If you watched the Nationwide race this weekend it was hard not to notice the two white Fords. Normally this paint scheme (or lack thereof) is saved for those underfunded, or unfunded programs, with little known, or older drivers. Not the case here. The teams both came out of the Roush Fenway stable and piloting the cars were two of the sport’s brightest young prospects: Colin Braun and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The sight of those unsponsored Roush cars was certainly odd. This is a team that is among the best in the garage at selling sponsorship (not so much keeping it though) and certainly one of the most competitive in the Nationwide Series.
This season the team has both of the rides in question partially funded by existing deals with Conway Freight and Citi Financial, but up to now has been unable to lock down deals to fund the cars for the whole season.
If this was just about any other organization this might be a source of concern for the drivers; think JR Motorsports, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Fortunately for these guys that’s not the case at Roush.
As odd as it may seem to see a team like Roush run without sponsorship, especially that blatantly, this is not the first time Roush has run one of its teams without a primary sponsor. Carl Edwards ran a good portion of the 2003 truck schedule without sponsorship and other Roush prospects have done the same, including Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., David Ragan, and Colin Braun.
While this may seem a lesson in how to lose money, it really says so much more.
The commitment of Jack Roush to his development program and its drivers shines through in this moment (and others like it). Few owners these days are willing to give young, untested drivers the opportunity to show what they’re made of without funding. Not Jack Roush. His commitment to drivers he sees as future stars, or at the very least worth developing further, is highly commendable.
On top of that it signals to potential sponsors Roush’s commitment to keep those teams running in spite of adversity. It says with Roush you’ll find stability and you’ll find an owner willing to put performance and future development above the almighty dollar. It says this isn’t a team that’s going anywhere.
In a world where money has become a synonym for talent, I respect Jack Roush’s willingness to find real talent without deep pockets. He’s using his fortune to help those without it, and usher in the stars of tomorrow. It’s a shame there aren’t more owners willing or able to do the same thing because, after all, isn’t this the way things ought to be?
Related posts:
- Darnell Returning To Nationwide Series
- Roush’s Continued Developmental Commitment
- Roush’s Developmental Success
- Short Tracks Rough up Roush
- McMurray Making Roush, Truex Look Bad
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on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 12:58 am
Giving young drivers an opportunity to drive is one of the things that I really respect Jack Roush for doing.
But there has to be a more efficient way of getting young drivers through the sponsorship maze so that teams like Jack Roush don’t have to run white cars.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:38 am
Terrific article. But I did bust a gut on that last line “..because, after all, isn’t this the way things ought to be?” You captured in blog form what Coca-Cola captured in its new “Buy the World a Coke” NASCAR ad. Thanks for sharing it with us. Kudos.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:45 am
I am watching the 1988 Riverside race on ESPN Classic, man, those were the days….. anyway….
IF a Winston/Sprint/Nextel Cup car owner had his car/driver win 5 races and wind up 15th in points at the end of the seaon, would they make enough money to run without any sponsors? Once again Dave Marcis white car comes to mind.
I know someone is making a lot of money selling tickets and concessions etc etc…. How is that money split up?
btw-
Do you or T.C.ever watch the old races on ESPN-C? there are some interesting looking things …. like how slow the pit stops seem to be, e.g. 4-5 pumps to jack up a car.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 11:06 am
Garry, some years ago I was cleaning out a closet and came across the program book from the 19879 Times 500, the last race of the season. The championship was down to Yarborough and Earnhardt. In the program was a picture of a Yarborough pit stop, featuring jackman/car owner/crew chief Junior Johnson slinging the jack around, wearing short sleeves. Can you imagine Roger Penske changing tires for Kurt Busch? Rick Hendrick carrying a gas can? Racing has come a ways, huh?
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Kurt Busch made his Cup debut in an all white 97 ford for roush. Jeff Burton ran an all black 99 car at Bristol in his very last season with roush. So, nothing really new.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Good stuff Doug : )
In the same race I was watching last night, and I am not sure what was going on, but at one point Rick Hendrick was driving one of the cars, but then he jumped out and they switched drivers.
