From:.."A future time"
Subject: Jeopardy Television Show
Answer: "Kurt Busch"
Question: "Whatever Happened To?"
And that's my view from here
Mike
Subject: Jeopardy Television Show
Answer: "Kurt Busch"
Question: "Whatever Happened To?"
And that's my view from here
Mike
We’ve been on vacation so I’ve been a little neglectful about writing. But the last couple of days I’ve been thinking about Tony Stewart’s dilemma — you know, whether to stay with a winning team (think, two Sprint Cup Championships) or buy into a second-tier (hey, we all know that) team. What I’ve been thinking about is how I made my decision to stay or leave my position as chair of the Department of Management back in 1992 — I made a list of pros and cons (and, in my case, the “cons” won out).
So here goes:
Pros: He’s part-owner and has some say in the operations. Hendrick makes the engines. He’s back driving Chevys. He’s part-owner and has some say……got the idea?
Cons: He leaves a team that gave him his start and supported his two championship runs. He leaves a team that has, arguably, one of the most honest, straightforward owners in racing and one who has defended Tony on many occasions. He leaves a team that probably has the greatest potential in the coming years as any team currently running — Kyle, Denny, and most likely Joey — and he can be the “poppa” figure directing their climb to fame. He’s part of a stable that has the top running racer in the Sprint series — and that can mean continued sources of shared information.
Now the business part — which is the real essence of Tony’s decision. He’s buying into a second- to third-tier team (sorry, but when have they been consistent winners?). Who has the seven post shaker rig? Where’s the wind tunnel time? And, most importantly, how much R&D money will trickle down to Tony’s team given the economic times and Motor City’s need to ration its resources when it comes to NASCAR teams (remember Hendrick and Childress?)?
Geez, don’t you think Gillett/Evernham is worried? And Ganassi with his Reed “here’s your pink slip” Sorenson, Dario “this looked easy” Franchitti, and Juan “I’m looking at an oval win” Montoya isn’t real sure about Chrysler. Even Toyota announced that it’s revising its sales goals for 2009, in light of economic conditions, so what’s that say about its involvement?
Tony’s no novice when it comes to business. But, really, is this the time for Tony to “go on his own?" I certainly don’t know — but again, that’s the view from here.
Jon
P.S.: If I were a betting man (and I’ve played the lottery so that tells you something about why I seldom bet!), I’d put my money on Tony leaving JGR. Why, even though I make a pretty solid argument for staying? Because Tony is his “own man” — Tony believes what he wants, says what he wants, and does what he wants — and I think he wants to show everyone that he can DO what he wants.
According to some texts, "Kyle" as a name has roots in old Scotland and can mean "fair and handsome". So while many boo birds have difficulty warming to Mr.Busch, we do know that he is certainly adding a fair and handsome amount of value to not only himself, but to his owners, and sponsors.
If others aren't careful this could be a runaway year for M&M's. After all "Dale" means valley and well, what does "Kasey" mean?
That's the (abbreviated) View from Here
Michael
Well, I think I can answer Jon's below 'can he sell ' question regarding Kyle Busch, who has been accumulating both victories and boos in impressive quantities. YES, he can. Apparently people are beginning to warm up to him (winning helps). See this May 7 article from Dustin Long, who covers NASCAR for the Roanoke Times, the Virginian-Pilot and the Greensboro News & Record. The relevant portion is below.
THE FAVORITE BUSCH
Fans might boo Kyle Busch, but somebody is buying his merchandise.
Mark Dyer, president and CEO of Motorsports Authentics, said Busch merchandise has seen among the biggest increases in sales from last year.
Part of that, no doubt, relates to M&M's, which is Busch's sponsor. The candy product is a popular souvenir item.
Busch is in the top 10 among drivers but hasn't cracked the top five, which typically includes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson.
Said Dyer of Busch: "He's captured the imagination of a lot of fans with his aggressive style and winning races. He's been way up this year. It's been exciting to see."
Also note that this is even more interesting when considering that Mars, Inc., owns numerous brands that also appear on his (and others) car such as Pedigree, Snickers, etc. He also is linked with Pedigree in a campaign. I have pasted most of it below:
"From May 1, 2008 through October 15, 2008, NASCAR fans and dog lovers can log onto http://www.Dogsrule.com to make a monetary pledge to sponsor miles* of any of Busch's Sprint Cup races during that window; a roster which will sport 25 races and more than 10,000 miles. Donations from pledges will directly benefit The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides funding to 501(c)(3) status animal shelters and breed rescues nationwide. Kyle kicked off the program from Richmond, Va., where he raced the No. 18 PEDIGREE(R) Toyota for the first time during the Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400.
