Somebody please explain this to me. It seems that these ludicrous Dale Jr. to RCR rumors have come up every year since he made the decision to leave DEI after the 2007 season. I realize that Jr. has only a single points paying win since joining Hendrick Motorsports, and things haven’t gone well at times this season, but a move to RCR just isn’t going to happen. Let me say that again for effect. Dale Jr. IS NOT going to RCR.
So far this season, Jr. has one top five and three top tens in 12 starts. Following a tough race at Dover, he currently sits 16th in the standings. It’s interesting to note though, that while he is 16th, he is only 43 points out of 12th.
As a whole, this season may not quite be up to the standards that some of Jr. Nation would expect out of their favorite driver. What it is though, is a marked improvement over last season. His average start is almost ten positions better then it was last season, and his average finish is up almost seven positions. The stats don’t lie.
I realize that it’s very easy to look at Hendrick Motorsports and see that Dale Jr. just hasn’t performed like his teammates. Mark Martin has won some races and run well since coming over, Jeff Gordon is a perennial front runner, and Jimmie Johnson is, well, Jimmie Johnson. Fans see all that success and they expect that Jr. should be doing everything they are doing.
What they don’t realize though, is Jr. is trying to dig himself out of a hole that, it could be argued, was about three years in the making. He is also trying to learn how to work with only the second crew chief of his career with whom he doesn’t share blood. Neither are going to be easy to overcome, or fix overnight.
While it might not be easy to see, Jr. is making progress with Lance McGrew. I know some of you may not like his style, or the fact that he doesn’t have the #88 winning yet, but he is slowly turning the program around. Like I said before, the stats don’t lie.
Now, the monkey wrench that some of you seem to think will free Dale Jr. of his troubles at HMS is Kasey Kahne. Obviously if Martin is staying in the #5 for 2011, Hendrick needs to find a spot for Kahne before he takes over for Martin in 2012. And while it might seem very tidy for HMS to let Jr. walk so they can bring Kahne in, that spot is not in the #88. The notion that NASCAR will somehow not allow Hendrick to farm out Kahne for next season to another team because it violates the four team limit is ridiculous. If Jack Roush can figure out how to control eight Ford teams, Hendrick can find a spot for Kasey Kahne. I don’t care how much the other owners might complain. Whether it’s a third Stewart Haas car, or some other arrangement, this will get worked out.
Still not convinced that an improving Jr. who isn’t being pushed out by Kasey Kahne won’t be let go by HMS?
Let us not forget that the reigning seven (consecutive) time Most Popular Driver is a cash cow, whether he runs well or not. While some of Jr. Nation may have converted to other drivers over the last few seasons, the power of the group is still very strong. Hendrick will never have any problem finding a slew of suitors to sponsor Jr.’s racing efforts. That fact alone would still make him the most sought after driver if he were to become a free agent again.
I also want to point out that there is absolutely no guarantee that Jr.’s problems would be solved by going to Childress and jumping behind the wheel of a Goodwrench sponsored, black #3 Chevrolet. If anything, it would only add to the already monumental pressure this guy has on his shoulders just having the name “Earnhardt.” At some point we just need to let Dale Jr. be his own person. Visions of the #3 returning to the track and once again dominating like it did for so many years, need to remain just that – visions.
So, I’m going on the record right now. There will be no Hendrick defection. Hendrick won’t push Dale Jr. out in favor of Kasey Kahne. In 2011 Jr. will be right where he is right now; behind the wheel of the #88 Amp/National Guard Chevrolet. (And when these rumors resurface next season, I’m going to run this exact post again. Bet on it.)
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Could Michael Waltrip match the success of Richard Childress?
I know it’s an odd question, but I was thinking about this the other day. At this point both have built teams that are consistently competitive and capable of winning races and on track they both have had very comparable success in their driving careers (though Waltrip’s career has lasted 14+ years longer). With Waltrip stepping into the role of owner, could he join Childress as a mediocre driver who became a great owner?
Richard Childress spent 12 full and part-time seasons competing in what is today the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He began his career in 1969 (at age 23) serving as one of the fill-in drivers at the now infamous Talladega race (it was boycotted by the sport’s top drivers). Through the years, across 285 starts, Childress accumulated zero wins, six top-fives, 76 top-tens, and zero poles. He ended his career with an average finish of 17.6.
Michael Waltrip began his NASCAR career in 1985 at age 22. Through 761 starts over 26 seasons (and counting), he has four wins, 39 top-fives, 128 top-tens, and four poles. Waltrip has an average finish of 21.9.
What blossomed into Richard Childress Racing began with Childress’ first race in 1969. He gave up the drivers seat in 1981 to Dale Earnhardt; Ricky Rudd took over in 1982. Earnhardt returned for the 1983 season and never left. Together Childress and Earnhardt racked up 69 wins and six championships. On top of that, RCR has another 20 Cup wins. They also have 75 wins and six championships in the Nationwide and Truck Series’.