Then at the end of the race there was some confusion about why/when/how the pace car came out and THE INTIMIDATOR ( never one to miss an opportunity) came screaming around to pass the leader Rusty Wallace ( who had slowed down for the pace car), but then NASCAR allowed Wallace to go back to the front, but Dale did not go quietly. As Rusty was going around Dale was revving up and into him, letting him know what was what, and who was who ( it was funny as heck) …… then as the race was ending ( 2 laps to go ) there was pushing and shoving in the corners and, as expected, THE INTIMIDATOR shoved his car forward banging and rubbing and racing, it was great racing …..it actually brought a tear to my eye… yup ….. you can say that again,
Racing has come a ways, huh?
I miss Dale too much. He was the man.
I still wonder about my question above, Is it possible in NASCAR for a car/owner/driver to make enough money by winning some races and doing well at other times, to support / continue racing without sponsor donated money?
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Garry: Jeff Gordon finished third in the points standings in 2009 and made just a tick over $8.5 million in prize money. That is not enough money to fund a competitive Cup Series entry. There is a reason why top shelf Cup sponsors are spending $20-25 million a year. And keep in mind that those large sums are used to keep the team running, but starting a new Cup team would require a substantial capital investment. When the Fenway Sports Group bought into Roush Racing a few years ago, it is believed they spent somewhere near $60 million for about half the operation.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Thanks T.C.
I guess it has become like the movie business. It seems unreal that it costs so much, but there many expenses which have become requirements to produce quality product.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Agree with you in principal about giving the young talented drivers a chance, but not too sure these two drivers are giving Roush what he wants. You forgot to mention the average finishes this season of the two cars went unsponsored. Colin Braun and Ricky Stenhouse are finishing 27th and 35th, respectively, through three weeks. I’m sure the organization went into the season thinking they would have to be patient, but why on earth would a sponsor choose to back these two drivers after these poor performances?
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Dave: I’m not sure you can judge a young driver by his finishes in three races. Jimmie Johnson, before joining Hendrick full time in 2002, only had one win in 72 career Busch Series starts. And in 19 NNS starts since joining HMS, Jimmie’s best finish is third. Stenhouse so far has one top five and two top tens in 10 career NNS starts. Braun has one top five and one top ten in 10 career NNS starts. Let’s at least give these kids a chance.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Dave- The process of driver development is not an immediate thing. If Roush or any other organization went off just a few starts, nobody would have a ride. I know it’s great to see guys go in and run well right off the bat, but it’s just not realistic. This is about building skills and improving as a driver. I think there is a strong argument to be made that both of these guys are doing that. You fail to point out in your comment too, Stenhouse was caught up in wrecks in all three of those races, and Braun in two of those races. Not a whole lot you can do about that. As TC said, give the kids a chance.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Are we talking about the same Jack Roush that walked away from his 2006 Rookie of the Year, Danny O’Quinn, due to sponsoship difficulties?
First and foremost, Mr Roush is a businessman. He was willing to buy people out of rides at Daytona due to qualifying being rained out. Maybe there is some hidden value that we are unaware of like having cars locked into the top 35 for when you finally get a sponsor.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
The reason these up and coming drivers have no funding is because everyone wants a Cup driver in their Nationwide car. Get the Cup regulars out of that series and give the sponsorships to the up and comers. Nascar is really killing its future by not kicking the Cup regulars out of their Nationwide series.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Good points both of you, and really I’m not saying that I think they should be out of a job. Like you said, they’re young. I’m more looking at it from a sponsor standpoint– you seem to be saying it would be wise to pair up with them just because Roush is doing something other owners maybe wouldn’t. Is it truly smart to start sponsoring a team that has underperformed thus far? Am I looking at it the wrong way?
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Dave: While it is certainly easier to sponsor a car when the driver is doing well, NASCAR sponsorships cannot be sold with performance promises. Nobody can predict how a team is going to finish. What you do sell is two strong race teams that stand behind two young drivers who are both personable and have a ton of talent and potentional. And remember too, with both sponsorships these drivers have, they had previously already built the relationships. Braun has been with Conway in the Truck Series for a few seasons, and Stenhouse drove a Citi sponsored NNS car in a few races last season. These companies knew what they were getting into.
