing the logic here.
Also, while a cutback may be coming for next season, Toyota has no plans to change its involvement in the NNS and NCWTS for 2009. And it appears that only Detroit is interested in the spec engine program, as the story itself says NASCAR executives have shown little interest.
And finally, I don’t understand why Red Bull would walk away from Toyota and its funding to self fund a Chevrolet alliance through Hendrick Motorsports. Red Bull’s problems have less to do with Toyota and more to do with what is going on inside Red Bull. Getting Hendrick horsepower isn’t going to solve that, and it’s going to cost them some serious coin to switch.
So, now that we know the world isn’t ending, can somebody please tell me what the hell is going on? Maybe we are part of the problem (feel free to say if we are), but I feel like a lot of these Internet writers are trying to either fabricate a silly season or scare people out of their minds.
Comparing the last few years, this season has been pretty light on free agent rumblings (sans Martin Truex Jr.), and the economy continues to be a major factor in the future of many teams, but these “almost” stories are crazy. I understand that some of these sites depend on big traffic numbers, but creating a story where there is no story seems wrong.
And this might not be a new thing, but I don’t know when it became news for somebody like Tony Stewart to come out and say that if the situation were right, he’d add a third team for next year. Couldn’t you really say that about every team?
”This just in: Robby Gordon may be a four car team in 2010 if three funded drivers approach him before February.”
Gimme a break.
Is the sport struggling some? Yes. Are the manufacturer cutbacks going to hurt the teams? Yes. Is it tougher then ever to find sponsors? Yes. Are teams going to have to get creative to fight through this tough time? Yes. Are we going to lose a few teams? Yes.
But, even though many will try and convince you otherwise, is the end near? No.
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on Jun 22nd, 2009 at 10:59 pm
TC – the funny thing is that most of those stories came from a couple of different sources…usually well respected, mainstream media types…not you wacko, independent blogger types!
on Jun 22nd, 2009 at 11:59 pm
”This just in: Robby Gordon may be a four car team in 2010 if three funded drivers approach him before February.”
Gimme a break.
TC, you rock, I love this comment
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Robby Gordon’s expanding? Yeeeehaw, I can’t wait to tell everyone at work today!!! Be sure to watch tonight for an update!!!!!!
I love a good Internet rumor.
Speaking of Robby Gordon (and completely changing the subject): What a brilliant paint scheme last weekend at Sonoma! Half Menards, half Beam. Seriously brilliant.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 8:02 am
Also saw that EGR may be switching to Toyota. What’s next Hendrick switches to Ford, Rousch to Chevy??
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 am
See what happens when Kyle Busch doesn’t act up?!
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
No, T.C., the sky is not falling on NASCAR. But the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies are going to cause some more turmoil.
I do find it interesting that RCR and RPM were told to send in cure letters to the bankruptcy court (meaning the factory money has stopped), while Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske were pretty much told to stay the course.
That’s how it works in downsizing. If they want to keep you around, a nod and a wink is as good as a signed contract. But if you have to ask about your status and are told to formally submit your inquiry in writing – that is not an encouraging sign.
I imagine that if Dodge and Chevy stay in NASCAR, they will look to duplicate Ford’s business model of centering their factory support around one primary organization (Roush-Fenway), who in turn, would feed their satellites (Yates & HOF).
As for Toyota, they are probably watching this chaos go on, just like we are. It appears that they are in no hurry to react. But that being said, I don’t think NASCAR wants a single factory presence dominating the NNS and CTS next year.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 11:22 am
NASCAR needs to humble up. Good things happen to good people, and vice versa.
PS
Carl Long is 10% the way to his goal. Would’nt it be kewl if our donations paid that BS fine off, and he was racing again THIS YEAR: ) That would send a signal to NASCAR that we are in this for fun, and the little guy is part of that..
http://www.carl-long.com/donations.htm
PPS
I am NOT affiliated, in anyway way, with anyone in NASCAR, or Carl Long. I was just a fan who got fed up with the NASACR black bag politics. I put my money where my mouth is. I am still on boycott until they fix this, I hope they do it before the sky hits the ground. The road race was always a fav of mine, and I missed it, but F1 filled the void.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
[...] The NASCAR Insiders: What In The (Expletive) Is Going On?!?! I was about to give a roundup of all the rumors going around all of a sudden about the world ending in NASCAR and encouraging calm and care before panicking, but the NASCAR Insiders beat me to it. So, instead of summarizing everything that is SUPPOSEDLY going on, go here. NOW. [...]
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Bless you.
I just got home from Sonoma and the thrill of watching Kasey win (he’s won the two races I’ve attended! Wonder what the odds of that are?) only to read that RPM is imploding and Kasey will be in a Toyota in three weeks.
Huh?
I don’t know what to think or who to believe anymore. I’m not sure if Nascar has gone nuts or just the world around it.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 3:27 pm
”This just in: Robby Gordon may be a four car team in 2010 if three funded drivers approach him before February.”
Car being the word in your quote, Robby is already a three car team for Dakar, 4 by Feb 2010, I would say that is very possible.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 pm
The King was just on Dave Moody’s Sirius show and admitted RPM was in discussion with Toyota.
That said he also said he had no knowledge where the team would be the remainder of ‘09 and next year.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Considering that Dodge is imploding rapidly, I can easily see the RPM rumors as being true, with some very poor attempts at damage control happening. The rest seems to be nothing more than speculation and rumormongering.
on Jun 23rd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Ge the fact right, The King stated (Quote) We are in discussions with everybdy, this is a cotract years and we will talk to anyone who wants to talk to us. No I don’t know where we will be next year, right now were talking with Dodge. That is the quote from the King on the Dave Moody show on Sirrus.
(LOL) yea Robby is going to have Nelson Piqkay and Arero Senna as drivers too. Xcuse the spelling (LOL) thats funny.
on Jun 24th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
stevec, so if facts are wrong wouldn’t be instructive to point out the error would it not?
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
LOL at Robby expanding to 4 cars.
RE: RCR – I knew JD was up this year, and the team swap was supposedly to improve Casey’s performance to get them to re-sign, but Shell being up doesn’t make sense – why extend Harvick through 2010 if there’s no sponsor on board?
The Kasey only to Toyota in ‘09 makes less sense than anything – the logistics of it would be a horror – especially if their other teams stay as Dodge. It’s one thing to favor him with the newer engine, since I’m sure Bud is putting a lot of money into that program, but to switch manufacturers mid-season is just too strange to be believed. LOL – that probably means it’s true.
Red Bull to Chevy makes no sense either. Toyota is the only manufacturer not having financial difficulty. Why bolt when they’re first starting to see success? They’re 3rd on the food chain at Toyota right now. Moving to Chevy, they would be 2nd or 3rd tier as a satellite – not manufacturer supported, but satellite team behind SHR and possibly JR Motorsports if they move up to Cup. Why do that when they’re still improving every year?
Maybe all these rumors had something to do with everyone being out in Wine Country? LOL