Michael Waltrip Racing began in earnest in 1996, fielding a Nationwide and Truck ride for Waltrip. For the next several seasons Waltrip and a slew of other drivers ran in the Nationwide Series. In that time, Waltrip racked up four wins (David Reutimann has one win in 2007).
In 2007 the team underwent a major expansion and began fielding Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, and David Reutimann in the Cup Series. While the team struggled both on and off the track through their first couple of seasons, they came into their own in 2009. Despite missing the cut for the Chase, Reutimann was consistently competitive and even scored his first Cup Series win. In addition the team fields a car for Marcos Ambrose, who has shown recently that he is capable of running up front. With the addition of Martin Truex Jr. and Pat Tryson this season, and prospects like Trevor Bayne and Ryan Truex, the team has a solid foundation from which to grow.
While the two organizations are at vastly different stages in their life cycles and Michael Waltrip doesn’t have a young Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel, they really share a lot of similarities. Both had humble beginnings (Waltrip ran the team until quite recently from a shop on the property of his Sherrills Ford, N.C. home), some early struggles, and owners with an intense passion for and commitment to NASCAR.
While it’s still young, MWR has quickly made itself a competitor in NASCAR’s top series. Given another 20 years can Waltrip find the success Childress did?
It’s the first off week of the year for NASCAR. None of the top three series are in action this weekend, but TNI keeps trucking along with another Ask The Insiders Wednesday. If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
1. From Ric:
It’s been said that the haulers carry enough spare parts to build another car. How close is that statement?
Pretty darn close. Haulers carry everything from spare engines and transmissions, to sheet metal and nuts and bolts. And if a part isn’t on the hauler, it could probably be robbed off the backup car. – T.C.
2. From Kevin:
Hey TNI, What are your feelings on the spoiler and the fairness of the mid season change. Do you think teams like RCR are tickled to have it considering they have FINALLY found speed with the winged car. Now to have to go backward essentially and retool your whole fleet of cars, that’s not totally reasonable IMO. Now RCR and other teams will have essentially wasted all that work this offseason and now have to start over.
I think the answer to your question is determinant on whether the spoiler has a big effect on set-ups and the like. We really don’t know what will happen with the change, other than the little bit of testing teams have done. I doubt RCR is thrilled by this move; and it certainly stinks if you’re a team with little or no funding. That said, in my opinion, it will change things, but I don’t think it will change things substantially, so teams like RCR will probably be OK. – Journo
3. From Kenny:
I’m now reading a terrific book, “The Physics of NASCAR.” Reading that the wheels are “toed-in” or “toed-out” makes me wonder, does this alignment (and camber) make your job harder? On a normal consumer car, the four tires are set pointing straight up and down and are set parallel to the centerline of the car.
The toe isn’t usually an issue. Camber does affect the front tire changer and front tire carrier. The right front doesn’t cause any problems, but the left front does. Changers have to get low to see all the lugs, and pretty much angle their pit gun to hit the lugnuts square. The tire carrier must also make an adjustment, so as to get the wheel on the studs squarely. – T.C.
4. From Mike:
I was wondering if you could talk about the orange/white tape or paint that’s on the sides of the Goodyear tires after a pit stop? My guess is that it has something to do with checking the wear pattern…
I wrote a post back in 2008 explaining this exact topic. Find it here. – T.C.
5. From Scott:
Hey Guys, All this talk about ’start and park’ teams got me wondering about racing in general and more specially about cars that are not on the lead lap. I’m wondering how you, the garage, NASCAR, etc would feel about pulling cars off the track that couldn’t mathematically win the race. For example, if a car has an early problem and hits the garage. They do amazing work and repair the vehicle but end up 50 laps down. So when the lap count hits so that there are only 49 laps left that car would have to leave the track. This would lessen the number of cars on the track near the end and potentially decrease yellows or other collision concerns. Thoughts? As always, thanks for the great read! Great job guys!
I think it’s an interesting idea, the problem is, it doesn’t let guys improve their position if they’re able to continue running. Say you’re in 40th 50 laps down and the five cars in front of you are out. Shouldn’t you be able to make up those spots if you’re able? At the point when you can’t win a race, it’s about points and money. If you’re prevented from improving from going back out on track you won’t be able to do that. Plus what if the race goes longer than the prescribed number of laps (through restarts)? Lessening the number of cars won’t necessarily lessen the number of cautions. Toward the end of the race a lot of wrecks occur with lead lap teams. – Journo
6. From Barb:
Why does it appear that most of the Cup drivers are afraid to tangle with Jimmie Johnson on the racetrack? They all seem leery of getting into him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone pull a bump and run on Jimmie during a race. I know why Jeff Gordon doesn’t, (part team owner), but why the others? He needs to be challenged more often.
I think it’s a matter of perception. I can say it’s not something I’ve noticed and after thinking about it do we really see drivers get into other drivers very often? It happens, but I don’t think Jimmie receives special treatment over anyone else. – Journo
7. From Marcus:
I’ve noticed that when a crew member or shop member or driver is penalized for drug use it always says actions detrimental to stock car racing. What does this mean?