"As the owner of two dogs I know how happy they can make you, so to me it's really sad that each year four million dogs end up in animal shelters and breed rescue organizations and two million never make it out," said Busch. "Kyle's Miles hopes to raise money and awareness for the dogs that are so often overlooked and I'm excited to be able to do my part to help."
As an added incentive to the "Kyle's Miles" program, anyone who sponsors miles* is automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to Phoenix in November to meet Busch and attend the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 9, 2008. Those who'd like to enter the sweepstakes but not sponsor Kyle's Miles can also do so at http://www.Dogsrule.com .
The PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive
The fourth annual PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive launched in February 2008, with a goal to raise more than one million dollars for The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive Foundation. Because of their love for dogs, PEDIGREE(R) Food for Dogs created The PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive to help shine a spotlight on the plight of homeless dogs. Through no fault of their own, more than four million dogs end up in shelters every year. Sadly, nearly half of those canines never find a place to call home, a trend that the PEDIGREE(R) Brand and Busch hope to help reverse.
In addition to making a donation to "Kyle's Miles," there are several easy ways NASCAR fans can take part in The PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive all year long that help benefit the foundation:
-- If you're a dog owner, you can purchase PEDIGREE(R) products. Donations from product sales will benefit the foundation.** -- Visit Dogsrule.com to browse Dogs rule.(R) gear, a line of merchandise and apparel for dog lovers. Proceeds after expenses from the sale of all Dogs rule.(R) items benefit The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive Foundation. -- Additionally, those who adopt a dog from a local shelter or breed rescue anytime during 2008 are eligible for a FREE, one-month supply of food as a thank you from PEDIGREE(R) Brand."
Finally, two other points.
1.Mars, Inc., has announced it is buying Wrigley's for 23 billion.Think about who (JPM) drives the Juicy Fruit car (he finished second at Talledega). So now Mars will have a wider assortment of promo opportunities.
2.Since Mars' fiscal year ended in December 07, I know that their 2007 sales were up a whopping 19% to 25 Billion.
Nothing to 'snicker' at .....
Sorry, just couldn't resist.
Mike
A couple of weeks ago, Brian Tarcy (“The Complete Idiot’s Guide to NASCAR” and the blog “Free Cheezeburgerz”—at the right) sent me an e-mail in which he posed a very interesting question: Since fans don’t seem to like Kyle Busch very much, how has the sales of M&Ms been doing since that Kyle’s primary sponsor? Brian suggested that perhaps the popularity—or lack thereof—might have a serious effect on the sales of the sponsors’ products? I tried to find some financial data but am still looking for any impact on M&M sales (I’ll get my colleague Mike to research that topic—it’s up his alley).
In any case, the fairly phenomenal success of Kyle in all three series would suggest that Masterfoods is very happy with its primary sponsorship. We all know that Dale Jr.’s sponsor didn’t sign on because it likes the number “88” but because Jr. has such a great following. And we can, no doubt, find many such instances.
But still it begs the question: Does the unpopularity of a driver—regardless of his (her) success—have a negative effect on his (her) sponsor? Or, even more so, does the make of race car have a negative effect? For instance, when JGR announced it was switching from Chevy to “ota”, many fans indicated their displeasure and even suggested they’d stop rooting for Tony.
So, is there a problem for a sponsor if the driver simply turns off fans? Mr. Tarcy raises an excellent question—and one I intend to keep an eye on.
So, that’s the view from here.
Jon
With the recent revelation by Aaron Fike that he had used heroin while competing in a Craftsman Truck Series race, many NASCAR drivers are coming forward requesting NASCAR take a more proactive stance on random drug testing. However, NASCAR’s upper management believes that the current policy is “working” (my quotation marks). NASCAR feels that the tiered approach to drug testing — owners and teams doing their own random testing — allows NASCAR to continue its policy of testing only for “reasonable suspicion”.