And we aren’t saying that a company should sponsor these cars just because Roush is backing them. But it definitely helps that one of the more prolific owners in NASCAR’s history is behind these guys 100%; sponsored or not.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Super article. I suspect Roush would not want to, but I wonder whether NASCAR would allow an unfunded team to put on the hood something like “Need sponsor. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx?
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 2:37 pm
If it costs $20-25 mil to sponsor a fully funded cup team for one season, what is the cost for a fully funded Nationwide team? Also, what are the costs for the Truck series and Rolex Grand Am series? Just curious if anyone can shed some light on the situation.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 2:46 pm
George: I don’t really have any substantial data to back this up, but I’m guessing a competitive NNS team runs on somewhere between $5 and $10 million a year. A truck series team can run competitively on probably $1-2 million a season. For the Rolex Series, I wouldn’t even know where to start.
Richard: Haven’t teams put websites on their cars in the past for sponsorship inquiries? Didn’t Yates Racing once have sponsoryates.com on their cars?
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
I love when Robby Gordon runs his (unsponsored) black paint scheme. I look around and see a bunch of people in black t-shirts and think “Hey! Look at all these Robby Gordon fans!”
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 4:35 pm
@Erik: “Are we talking about the same Jack Roush that walked away from his 2006 Rookie of the Year, Danny O’Quinn, due to sponsoship difficulties?”
You stole my thunder bud!!! I was thinking the same but didn’t get a chance to get on here to comment. The whole situation came across to me that Danny really got screwed in that deal for more “marketable” young Roushketeers. I’m glad Danny is sticking with it though even if it is with a poor team.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 5:11 pm
T.C.: Now that you mention it, I remember the Yates website on the car, but I don’t recall its being on the hood.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 5:54 pm
I wonder what would happen in traditional stick-n-ball sports if a young Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, A-Rod or Peyton Manning had to bring personal sponsorship to their respective teams in order to partake in the action.
I can just imagine the headlines, “Colts make it to the Super Bowl, but Manning will have to watch from home as Acme Company pulls sponsorship in the 11th hour. Colts merge in $60 mil deal with Menards home improvement store and sign Paul Menard as starting QB for Super Bowl XVIIXV5V2IMM”.
Oh the outrage amongst the NFL fan base. But hey, NASCAR fans live this week in and week out.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 7:34 pm
If anyone remembers, during Jeff Burton’s last year or two at Roush he ran a plain white or black car with little or no sponsorship.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 7:37 pm
From an advertisers perspective putting anything on the hood of the car when you are looking for sponsorship would have a negative impact. Many potential sponsors not involved in the sport may not recognize that a car is potentially “available” unless they see that obvious blank space.
Even putting a website on the hood would be a bad idea as it may appear as if that’s just the website of an existing sponsor: think PENSKE or HAAS. Unless the hood clearly says “Sponsor Me” The best option would be to leave the hood blank.
Any decent marketing company would figure out how to contact the team if they were interested. Of course once they find out what a primary sponsorship costs, they often have second thoughts.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Let’s be fair. Roush has signed many, many development drivers and then left them in the lurch. Just a few years ago he promised one, who’s name escapes me now, the cup ride of Mark Martin and then yanked it at the very last moment, after the kid ran well in Bush all year.