It means whatever you want it to mean. At least that’s how NASCAR uses it. Anything that can be construed as damaging to stock car racing can fall into that category. That includes crew members who fail drug tests. – Journo
8. From Lee:
I live in Central Arkansas and noticed about a dozen haulers heading east on I40 om Monday (3/1) afternoon. Obviously, they were coming from Las Vegas. My question is..do the teams have more than one hauler? Were the ones I saw heading back to the shop, and they already have a new one heading to Atlanta for the race this weekend? It seems that it would be hard to get from Las Vegas to Charlotte, unload the car/s from the previous race, load the new cars up and make it to Atlanta for practices.
It takes approximately 36 hours driving time to get from Las Vegas to Charlotte. For west coast trips, most teams run with two truck drivers, that way the truck never stops. So assuming the race is over on Sunday evening, the trucks could be back in Charlotte sometime on Tuesday. Atlanta is only a four hour drive, and Cup teams didn’t park until Thursday. That leaves about a day and a half to restock and reload the haulers. The only time extra haulers are used, is to shuttle cars out west to the actual race haulers. This happens for back to back west coast races, like California-Vegas. – T.C.
9. From Ross:
Wondering your take on this: I was watching Idol last week and they’re running a spot with Carl Edwards talking about Ford. Not only is he not in a race suit but there aren’t even graphics identifying who he is. Now I can see why Ford’s ad people don’t want Edwards wearing a suit with Aflac plastered all over it but is it possible that Carl Edwards is actually recognizable to the average American Idol viewer? If that’s the case, then NASCAR really has come a long way.
I haven’t seen the commercial, but obviously Ford thinks he’s recognizable enough. I’m not sure I’d agree. I can’t say what Carl’s Q-score is, but I would imagine it’s not high. You’d think they would have at least had him in a firesuit, but maybe we’re further along than I thought we were. – Journo
10. From Alex:
2010 mid season changes to the cup cars: spoiler , nose and what else. I have been out of touch for a bit . Never liked the ” WING” or the splitter. What are the proposed changes for 2010 in a nutshell?
The only proposed change right now, is that the wing is being replaced with a spoiler, most likely at Martinsville in a few weeks. NASCAR is also making a small change to the rear quarter panels on the car to help with the new aerodynamics. The noses and splitters will remain unchanged. – T.C.
11. From Savannah:
Hi Guys, Since Brad Keselowski has entered the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, it seems that he has made more enemies than friends. What are the thoughts of the drivers and crew members of Brad? Also, what are your opinions? I found it interesting that Carl Edwards took the action that he did in today’s Atlanta race. Brad definitely needs to learn not to be as aggressive as he has been in some of the past races. Will the Edwards/ Keselowski feud become one for the record books over the next year? Thanks for answering all of the questions. Have a great week off!
There are definitely some veteran drivers who won’t be joining the BK fan club any time soon (see Edwards and Denny Hamlin). While I can’t speak for everyone, I think most see him for what he is. He is a very aggressive, young driver who is looking to make a name for himself and be successful. And en route to being successful, it would appear as though he doesn’t care who he runs over to get there. But what I hope he is learning, is that he can’t get where he wants without at least some respect from his competitors. I appreciate his aggression and know he has talent, but he still has some learning to do. Something tells me that Brad and Carl will steer clear of each other from now on as well. – T.C.
12. From Jeanette:
Journo- I’ve noticed here and there that some of the photographers on pit road and in the garage wear their vests inside out. Is there a reason for this (like some inside joke) or do they just not pay attention when they put them on. Also – what are the numbers for?
If it is I’m not privy to it. I would imagine it’s guys (and gals) not noticing and throwing the vest on. The numbers are there to identify the photographers. – Journo
13. From Marc:
Do extra laps beyond the scheduled distance in green-white-checker finishes, including the yellow-flag laps count for all purposes in races? With the current rule, there can be as many as four extra green-flag laps in addition to as many yellow-flag laps as needed to clear the track. If they count for all purposes, this could change the winner of the bonus for the most laps led and could allow a car that is, for example, 25 laps down to finish ahead of a car that fell out with 20 laps scheduled to go, right?
Yeah, pretty much. If a race goes beyond it’s scheduled distance, the number of total laps run is counted just like if the race had gone the prescribed amount of laps. Now you know why, in many cases, teams work so hard to get their car back on the track after a crash. You never know what might happen. – T.C.
14. From Rob:
Question about pit officials. What are the two officials in white jumpsuits looking at when you are doing your pit stop work? Why are there 2 of them per car? How mant total on pit road? Who pays them? How much do they make? Do you have any good stories about them and things they may have done or not done?
There is one official assigned to each pit. Often times you will see two, because if they are available to do so, they will help each other out. They are watching to make sure we don’t jump from the wall too early, that the car is in the stall correctly, that fueling is done within the rules, and that all the lugnuts are installed, among other things. They are paid by NASCAR, and probably make a reasonable living. And there isn’t enough room in this post to recount those stories. – T.C.