Now, I’m not one in the “know”, but it appears to me that NASCAR believes “reasonable suspicion” exists for every team when it comes to setting up their car, using illegal parts, etc. How else can NASCAR explain its extremely invasive inspections prior to qualifying and immediately after a race? There must be some reason, other than “reasonable suspicion”, for these inspections. Right? It’s because NASCAR knows how much teams “stretch” the rules. If NASCAR assumes the stretching of rules because it finds such things happening, shouldn’t NASCAR assume drug abuse by drivers or pit crew members in light of the fairly well-known incidents over the past couple of years with substance abuse by drivers?
The real issue for me isn’t whether a driver is “high” when on the track. The issue is the safety of the other drivers given how quickly accidents can happen at 180 mph. Heaven forbid that an accident occurs and it’s found later than one of those involved was “using” and no one in NASCAR had “reasonable suspicion”.
That’s the view from here.
Jon
Time to spin off Joe Menzer’s (NASCAR.com) March 18 column in which he discusses “five things we’ve learned from the first five races”. My approach is “five questions we have after the first five races.”
Q1: It wasn’t a case of “if” Toyota would win — it was a case of “when”! And right out of the box we saw that Toyota could win. Here’s the question, though: Okay, we know JGR is the hot spot for Toyota but will any other Toyota team win a Sprint Cup race this year? And, for a related question, will any other Ford team win a race other than a Roush team?
Q2: Why can Mike Skinner make a race on speed while A.J. Allmendinger driving the same car (#84) can’t? Wait a minute — if you look at the three races in which drivers qualified on speed (or raced in for the Daytona 500), AJ was faster than several other cars but wasn’t in the top 35 in points from last year so he went home early! The real question? — When is NASCAR going to scrap an antiquated “franchising” qualifying system?
Q3: This one’s philosophical: Why did Roger Penske seem to feel that the only way Sam Hornish, Jr. would make the first five races was to give him Kurt Busch’s points from last year while Kyle Petty didn’t seem to feel he needed to take Bobby Labonte’s points in order to keep racing after this year’s fifth race? Remember, Kyle’s sitting in the 40th position while Hornish has blown the early points position and presently sits in the 35th position.
Q4: This one has no answer! How can the penalty system be fixed so that situations where one driver walks away without a “hit” while a second (or third or fourth) gets “hit” for the same infraction? Count them up — only through five races and the cash register drawer for penalties is already about full!
Q5: Okay — this will steam some fans: Is Earnhardt Jr. for real or are #24 and #48 sandbagging? On a related note, where are the Chip Ganassi Racing drivers?
What have you learned from the first five races?
These are my views from here.
Jon
Although I’m tempted to talk about how to spell “team” with an “I”, I’ll let that go.
Instead I’d like to share some interesting and relevant information about an upcoming national competition — even more relevant given Ryan Newman’s engineering background.
FIRST Robotics is an annual competition for high school kids around the country. We at VCU, most notably our School of Engineering, have hosted the NASA/VCU regional event for the past eight years. This year’s competition, March 6-8, will include high school teams from Virginia, DC, five other states, and Canada and highlights a new themed challenge — “Overdrive,” featuring a checkered-flag logo.
Competition is rough and tumble. In fact, the “pit” area where teams work on their robots mirrors a NASCAR pit — each student/pit crew member has a specific responsibility as he or she develops the robots. The competition is timed, and ultimately the teams’ robots will compete head-to-head in robot strategy, design, and fabrication. The event represents the culmination of six weeks of intense design and construction activity by students and their professional mentors.
FIRST was founded in 1980 by inventor Dean Kamen, who is best known as the inventor of the Segway, and is a nonprofit organization. Robots and teams are made possible through their sponsorship donations, with logos proudly displayed on the robots and students (for example, uniforms).
It would have been great to have Ryan in attendance, given his engineering background. Nevertheless, since this is a nationwide competition, check out your immediate area for this exciting competition. Details can be found at http://www.usfirst.org/. A video about the competition is here.
If NASCAR is looking for diversity, here’s a great place to start!
Jon
As we approach the start of a historic race, here is the full list of the 10 greatest to ever drive at Daytona.
(To review: the results are based on statistics – not a subjective approach to the term “greatest.” The top 10 is based on a statistic of wins per miles raced at Daytona in all “money” races, such as qualifiers, the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400. For instance, 12,000 laps with 3 wins amounts to 1 win per 4,000 miles raced.)
