The end of the 2011 season is drawing near, and it seems we hear every week about another team that is preparing to lay off employees. The U.S. economy has still not rebounded, and even though some signs are better for NASCAR (like TV ratings), it would appear that we haven’t yet found the bottom. It all adds up to what will be another tough winter for many employed in and around the sport.
Thanks to North Carolina’s WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act, we’ve had several public notifications within the last few weeks about impending race team layoffs. The state requires a 60 day notice if more than 50 workers will be laid off because of a company shutdown. Red Bull Racing, Kevin Harvick Inc., and Germain Racing have all filed with the state.
Red Bull and KHI are organizations that will be shut down completely at season’s end. We’ve obviously known about Red Bull for several months, and we learned within the last month about KHI. The Nationwide Series teams that were housed at KHI will be absorbed by Richard Childress Racing, so there is some hope for a few. But that still leaves several hundred people looking for work.
Germain, while still a bad situation, isn’t quite as dire as Red Bull and KHI. Germain knows for certain they have funding for 22 races for their Cup Series program for next season, but their Truck teams are in limbo. Brendan Gaughan may not return, GEICO won’t sponsor Max Papis, and they’ve been piecing together sponsorship for Todd Bodine for the last several seasons. With so much still to figure out, they didn’t have any other choice but to file their notice.
Besides these teams, we know there is a good chance RCR will cut back down to three Cup teams with the departure of Clint Bowyer. Roush Fenway Racing could be facing cuts, as sponsorship remains a big question for their #6 and #17 Cup teams. There is also word that their Nationwide Series program could be significantly smaller next season. And while we are talking about NNS teams, Turner Motorsports might be cutting back both their NNS and Truck programs because of lack of sponsorship. There are also questions at Rusty Wallace Racing, as it appears they need a replacement for 5 Hour Energy.
It isn’t all bad though. If Bowyer does end up at Michael Waltrip Racing like it has been rumored, that team would go from two cars to three. Also, Stewart Haas is adding at least a partial third Cup car with the addition of Danica Patrick. We also know that Eddie Sharp Racing will expand significantly next season, as the team has purchased the #8 and #33 trucks from KHI to add to their already existing #6 truck. Possible drivers for those seats include Cale Gale and Tim George, Jr. And besides adding KHI’s #8 and #33 NNS teams, RCR will start a third NNS team for Austin Dillon.
With eight weeks remaining, there are still a lot of unfinished plans. Drivers like Brian Vickers and Mark Martin still haven’t locked down seats for 2012, and there are plenty of other free agent drivers in the lower series. We also continue to hear that Red Bull’s involvement in NASCAR may not completely end. The chance still exists for that team to continue in some form or another. Either way, here’s to hoping everyone lands on their feet following Homestead.
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It was announced on Wednesday that starting in 2012, Kevin Harvick Inc.’s Nationwide Series program would be “merged” with Richard Childress Racing. Effectively, what this “merger” means, is that KHI’s #2 and #33 NNS teams will now be run out of RCR’s shop in Welcome, NC. Elliott Sadler will continue piloting the #2 and a round robin of Cup drivers will drive the #33. This announcement, combined with the recent rumors of the demise of KHI’s Truck Series program, really make me wonder if after ten years in existence we aren’t seeing the end of what Kevin and Delana built.
If you might remember, it hasn’t quite been a year since RCR announced it would no longer field it’s own NNS entries, and that it would combine it’s efforts with KHI. Now the move is being reversed.
Why Kevin and Delana are getting out now is unclear, but what is certain is why RCR is interested in having a Nationwide program back under it’s roof: Richard’s grandsons Austin and Ty Dillon. Austin is currently in his second season behind the wheel of RCR’s #3 truck, and appears set to join the Nationwide Series full time for 2012. Taking control of two established teams gives RCR a leg up in giving Austin what he needs to be successful next season and beyond.
Brother Ty, who is currently rolling over the competition in ARCA (he currently has a 405 point lead in the standings), would be in line to take over the #3 truck from Austin. And it won’t be long before Ty is himself running NNS races.
Something else to consider, is if this move might be an indication that Clint Bowyer could actually be departing RCR at season’s end. We’ve heard that if Bowyer does leave, there is a good chance that the #33 Cup team will be shut down. Taking on multiple NNS entries would be a replacement for that team, and would allow RCR to hang on to employees they might otherwise let go.
Harvick is scheduled to address the media on Friday at Richmond, where he will hopefully shed some more light on what the future looks like for KHI. But after it appeared he could be on the road to being the next owner/driver in the Cup Series, it now looks like KHI is being dismantled.
Richard Childress Racing has, at least in recent history, been a team that cultivated talent and took chances on drivers. Clint Bowyer was plucked from relative obscurity and Kevin Harvick was given a shot after two mediocre Truck seasons with Spears and Liberty Racing. 21 Cup wins later, Richard Childress has proven himself very capable of driver development.