15. From Lost, Just Lost:
Well NASCAR has had their say. I found it interesting. Seems to me that the message was more for Brad than Carl. Carl got a three race probation, what ever that is. Brad got knocked out of a sixth place finish. Am I missing something or was NASCAR sending a bigger message to Brad than to Carl?
Without being a party to NASCAR’s conversations over the last couple of days it’s hard to say. I know there has been some buzz that that might have been NASCAR’s intention, but I think more than anything they’re working off their recent precedent. Consider the Denny Hamlin/Brad Keselowski and Juan Montoya/Tony Stewart incidents at the end of last season as examples of how NASCAR has recently reacted to payback. The punishments haven’t been severe and I think if Brad hadn’t gotten airborne, we probably wouldn’t even be having this conversation. – Journo
And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!
Following Sunday’s race in Atlanta the Cup Series will enter its first off week of the season. While there won’t be any racing, teams will still be hard at work preparing for the impending switch over to a spoiler.
The upcoming test at the Charlotte Motor Speedway will be the first chance many of these teams have had to try out the new configuration at a track on the Cup schedule. With limited testing and existing notes and information that will soon become (at least somewhat) out of date could this spoiler become a game changer for the season?
The opinions among the drivers are mixed as we have seen over the last few months. Some say 2010 will be split down the middle, while others think the change won’t make much of a difference.
Thanks to the engineers, and NASCAR and team testing we have some idea what this move will do to the downforce of the car. The real test though will come when we have a full field at a place like Texas or Charlotte.
It’s only been since January that teams have known about this and with time ticking away until NASCAR takes the track with the new spoiler, it’s got to be an interesting time to be an engineer at one of these teams. For some organizations, like Richard Childress Racing, that are just getting back on track with their performance the overwhelming question is, ‘will this throw a wrench into our improvement.’ If you’re over at Hendrick, the question is, ‘are we going to be able to maintain our dominance.’
Despite questions they may be asking about what this means for them, they’re not alone in their uncertainty. As those in charge at NASCAR have noted it will take some time to see how this will change things. What happens if this move has no effect, or things actually gets worse? Without the benefit of a lot of on track testing this is a bit of a craps shoot.
Personally I don’t have a clue what’s going to happen. I believe there will be some effect, but given the talk from all parties involved I don’t necessarily believe the impact will be huge.
Change or no change, I can’t say I’m a fan of making a move like this several races in (though I applaud NASCAR for identifying and remedying a problem in a timely manner). However this plays out, it will no doubt be interesting to see how this testing goes and how well this change is received by drivers and fans alike.
So what do you think? Will the spoiler make a difference in the racing or is all this much ado about nothing?
It’s a busy NASCAR week, as the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour means a ton of news and announcements. And the Media Tour means we inch ever closer to Daytona. And as we do, it’s Wednesday again, and that means more of your questions and our answers. If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
Have heard that sometimes they adjust tire pressure on the inner tire to make a difference in the outer tire pressure. Is this common practice?
Yes, at the tracks where inner liners are used (they aren’t at places like Martinsville) the pressure of the liner affects handling characteristics and it is adjusted. Somebody who knows more about tires could tell you why, but you don’t want the pressures to be equal. When this happens, you’ll hear the TV guys say the tire has “equalized.” – T.C.
2. From Connie:
I saw something on TV about Jimmie Johnson doing some show on/at Daytona before the new season starts ?
Jimmie is doing HBO’s 24/7 series. It’ll be four episodes and is being billed as a behind the scenes look at Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team. It starts next Tuesday (the 26th) at 10 p.m. and airs the next three Tuesdays at the same time. More info here. You might also want to check out Speed’s show on Joe Gibbs Racing’s push to Daytona. It too is four episodes and starts Sunday at 6 p.m. – Journo
3. From Ella:
NASCAR is considering changing to a spoiler on the COT. If that happens this season, will that change how the cars run? Will it negate the test data collected on the cars so far? Will it be a big impact or a small glitch for the crew chiefs, drivers and crews?
Yes, the handling of the cars will be different with a spoiler. Teams will pretty much be starting over with data, because a spoiler will affect a car differently than the wing. There will definitely be an adjustment period for the teams and the drivers, but just how big of a deal it will be remains to be seen. I think we won’t know for sure until the teams get some track time with the new configuration. – T.C.
4. From Kevin:
Hey guys, I read something last week about RCR and their troubles last year. They referenced a very specific part of their cars that was the root of their problems. They didn’t say exactly what it was, but it was clear they all knew what it was, and after they realized what it was and started changing it on all their cars they got it turned around. It appears it worked and they did run better in the Chase. Do you guys know the part of the car they were referring to?
Let me put it this way. If I don’t work for RCR, I probably don’t know what it is, as they aren’t saying. If I do work for RCR, I can’t say because I don’t want other teams to know what we figured out. So either way, I can’t say. – T.C.