10. Jimmie Johnson (5117.5 miles : 1 win total)
9. Dale Jarrett (1 win every 4166.88 miles / 4 wins total)
8. Jamie McMurray (1 win every 3770 miles / 1 win total)
7. Tony Stewart (1 win every 3473.75 miles / 2 wins total)
6. Dale Earnhardt,Jr. (1 win every 3416.25 miles / 2 wins total)
5. Bobby Allison (1 win every 2955.83 miles / 6 wins total)
4. Richard Petty (1 win every 2354.25 miles / 10 wins total)
3. David Pearson (1 win every 2184.38 miles / 8 wins total)
2. Jeff Gordon (1 win every 2103.75 miles / 6 wins total)
And finally the all-time king (sorry Richard) of Daytona is:
1.Cale Yarborough (1 win every 1745.55 miles / 9 wins total)
Now, let's go racing ...
-- Mike
Continuing the examination of our “NASCAR’s Wish List for 2008, we explain wishes 5 through 7, keeping in mind the “business” emphasis of the wishes. (Details on 8-10 are here.)
#7: Everyone loves the COT: The Car of Tomorrow is certainly now the Car of Today, at least in the Sprint Cup series. Tests at various locations last week showed that times were fairly comparable to those of the former cars. Most drivers had kind words for the COT as well. If success and happy drivers come out of Daytona, NASCAR’s efforts to create a safer car while minimizing team costs will be an overwhelming success. The fear of IROC style racing will be dissipated, and the fans can turn their attention back to racing and not controversy. It’s a win-win-win for NASCAR, teams and fans.
#6: One of the open-wheel drivers – preferably Montoya – makes the Chase: What better way to show the world that NASCAR racing is truly the best racing than to have an open-wheeler make the Chase. The new arrivals are adding to the diversity of the sport (at least “international diversity”) and can only help to entice open wheel fans to the NASCAR scene. That translates to fuller grandstands and larger TV audiences. And that makes NASCAR happy.
#5: An end to bickering over the 35 rule: We all know the 35 rule was instituted to ensure that major sponsors — doling out lots of change from their pockets — would have representation each week of racing. Despite the many calls — and there have been many calls from a variety of sectors — NASCAR isn’t about the scrap the rule. It’s still about the business of NASCAR, and ensuring happy sponsors is a primary goal. So, let’s get over it and go back to racing.
Remaining four wishes next week.
Can’t wait for Saturday—it’s been a long winter!
Jon
The greatest to ever drive at Daytona. Last week, I put Jimmie Johnson in the No. 10 slot.
(To review: the results are based on statistics – not a subjective approach to the term “greatest.” The top 10 is based on a statistic of wins per miles raced at Daytona in all “money” races, such as qualifiers, the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400. For instance, 12,000 laps with 3 wins amounts to 1 win per 4,000 miles raced.)
Position number nine belongs to:
9. Dale Jarrett (1 win every 4166.88 miles / 4 wins total)
Position number eight belongs to:
8. Jamie McMurray (1 win every 3770 miles / 1 win total)
Position number seven belongs to:
7. Tony Stewart (1 win every 3473.75 miles / 2 wins total)
Earlier, I asked for a list of the five “greatest” drivers ever to race at Daytona. I also noted that I would count the list down as we approach the race itself. But I am expanding the list to also include positions 6-10.
The results are based on statistics – not a subjective approach to the term “greatest.” The top 10 is based on a statistic of wins per miles raced at Daytona in all “money” races, such as qualifiers, the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400. (For instance, 12,000 laps with 3 wins amounts to 1 win per 4,000 miles raced).
Position number ten belongs to:
(Insert your drum roll here)
10. Jimmie Johnson (5117.5 miles : 1 win total)
A couple of weeks ago we posted our first blog entry for this racing season with NASCAR’s Wish List for 2008. We want to take this opportunity to expand on various wishes in order to explain why we “hypothesized” the way we did. Keep in mind that the “wishes” are based more on the business side of NASCAR than the racing side.
Here are three wishes.
#10: No “three-peat”. Las Vegas bookmakers give #48 a 4 to 1 chance of three-peating as Sprint Cup champion. It’s only been done once. We think NASCAR would like to see a close championship but with a new face (or even familiar face) in order to stimulate greater fan interest in the Race for the Chase as well as the Chase itself. An analogy would be the Chicago Bulls, UCLA under Wooden and even the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fans of those teams loved their dynasties but others were turned off by their repeated success.