And it was either Roush or Gibbs that shut down a Bush team while LEADING the points because of no money. I think the driver was Barrett. They then brought the team back later on without sponsorship, and a different driver. Don’t sugar coat this like they all do with convicted felon Rick Hendrick. Call a spade a spade.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Somebody already said this…Jack Roush & Geoff Smith are businessmen. Several times they have been running white cars it is because the former sponsor had financial troubles. As a part of those multi-million dollar “reorganization cost” write-offs, the sponsor paid Roush a lof it not all of the sponsorship. But due to the negative PR of closing plants, laying thousands of employees off, etc…and then still being on the car, the car is white. Think John Deere & Exide.
on Mar 2nd, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Dan- Driver development is an unsure science and unfortunately some drivers work out and some don’t. It happens. I can’t say I necessarily agree with all of Jack Roush’s driver choices (or decisions), but it’s undeniable that he’s doing a lot more than most owners. No one’s sugar coating here – and I’m not really sure where Rick Hendrick comes into play with this one, let’s try to stay on topic.
on Mar 3rd, 2010 at 12:01 am
Sorry, I don’t consider Roush an honorable man.
on Mar 3rd, 2010 at 12:38 am
Hey, I’m really not a supporter of Rick Hendrick; however, I do have sense enough to know he has done a lot for the sport!!
Get a life–lay off him for Christ sake!!!!!
John
on Mar 3rd, 2010 at 1:52 am
I wonder how / who / why decides which sponsors are shown on TV the most? I heard that NASCAR provides “TV time” (face time) stats after each race, reporting the exact amount of time each sponosr received on TV.
As a fan this is most noticeable in a race where the leader is driving a car which seems to be “out of favor” or something, becasue the camera is focusing on the the 5th-8th pace BIG NAME cars.
NASCAR races are a big rolling billboard, and they control which cars are shown and which ones are not, and it is not always based on who is leading. For instance if McDonalds is running some promtion that week, one will see a lot of that car.
THIS IS NOT CONSPIRACY, I watch the races on TV, and it is what it is.
I recall some years back when Tabasco sponosored for one year, but then walked away becasue there was too much BS.
It is not just getting your name on the hood, it is also getting that hood on TV.
Sometimes that takes more than just leading a race. I dont really undestand how it all works, but I know they do tend to show some cars more than others.
If NASCAR controls the cameras and coverage, then they control everything …… the superbowl/NFL analogy was interesting.
on Mar 3rd, 2010 at 10:16 am
Colin is Jack’s future “golden boy.” I’ve never been impressed with him, but Jack sure loves his familiy’s money. Ricky is a nice kid, but I don’t think he will make it. It’s a shame that they didn’t but Darnell in that car and give Edwards a run for a team 1-2 finish in the points. Since they haven’t released Darnell, maybe there is a place for him, besides, testing, in the future. He took care of his rides and ran well when he was able to run.
on Mar 3rd, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Landon Cassill deserves another chance.
on Mar 3rd, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Garry.. what you claim isn’t a conspiracy theory?
Well then surely you have some sort of proof NASCAR controls what, when and where the TV cameras are pointed.
Right?
Please inform us knuckle-dragging simpletons who fail to understand reality, or at least your “reality.”
on Mar 5th, 2010 at 6:40 am
**EDITED OUT COMMENTS; WHICH WERE DIRIECTED BACK AT MARC IN THE SAME FASHION AS HIS**
too bad you allow his BS comment towards me, but do not allow me the same towards him. : (
DO YOU WATCH THE RACES REPLAYED ON TV??
I DO, AND I HAVE FOR YEARS. IF YOU DO NOT, THEN MAYBE YOUR SHOULD, THEN YOU WOULD SEE HOW THIS PROMTOTION CAMERA BS WORKS, OR NOT ….. DO AS YOU PLEASE, AND THINK AS YOU PLEASE AND CENCOR AS YOU PLEASE, but it is BS to allow hiis BS comments, but not mine.
I did not say it was a bad thing to control which cars are shown on TV, I said they do, and anyone can see they do, unless you dont watch it on TV.
Censorship is more common than most will admit and more common than most people can imagine.
on Mar 5th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Garry: I’m the one that deleted your comment yesterday, and it was not censorship. As it says on the “About The Insiders” page, we reserve the right to moderate comments as we see fit. A little heated discussion is fine, but profanity and blatant attacks will not be tolerated here. Yes, Marc has a knack of getting people heated around here, but he does not use profanity or attack people. We appreciate your comments around here, but what was submitted yesterday will not be tolerated.