5. From Patrick:
With the rear wing on its way out will we see more rear deck lid ads?
Every car that I know of (except maybe Penske) still utilizes the decklid for sponsor space. It will certainly be more visible, but it won’t change from what they do now. – Journo
6. From BB:
Just wondering why Michael Waltrip is running the 51 as opposed to the 55 this year, and if you have any news on why SPEED cancelled TWIN?
From Michael Waltrip’s Twitter: “i needed a change from the 55. we won Daytona in the 15. 51 is a variation of that. sorta in memory of.” And as far as TWIN goes, Speed President Hunter Nickell told Sports Business Journal, “the news and analysis format, hosted by Steve Byrnes, Michael Waltrip and a variety of other guests, “just wasn’t connecting with the fans anymore.” So TWIN will not be returning. Speed is adding several new shows though. Check out the article here (SBJ subscription required). – Journo
After the 2008 season, we decided to look back over the season and see how we did in terms of reporting on rumors and breaking some news. In the end, we got eight correct, had two pushes, screwed one up, and had three rumors outstanding. With 2009 behind us, I thought it would be fun to again do the same thing. I’m going to start with the three bits we had outstanding, and then we’ll move into 2009.
Fastenal to RCR: After the info we heard, we thought this one was in the books. Even Jayski reported at one point that this was going to happen, even mentioning a driver lineup. But in the end, Fastenal ended up at JR Motorsports for the ‘09 season. Scratch this one.
Rule Changes Coming to the Truck Series: NASCAR did indeed make changes to the Truck Series rules for 2009, and we were close. We first reported they were only going to allow only four crew members over the wall and that they would initiate a hard card limit. They did indeed limit both, but we missed the crew limit by one. It was five members over the wall and not four. I’m still giving us the point here. Plus one for the Insiders.
BDR Employees Laid Off: This indeed was true, and what was left of BDR was turned into Triad Racing Technologies. TRT supplies teams with Toyota engines, chassis, and some other services. Plus one for the Insiders.
First Crew Member Tests Positive: In my post following the Daytona 500, I let you know that I’d heard NASCAR had caught it’s first offender of the new substance abuse policy. We found out a short time later that it was a Mayfield Motorsports employee, and he was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR. It was strange foreshadowing for the summer to come and drug testing. Plus one for the Insiders.
RMM Cuts Salaries: Early in the season, we heard that Randy Moss Motorsports had cut it’s employees salaries by as much as 35%. While no official announcement was ever put out, this was indeed true. The budget for the #5 Tundra for Mike Skinner was limited at best, which led to the cuts. Plus one for the Insiders.
Trouble At Trail: 2009 was supposed to be the first season for minority owned Trail Motorsport. But what started off with much fan fare and press, fizzled before it ever got started. We first told you in April about the problems internally at Trail. On it’s own, the team never fielded a race car at a Truck Series, Nationwide Series, or Cup Series event. Plus one for the Insiders.
Kyle Busch, Team Owner in 2010: We were the first to tell you about Kyle Busch’s plans to start his own NASCAR team for the 2010 season. In July, we reported that construction was ongoing on a new race shop for Kyle and that he, Johnny Benson, and Brian Ickler may drive for the new team. Busch will indeed have a team in 2010, with two full time trucks. One for himself and Brian Ickler, and another for Tayler Malsam. If sponsorship can be found, Benson may run a third truck. Plus one for the Insiders.
Parker Kligerman, Wyler Racing, & Michael McDowell: In September we told you that ARCA driver Parker Kligerman would run some NNS races for Penske, that Wyler Racing may be closing up shop, and that Michael McDowell would run at New Hampshire for Thorsport Racing. Kligerman ended up running at Kansas and Homestead for Penske Racing. Wyler did make it to the end of the season, but from what we know just barely. As of today, there is no word on Wyler Racing’s 2010 plans. And finally, McDowell did run at NHMS for Thorsport. He ran the #98 truck, that was painted up like a police car. We will call that plus two and minus one for the Insiders.
Your Favorite Team and a Funded Driver: While we did write a post mentioning a rumor, we wrote the post more as commentary then actually reporting the rumor. The post itself was about John Wes Townley and his impending move to Richard Childress Racing. Townley will indeed race for RCR in 2010, and will compete full time in the NNS in the #21 Zaxbys Chevrolet. Since we didn’t call the driver out, nor did we get anything wrong, I’ll give us a push.
Rick Ren Gone from KHI: We told you before Homestead that Kevin Harvick Inc. crew chief Rick Ren was leaving at the end of the season, possibly to take a managerial role at Kyle Busch’s new team. This rumor was actually denied publicly by Kevin Harvick, but in the end turned out to be true. Ren will serve as the Director of Operations for KBM this season. Plus one for the Insiders.