#9: #88 makes the Chase. He’s been the most popular driver the last several years but has had his ups and downs. What better way to stimulate fan interest than to have Dale Jr. make the Chase — or even better, to win it all? Given all the off-season hype about Jr. winning races and making the Chase, fans would be sorely disappointed if after Richmond in September, he’s down in 14th or 15th place.
#8: TV ratings and track attendance improve. Of course, NASCAR wants these to happen but not simply to point to the sport’s popularity. Rather, sponsors and TV network exec’s would be thrilled at the possibility of greater exposure — and that’s why they pay big bucks for television contracts and bright logos on the race cars.
Stay tuned for further elucidation.
Jon
It is always problematic to go searching for the “best” or to look for the “greatest” in any genre. But here we go, even as we remember the old saw: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Our premise is simple:
Who are the five greatest drivers to ever race at Daytona?
As we count down to race week we will periodically reveal what our (rough) statistical analysis indicates for the past 50 years
We would love to receive your list
After several years at the helm of NASCAR, Brian France said last Monday that NASCAR will minimize the number of changes it makes this year. His rationale was that NASCAR needed to bring back lost fans. I (and others) couldn’t agree more that the rapid changes he instituted did dampen the enthusiasm of many fans toward the sport they love(d).
However, there should be one change instituted as quickly as possible — the elimination of the “top 35 rule.” Joe Menzer in his NASCAR.com column on Tuesday called for the rule to be eliminated. Jeff Burton has indicated that sponsors for teams outside the top 35 are few and far between since there is no guarantee their teams will make the race. Even Darrell Waltrip was quoted in Menzer's article acknowledging that the “top 35 rule” has drawbacks as well as benefits to the sport.
Last year I wrote that the “top 35 rule” was patently unfair and in effect was creating “franchises."
If we’re not going to eliminate the rule entirely, how’s this for a compromise: top 12 must qualify on time (with so many past champions probably in the top 12, the chances of those drivers not making it are miniscule), positions 13-25 are guaranteed starting spots, and 26-42 (26-43 if no past champion’s provisional is used) qualify on time. That gives teams that have faster times than those in positions 13-25 a much better chance of making the race and not having to pack it in for the weekend at great expense.
Then again, I’m probably “spitting into the wind” on this one!
Jon
So what do Major League Baseball and NASCAR have in common?
They both will probably have the same nightmare. What’s that nightmare? Think about how much trouble the MLB head office went to ensure that the World Series games would not be (1) during the day on a weekday and (2) not up against football at night. So what happens? First, Colorado sweeps the National League pennant. Bosox saves the day by clawing out of a 3-1 deficit to win the American pennant.
Then the NIGHTMARE—a Bosox sweep in four!
So, let’s now look at the situation in NASCAR. The New York front office increased the number of drivers in the Chase (and Jr. still didn’t make it), hyped the change in the points system to reward race winners, and kept talking about how the top five drivers in the Chase are all capable of winning the championship even as late as the Martinsville race. Three weeks ago I wrote that after Martinsville, the Chase would be down to two drivers — no one even flinched. Well, we now have exactly that — Teflon I and Teflon II.
Who even cares now that we know that Hendrick will once again carry home the trophy — just which of the Teflon men will it be? Do Tony’s fans care? Matt’s? Denny’s? Hardly!
Yes, gentlemen (and ladies): we have a repeat of the MLB Nightmare — except now it’s NASCAR’s turn. As Mike said, “twice of one or half of the other”! Better leave the lights on so as not to fall asleep.
Jon
Well, the “silly season of NASCAR” appears to be gaining momentum as JJ Yeley is officially out at JGR and Kenny Wallace is climbing out of the 78 car of Furniture Row Racing. Add Sterling Marlin to the picture and we can see some major shake-ups coming by the end of the racing season.
Usually, one of the reasons for announcing driver changes is to allow the “former” driver an opportunity to find a ride for the following season. Clearly, however, such is not the case so far as JJ’s demise is the result of the dominoes that have fallen at DEI and Hendrick Motorsports. Both DEJr and Kyle are quite high-profile drivers and were courted by several different teams. JJ, Sterling, and Kenny — although nice guys — aren’t in the same bracket and will find it more difficult to find rides for next season.
