With Carl Edwards locked up for the foreseeable future at Roush Fenway Racing, we found out today that Fastenal is the first company to sign on as a primary sponsor for Edwards’ #99 Fords. Starting with the 2012 Daytona 500, Fastenal will sponsor 17 races a year for Edwards over the next few years. Edwards’ current main sponsor, Aflac, has yet to announce whether they will return to RFR, but this announcement shows that at the very least Aflac is scaling back. But while its good to see a sponsor move from the Truck Series, through the Nationwide Series, and into Cup sponsorship, the move isn’t all good.
As we move closer to the end of the 2011 season, much remains up in the air for RFR. Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Edwards, and David Ragan all have contracts for next season, but as of today, only Biffle (3M) has a full sponsorship deal. Edwards still needs about half his inventory filled, and questions remain for Ragan and Kenseth. We know for sure that Crown Royal won’t return next season as a team sponsor for anyone, as they’ve signed on to sponsor the Brickyard 400, and the future of UPS has yet to be announced. And RFR developmental drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne still don’t have firm plans.
As RFR pursues sponsorship for 2012, Fastenal’s move to the Cup Series really comes at the expense of their Nationwide Series program and the series as whole. As one of our Twitter followers (@kebzach) pointed out today, Fastenal now represents another sponsor lost by the Nationwide Series. The industrial supply company has been the primary sponsor for Edwards’ #60 NNS Fords for the last couple of seasons, and they’ve appeared on the hoods and quarter panels of the other RFR NNS teams as well. We already know that Edwards won’t compete full time in the NNS for 2012, but now we know we’ve lost a full time team and a major sponsor.
We’ve all heard it time and again, but moves like these are just another symptom of the current climate of NASCAR business. Teams need to find ways to keep their Cup cars racing, and poaching sponsors from other series is one way to go about it. Hopefully Roush is able to track down a company to back Edwards’ partial NNS bid, and fill the remaining inventory for it’s other Cup and NNS teams.
TheNASCARInsiders.com Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
The Dayonta test for the new Nationwide Series COT is complete. Teams took to the 2.5 mile track on Tuesday and Wednesday to get familiar with the new car and to help NASCAR gather data ahead of it’s debut on July 2nd at the Subway Jalapeno 250. Most of the drivers who participated said the car must be driven differently then the old car, but that it would lead to more exciting racing. Those battles at the front of the NNS fields however, will probably feature more Cup drivers then ever before.
The redesigned car features many of the safety measures that were first implemented with the Cup Series COT. The Nationwide versions also have bodies that more closely resemble their stock brethren. The new Mustang, Challenger, Impala, and Camry bodies have been lauded by the drivers and the fans. With the exception of the sheet metal though, much is the same between the Cup and Nationwide cars now. The two COTs are so similar in fact, that they share the same chassis, wheelbase, and other components. And it’s those similarities that will widen the gap between the Nationwide only guys and the Cup “Busch-Whackers.” (I will never let it die!)
Think about it. While younger drivers have been coming up and learning on cars that are not too different then the current Nationwide car, Cup drivers have had the last few years to learn what it takes to drive and setup a COT car. They will now be able to use that COT knowledge on Saturdays as well. The younger, Nationwide only guys who don’t have that experience will suffer.
Having the cars be so markedly different at least gave some of the younger drivers a fighting chance. And by fighting chance, I mean Cup drivers who still dominate the series and win every race. Before, information couldn’t really be shared between the two series, and having to constantly be transitioning from car to car at least made things interesting. Now we don’t even have that.
Don’t get me wrong though, I certainly don’t think NASCAR should scrap the new COT. In fact, I’m a big proponent of the introduction. The safety innovations are certainly needed, and transitioning back to cars that appear more stock will do wonders with the fans. I just wish we could find a way to fairly limit participation among the Cup crowd.
It isn’t all bad news though.
Among my doom and gloom there is a silver lining. While these younger drivers might struggle now, their transition to Cup rides in the future will be much smoother and much shorter. The skill-set necessary to make an NNS COT go fast won’t be too different then what they will need on Sundays. And that will be good for the future of the sport and everyone involved.
Let’s just hope the Nationwide Series owners have enough patience to let these kids learn.
Following NASCAR’s warning of Brad Keselowski last weekend at Kansas to take it easy around the Chase drivers, some fans have expressed their displeasure to us this week with NASCAR’s call. I even heard some angry calls into radio shows regarding the subject. A few in the media have also reacted to the situation, including SceneDaily.com’s Bob Pockrass. I personally think it’s ridiculous for NASCAR to expect non-Chase drivers to tip-toe around the Chasers.
I understand that NASCAR wants a fair fight among those twelve drivers battling for the Championship, and they should be allowed every opportunity (within the rules) to do well. But what being in the Chase shouldn’t get you, is more favor from the other drivers and from NASCAR.
When the teams hit the track each weekend, 43 drivers are vying for not only that Cup, but also the race. Once inside the Chase, just because only 12 drivers can win the Cup doesn’t change the fact that 43 could still win the race. Those other 31 drivers have just as much right to fight for every inch and race hard as those guys in the Chase. By expecting drivers to take it easy around the Chasers, NASCAR is hurting the integrity of the competition and showing disrespect to the fans of those non-Chase drivers.
For those teams outside the Chase, running well in those final ten races and possibly picking up a win could go a long way towards success in the future. For somebody like a Jamie McMurray it could mean a solid ride for 2010 and possible sponsorship. Or for somebody struggling like Dale Earnhardt Jr., it could be the start of returning to Championship form.
As I mentioned on Twitter earlier in the week, you don’t see the NFL asking the non-playoff teams to take it easy on the playoff teams in week 17 of the regular season. The thought being that those non-playoff teams could adversely affect the the chances for those in the playoffs. Those teams would laugh in the NFL’s face, and the fans would be outraged.
So please NASCAR, does us a favor and just let them race.