Eric Phillips to KBM: To add to this stout lineup for 2010, we were the first to tell you about Eric Phillips leaving Randy Moss Motorsports for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Phillips will serve as crew chief for the #18 truck piloted by Busch and Brian Ickler for this season. We were certainly all over the KBM stuff in ‘09. Plus one for the Insiders.
Biffle and Baker Curb: And last but not least, after it was reported by SceneDaily.com that Baker Curb was working on a deal with a Cup driver for the 2010 NNS season, we told you that Cup driver was Greg Biffle. Biffle will pilot the #27 Red Man Ford Fusion for Baker Curb this season in an undetermined number of races. Plus one for the Insiders.
Looking back over all the rumors, I think we had another pretty good year. We got eleven right, missed two calls, and had one push. So over the last two years, that makes us 19-3-3 on the scoreboard. We certainly don’t know it all or hear it all, and we also won’t report every rumor we hear. But I think this shows that when you hear a rumor from TNI, odds are pretty good it’s true. What do you think?
From the last to the first! Yes, it’s the first Ask The Insiders Wednesday of 2010, so lets get this year started off right. If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
1. From yankeegranny:
I was very surprised to hear that the over the wall pitcrew member who recently passed away from h1n1 possibly was a “contract” employee and didn’t have health insurance. Is that common with race treams? It seems to me that the only contract employees would be the drivers. Is it common for race teams to offer health insurance to some employees (shop workers) and not others?. Seems to me that could be a PR nigntmare for Childress as far as sponsorship is concerned. Who wants to be associated with a team that doesn’t offer basic things such as health insurance, but makes millions, or appears to be.
Yes, there are certainly crew members who are contractors just like the drivers. The guys who are just weekend warriors are the ones treated as so. Full time guys who work both in the shop and/or at the race track are usually provided with benefits. But contract employees are paid a flat rate for their services, and that is it. RCR is not alone in it’s hiring of contract workers, as most race teams use them at one time or another. And I believe that contract workers in any industry are not provided with benefits, so this isn’t a practice just found in racing. – T.C.
2. From Dan:
Hey Journo after reading your “Undeniably A Decade Of Change” and seeing Casey Atwood’s name I was wondering what went wrong on his drive to the top. He seems to have fallen off the radar. Did he not meet expectations or was he just shoved aside by some other shining star? If I remember there were high hopes for him. What happened? Any info? Thanks.
I think there are a couple of factors here. First and most obviously sometimes drivers don’t pan out. Whether they aren’t given enough time to develop or just aren’t any good sometimes things just don’t work. Casey was also very young when he got pushed up to Cup. He had one full Nationwide season where he performed well and then was thrown into a brand new Cup team. When he didn’t perform well quickly he was booted down. Casey and Reed Sorenson are very similar in this respect. Reed was very young and performed OK in the Nationwide Series and then was thrown into a Cup ride. Neither panned out for whatever reason. Remember too, Dodge has struggled through the years to compete with the Chevrolet, Ford, Pontiac and then Toyota teams. They had that good season with Sterling Marlin early on, but that was about it. I don’t think there was one thing though. – Journo
3. From Daddy Wiltone:
Ok I will pose this as a question. In a recent article about the Bud Shootout. These names were in question about thier relavency Derrike Cope, Sterling Marlin, Ken Schrader, Terry Labonte, Geoff Bodine, and John Andretti. A few of these guys still have a huge fan base not to mention name recognition. Do you think NASCAR added these guys to generate interest from the “discarded” fans of the 80,s 90,s base?
To be honest, no. I think they just happen to be eligible with the new requirements NASCAR has put in place for the race. Remember too, just because one of these drivers is eligible doesn’t mean they will actually participate in the race. It’s certainly possible you won’t see Schrader, Bodine, or Andretti run. – T.C.
4. From Willy:
Why is it that you guys have to be so secretive about your ID’s. FYI I definately love your site. It works so well on my dial up. I wish the whole internet was still like this.
Well I’m glad it works on your dial-up. I can’t imagine how hard it is to load a flash site. We’ve chosen to keep our identities secret because it allows to talk about things and bring you news without compromising ourselves professionally or anyone around us. Our anonymity allows us to bring you news and rumors that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to bring you. We understand it takes a little bit of trust in us, but it helps us protect ourselves. At the end of the day neither one of us needs any glory from doing this, we just have fun with it and sometimes it lets us get things off our chests. – Journo
5. From DexterMorgan:
Is there any hope that NASCAR will abandon its use of the phantom debris yellow? Very little ruins the credibility of this sport than mercy cautions.
Well, I don’t think you can definitively say they even exist. And for NASCAR to do away with them, you’d have to get them to admit they actually happen. I don’t disagree that there aren’t some very suspicious cautions at times, but I think no matter what happens there will always be caution flags that NASCAR fans don’t like. Remember too, the TV people don’t always show the reason for a caution. They may tell you it’s for debris, but don’t think it’s worthwhile to show you the debris on the track. – T.C.
6. From Ric:
Do Pit Crews try different routines in practice in hopes of finding a better / faster way method? Do you try different things just in case you need to do it at the race?