Still, DEI needs a driver — assuming Budweiser stays onboard with the #8 team (now that the #8 is not going over with Jr.) — so JJ might have a chance there. Or, DEI may woo some other high-profile driver who is looking to move into a more publicized position.
One more random thought: If Jr. doesn’t make the Chase in ‘07, there may be less pressure on him to win a title next year and simply zero in on making the Chase in ’08. That actually may be the better scenario for him. Your comments are welcomed.
Jon
Dear JJ:
It is unfortunate that we must tell you that your services will no longer be needed after this season. It’s not that you don’t share the family values that we espouse at Joe Gibbs Racing. You see, it’s just that we were fortunate to snag another driver — one who has shown his ability to win. Despite your one pole this year, second place finish in the Coca Cola 600, and 21st place in the points, we think Kyle will make the No. 18 a little more competitive and that’s what it’s all about, right?.
Now that Ray Evernham has a partner and more money, he may be looking to add another car to his stable so you might want to send him a resume. I know there are several former Ginn employees who are also out of jobs with the sell-out to — sorry, merger with -- DEI so Ray should have no problem finding people to work on another car. You may certainly use me us as a reference should you decide to talk with Ray.
You might want to talk with Kyle to see how he’s adjusted to being the “lame duck” at Hendrick so that you don’t make the same seething remarks and then have to retract them. Be certain that 11 and 20 will continue to be team players with you so, unlike 24, 25, and 48, you know we’ll be there for you.
Best of luck as you pursue your racing career.
Sincerely,
JGR
I have been in Europe for awhile so as you might expect it has been mostly F1 coverage for me. NASCAR there is much like an alien being (think X-Files) to many, but not all, Europeans. We are an oddity -- racing yet not quite real racing.
But this post isn't really about Europeans, Americans, or any other group - it is about brands and consumers.
According to Kevin Roberts (Saatchi and Saatchi --- see krconnect.blogspot.com ), people want to know the following:
1. How can I buy stuff and feel good about it?
2. Why does choosing have to take up so much of my time and attention? The Economist tells us that two-thirds of consumers feel constantly bombarded. Bombardment is a twentieth century idea. Connectors will ignite growth in the twenty-first century.
3. What can you offer me beyond price? Wal-Mart’s shift in focus from “Always Low Prices” to “Saving people money so they can live better lives” is huge. It’s smart, forward-looking and brave.
4. What do you really know about me – and what do I know about you? The human thirst for authenticity is intense. It is pushing brands far beyond their comfort zones of smart market segmentation and savvy PR. People talking to people. That’s where we are headed.
5. What have we got to talk about? This is where it gets personal. A lot of brands have nothing interesting to say. They can talk about themselves and be the bores we all avoid, or they can work hard to become the relevant, fun, connected friends we want.
6. Can you keep up with me? This is where it gets tough, fast and tactical. Consumers are way ahead and they never stop pushing. Cool stores, new games, the latest mobile functions. If they can dream it, brands have to try to do it.
I learned that Budweiser and Dale Jr. will soon part ways and -- I yawned. So, did I just commit a NASCAR heresy? Maybe I was just tired from traveling or perhaps I am getting more cynical as I age, but in my opinion this is not a big deal.
Brands and drivers part ways on a more or less regular basis. As loyal as NASCAR fans are (and they are mighty loyal) I question whether a fan of Dale Jr. who also happens to enjoy Budweiser will stop liking either. Budweiser has such a powerful image that they can choose most any driver and retain/develop a fan base for that driver.
The larger problem lurking in the weeds isn't the parting of the ways between two popular 'brands' (yes,Dale Jr. is a 'brand') but rather a slow, yet steady, decline into the darkside of driver 'sameness'.
Just examine those six questions -- I think NASCAR probably has. When the day arrives that questions such as these cannot be answered to the satisfaction of the fans, NASCAR will have a real problem.
So now is the time to consider the future and I am betting it is far beyond issues such as the Car of Tomorrow.
That's the (somewhat hazy) view from here.
Michael
I’m quite certain that fans of Dale Jr. slept very well last night, with visions of championships he is SURE to win driving for Hendrick Motorsports. In fact, I wish him well. I just can’t wait to see Jimmy or Jeff pull over to let him lead a lap!