Currently the team fields Childress grandson’s Austin and Ty Dillon as well as Tim George and Joey Coulter in various series. All drivers have had varying degrees of success with the team. All are notably also in their rides, in part, because of money, or family.
As the future of RCR continues to be a discussion in the Cup Series, we’re hearing changes are coming to the team’s lower ranks. Tim George, who has been with the team in the ARCA Series for the last two seasons is said to be making a full-time move to the Truck Series in 2012. George has made select starts with RCR in the Truck and Nationwide Series over the last two years – including a DNQ last weekend at Montreal.
It’s been reported, and we continue to hear that 18-year-old Ty Dillon will join George in the Truck Series in 2012. Ty has been a dominant force in the ARCA Series this year winning seven of 14 races and building a 415 championship point lead over second place Frank Kimmel.
Childress has long said Austin Dillon would make the jump to the Nationwide Series next year.
What all this means for Joey Coulter is not entirely clear.
It’s interesting to see how RCR is positioning itself for the future. In recent years the team has brought on more “funded” drivers like George, Coulter and John Wes Townley – a practice it hadn’t really engaged in before.
And then there is the continued progression of the Dillon boys, who most certainly have a place at the team, but to what ends is not clear. Will there be room for both to have Cup rides in the not too distant future, or are tough decisions going to have to be made?
Watching how teams develop talent and plan for the future is always so enjoyable to watch because it’s so different from other sports. As guys like Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick inevitably age and shift priorities, it’ll be interesting to see how RCR changes. It’s certainly a different team than it was just a few years ago.
When it came time this year during the annual media tour for NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France to address the gathered crowd at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, he made a very unfortunate flub – he called the Camping World Truck Series the “Craftsman World Truck Series”. This slip was, in hindsight, foreshadowing for a season that’s been a little forgettable so far.
It took four weeks for a series regular to win a race – which meant, for three weeks we had a points leader who had no wins. Between the top four drivers in the points, there are only four top-fives to go around. 357 of 647 total laps (about 55%) have been led by guys who can’t win the championship. And half the wins this season have come from Kyle Busch owned trucks (don’t worry, he’s only taken one of the wins).
The trouble this season hasn’t been fields dominated by Cup regulars, but a few good Cup regulars in great equipment. And they’ve all been good for the most part.
To their credit, the Thorsport trucks have been regular contenders (in fact Johnny Sauter became just the second non-Cup winner of the season along with Trevor Bayne – he’s the only one in the Nationwide and Truck Series). And we’ve seen some young talent show up out of nowhere – does the name Cole Whitt ring a bell?
Ron Hornaday Jr. has been back in old form, three top-tens in four races, and immediate past champion Todd Bodine is looking ok. Austin Dillon’s been competitive too.
The Randy Moss Motorsports trucks, or I’m sorry, truck, has been terrible with a new engine builder – a real disappointment with series vet and past champion Travis Kvapil. And the Turner Motorsports teams have been hit or miss. I still can’t believe James Buescher missed a race.
This series is always the most enjoyable to be around and watch. It’s been good to see some lesser funded teams actually competing this year. But lately it’s been lacking that tough trucks, tough racing mentality that always produces solid events.
All the above said, I’m optimistic the season will rebound. Hopefully that starts this weekend at Nashville.
Over the last several seasons, the Camping World Truck Series has been dominated by the old guard. Names like Ron Hornaday, Johnny Benson, Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, and Bobby Hamilton have been inscribed on the championship trophy at years end. This season however, the landscape of the Truck Series may be changing.
I want to start off by giving you an interesting stat. Through the first ten races of the 2010 season, Ron Hornaday is winless. It’s the longest opening stretch of races he’s ever gone in his CWTS career without winning a race. For Hornaday and KHI, that’s a very big deal. While Hornaday still sits third in the points standings, this winless streak appears to have taken its first victim. Jayski is reporting that crew chief Doug George has left KHI. Harvick expects the #33 Chevy to be competing for wins every week, so this move doesn’t come as a shock. No word yet on who might replace George.
The other moderate surprise this season has been the struggles of Mike Skinner. After winning three races in 2009, Skinner currently sits sixth in the standings and his best finish was fourth at Texas. On top of that, he hasn’t been a real threat to win in any race this season. I say moderate with Skinner, because on some level his performance isn’t surprising. His #5 Randy Moss Motorsports team has been in disarray since it lost crew chief Eric Phillipsto Kyle Busch Motorsports before the season started.
So who has been winning races while Hornaday and Skinner struggle? Besides at least one win by Todd Bodine, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch, the story of 2010 has been the new faces. Aric Almirola, Timothy Peters, Austin Dillon, and Johnny Sauter have all scored at least one victory, and any of these guys could legitimately challenge for the championship.
Starting last weekend at Iowa Speedway, the Truck Series now starts into a summer stretch of races that will go nine straight weeks. With only ten races currently in the books, a lot can and will change over the next nine weekends. While you can never count the veterans out, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Truck Series had a first time champion in 2010.