Teams and crews will experiment from time to time with different methods of servicing the car. The casual fan won’t notice, but many guys do things differently. There are three distinct methods in indexing a tire, changers have different ways of pulling tires and moving around the car, and some jackmen have little differences. Each guy has his own philosophies, as do coaches. In terms of trying things in practice, we do prepare for situations like flat tires, dead pit guns, and damage repair. – T.C.
7. From Kevin:
Hey guys, watching a football game I saw the ad for the 500, its coming fast!! Feb 12th is a little over a month away. What exactly is the stage of preparation right now for the cars that will go to Speedweeks? I know most guys take very little vacation, but when exactly will people hit the shop again full time 100% looking towards Daytona? PS-Is the Fox crew gonna be back fully intact this season? PSS-for Journo – What is Ricky Craven getting into, I saw that he left Yahoo, I like the stuff he did over there, he had a nice perspective on things. I hope he is gonna be writing somewhere else. Any idea?
Everybody is back 100% right now. Most teams give pretty nice vacations through the New Years holiday (though that’s not universal) and then it’s full steam ahead after that. Right now they’re building those cars that are headed to Speedweeks. Teams are testing, going to the wind tunnel, going to the k-rig. To your second question I believe so. There’s been nothing to the contrary. And to your final question I’m not 100% sure but I believe he’ll be back on NASCAR Now at the very least. – Journo
8. From Tony S.:
What is ask.com doing for 2010?
All I know is that they weren’t sure they’d be back. I would guess they’ve entertained some teams, but I honestly haven’t heard who those teams might be. They entered the team sponsorship arena to legitimize they’re involvement as an official NASCAR partner. If they were happy with growth and ROI, then they’ll probably be back. If not, obviously, they won’t. – Journo
9. From Ric:
At a track are you allowed to return tires if you feel there is a problem with them?
Certainly if you find a problem with a tire, it can be returned to Goodyear. If a tire is damaged, or won’t hold air, or has some other problem, they can be returned. – T.C.
The previous two seasons (2007 and 2008) have provided interesting Silly Seasons with free agents like Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2009 though will go down in the record books as a refreshingly light free agent year.
While 2009 won’t be memorable for big time moves, 2010 could be one for the ages as several prominent drivers could be considering moves away from their current homes.
Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, David Reutimann and Scott Speed are all reported to have contracts up in 2010. While no one is suggesting (I’m certainly not) Kyle Busch or David Reutimann are going anywhere when their contracts expire, others have been rumored to be looking elsewhere.
Earlier this season Kevin Harvick, the 33-year-old driver of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 29 Chevrolet was rumored to be out at the end of this season. That ultimately proved to be false, but with free agency looming, Harvick hasn’t exactly gone out of his way to deny he’s looking.
His teammate Jeff Burton even told reporters in October he didn’t expect Harvick back after next season.
Kasey Kahne’s another driver who has been vocal about his struggles and frustrations with his present organization. At Homestead Kasey said:
“I use to try and stay in the loop and then things don’t happen that they say will. At this point, I have one year left (on my RPM contract). I want to do the best job for Richard Petty Motorsports in my final year. It’s up to them what happens…Come January, I can start looking around…The ups and downs of the team has made it difficult for me to really say, ‘Man, I’m going to be here for 10 more years.’”
When asked if he was going to look elsewhere next season, Kahne said he would.
Kurt Busch has in the past had struggles with performance and with team owner Roger Penske (TC even speculated earlier this season that Busch’s stellar season could have been related to his pending free agency), but with the successes of this season and with the potential addition of a top notch crew chief, it might be difficult for Busch to find greener pastures.
Even Elliott Sadler and Scott Speed could be guys to watch next season (though this is pure speculation). Sadler notably had a power struggle with the management at RPM following the 2008 season after it was rumored they were looking to cut him from their lineup. They may use this as a chance to cut the driver loose (or he may choose to look elsewhere). And Scott Speed struggled in his first full season, failing to qualify for three races (though the team bought Joe Nemechek’s ride for two of those races) and racking up eight DNFs. With an average finish of 29th and only one top five, one top ten, and a 35th place finish in the driver points (36th in the owner points) Speed didn’t exactly light the world on fire. If he struggles again next season and a top prospect comes available, Red Bull might just put something together; which means Speed could be looking for another ride.
Whatever 2010 holds on the competition side, I can’t say; but it’ll no doubt be an interesting and active year for the free agent (whoever they may ultimately be).
This year has been a particularly brutal one for car counts in the Camping World Truck Series. While there usually is a full field, many teams choose to start and park. Looking at 2010 though things are looking up for the truck series.
Richard Childress Racing is expected to field at least one team in 2010 for team owner Richard Childress’ grandson Austin Dillon. The last time RCR fielded a full time truck series team was 1999. There have also been rumblings that Tim George Jr. will drive a second truck for RCR. As the original championship team in the series, it is exciting to see RCR make a return.
Newcomer organization Turner Motorsports (they will make their debut this weekend) also has plans to run one full time and one part time team in 2010. Ricky Carmichael has said he will jump from Kevin Harvick Inc. to the team to run the full season. In addition to running the #1 car in the Nationwide Series, James Buescher is also expected to run at least 19 races for the team.
And then there’s Kyle Busch Racing (or whatever it’ll be called). While nothing has been announced they are rumored to be running at least two teams in 2010. We’ve heard they might also field a third part time truck for Kyle. With some of the talent they are rumored to be bringing in, this team could be a force very quickly.
In addition to the above teams, Mario Gosselin has said he will run the full 2010 schedule with sponsorship from MyTireMonkey.com. Gosselin’s a two time USAR Pro Cup Champion. This year’s ARCA Re/Max champion Justin Lofton has also said he will go truck racing full time next season with primary sponsorship from his father’s cattle company.It’s uncertain where he’ll end up.
Most existing organizations while not necessarily locked up for 2010, are expected to maintain their truck counts. Just to name a few, Randy Moss Motorsports has said they will be back with Mike Skinner in 2010 and they hope to continue fielding a second truck. Kevin Harvick Inc. has said they will return next season with one full time and one part time truck. And Thorsport has re-signed Johnny Sauter for 2010 and will return with Matt Crafton as well.
Uncertainty does still remain with a few regulars though. Wyler Racing needs to find sponsorship to run the full 2010 schedule; something Stacy Compton says they’re still $500,000 short of. Circle Bar, which will lose James Buescher this year, may be down to just one team next season if a funded driver is not found. At Red Horse Racing the number of teams also looks heavily dependent on sponsorship. Team owner Tom DeLoach has said Timothy Peters will be back though.
Obviously the loss of Roush Fenway is difficult for the series. 2010 will be the first time since its’ inception that Roush won’t compete. Their scaled back efforts this season though made the loss, less difficult to deal with.
Perhaps this post is coming a little too early because there are still quite a few guys who don’t have anything locked up yet, but I’m optimistic 2010 will be a strong year for the series. With ratings up and competition consistently good, I’m looking forward to next season.
Rick Ren Leaving KHI?
We’ve been hearing quite regularly for the last few weeks that crew chief Rick Ren will leave Kevin Harvick Inc. at the end of the season. He’s rumored to be heading to Kyle Busch’s new team to serve in a general manager type role.
As we first reported in July Kyle Busch is expected to start a team fielding two or more Camping World Truck Series teams and possibly a Nationwide Series team in 2010.
Rick Ren joined KHI in 2007 after a stint with Johnny Benson at the now defunct Bill Davis Racing. Since joining the team, he and Ron Hornaday Jr. have racked up 16 wins and one championship (a second looks inevitable this season). He has more than 30 years experience in NASCAR.
I heard a rumor this weekend about a “funded” driver with an opportunity at a large, well respected organization. I would name names, but I don’t know how much credit I give the rumor. That really isn’t the point of my post though.
This movement toward the funded driver has become the rule instead of the exception in recent years; while not so prevalent in the Cup Series, this is very visible in the Nationwide and Truck Series.
Now I write this not to bash those who are able to fund their own rides. Certainly some of these guys have talent and are more than deserving of their positions. That said, not all of them are.
Again I’ll refrain from naming names, but I think we all can think of a few guys who probably shouldn’t be driving a stock car in one of NASCAR’s national series. Now how would you feel if one of those drivers took their money to your favorite team (if your favorite team hasn’t already accepted money from a funded driver)?
Would that make you feel different about that team? Personally I feel like we hold larger, older, more established organizations to a different standard. I guess it wasn’t so bad when DEI took Paul Menard’s money, but, let’s face it, Paul Menard isn’t that bad.
But what if Childress, Hendrick, JGR or Roush were willing to take money from a not so great funded driver, just for the sake of the paycheck? Or even as has been rumored, Menard to RCR? This is something RCR has never done. Is it just a sign of the times?
Personally I’m conflicted about these situations. From a team standpoint I understand money is tight and these organizations can use these drivers for information and to have another butt in a seat. From the other side though these organizations are taking part in an activity that isn’t looked upon too favorably (especially by fans).
Just something to think about. These situations are likely to occur more often in the future, but I always kind of expected this phenomenon to remain with smaller organizations. Oh and if I hear more about the rumor I referenced at the beginning and can actually do a reasonable job verifying it I’ll spill the beans.
Update: So I guess Catchfence was more comfortable with the rumor than I was. Good timing on my part though, right?
Whatever your feelings are on JWT, you’ve got to wonder what this means for Stephen Leicht. This is a kid who does have talent, but does not have a big sponsor behind him. Let’s hope RCR finds an opportunity for him.
I’ll be honest with you, I have a lot of respect for Richard Childress and his organization, this is a storied organization, but this makes me think a little differently about them. Maybe I’m making too much of this, but it’s a sad day. As TC remarked to me, I hope they’re ready to hire a lot more body hangers.