But here’s a different version of this current situation. A couple of years ago, Kurt Busch abruptly left Roush (Fenway) and moved on to Penske. Jack-in-the-Hat was so infuriated he changed the number of the car the following season. Last year, Dale Jarrett left RYR to go with Michael Waltrip. There were hues and cries about driver loyalty. Well, Kyle (I’m not a really big fan) had a contract through 2008 but Rick Hendrick decided he could drop the contract. I’m not in the “inner circle” so there probably was a clause that allowed this. But what about owner loyalty to a driver?
Keep in mind the following: Kyle has one win this season to Dale’s zip; Kyle has three top 5 and seven top 10 finishes while Dale has one top 5 and five top 10 finishes; Kyle is 10th in points while Dale is 14th; and Kyle has four Cup wins since 2005 to Dale’s two. Yes, Hendrick Motorsports will be a good move for Dale. But what about Kyle? What’s he to do?
Well, I’m a big fan of “Don’t get angry, get even.” So, maybe Kyle will do the proverbial “spit in your eye” and go to DEI.
Just a thought.
Jon
Almost everyone knows the purported Native American saying, “Before I judge a man, let me first walk a mile in his moccasins.”
Well, last week I had the opportunity to ride some laps through the Richard Petty Driving Experience. It was part of my last year’s Christmas gift. I didn’t drive but did the “ride-along”. Actually, I felt it important to attempt to experience some of what it’s like to be on the track if I’m going to talk and teach about NASCAR. It was, indeed, an enlightening experience.
The experience overall was rather authentic. Donned a firesuit (although I’m not sure about the “fire” part), helmet, and HANS device. Climbed through the window (passenger side!), got strapped in (reminded me of “Apollo 13” with Tom Hanks when the astronauts were strapped in by the technicians who really pulled hard on the belts). I turned to my driver, introduced myself, and said, “Pocono, 500 miles, no way!”
The acceleration was about as expected, as was the roar of the car. However, since we didn’t pass anyone, I didn’t have a real sense of speed, although I was told we turned around 120 mph. What caught my attention was the “G” forces going into and coming out of the turns (this was at Richmond Int’l Raceway, a ¾ mile track that has a good banking to it).
Additionally, I was struck by how confined I was — and my seat was designed to accommodate a variety of body shapes and sizes. I recognized quickly that a driver cannot be claustrophobic and be a racer in one of these cars. And then the thought really sank in that being in that driver’s seat for 400 or 500 laps or miles must put a tremendous stress on one both physically and mentally.
And thus I offer you this observation. The next time you’re quick to say, “Dumb move, Stupid!” keep in mind what has been happening to “Stupid” and what physical and mental stress that driver has been under. The pop phrase is “red mist.” Well, if Kurt or Tony or – name the driver you love to bash — experiences “red mist,” drive a mile in his firesuit.
And, finally, I would strongly recommend you consider any of the driving experiences that might come your way. It’s AWESOME, as those of you who have done this experience knows. I’m saving my coins so I can do my “rookie experience.”
Keep in touch.
Jon
1.A night of firsts on a Day of Memory?
Kyle Petty's first top 5 in 10 years
Casey Mears first win
Toyota's first top 5
2. Brother Can You Spare a Gallon?
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" was one of the best-known American songs of
the Great Depression.
Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
(Written in 1931 by lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and composer Jay Gorney.)
Charlotte is usually the marathon of the season but it was well worth the nearly
6 hours. At first I thought my theme would have to be "The Junkman Cometh."
But, amazingly, most of the wrecks (and there were plenty) were still running at
the end. I think that is a tribute to the unsung crews of NASCAR (and to a 600-
mile race).The season is just beginning to warm up and as we head into the summer heat
let's see who has staying power, because as we all know , 'it isn't over until ... '
3. Now for the concrete of Dover?
Michael
Did anyone see Smoke beat up on his rivals last week?
Didn’t think so given all the hullabaloo about Junior. (For the record, Smoke DIDN’T beat up anyone last week.)
So now the waiting game begins — where, oh where, will Junior end up next year? Even the souvenir makers are asking that he make a quick decision so that they can begin manufacturing the new merchandise! So much for racing.
Still, there are a great many fans of Junior who would like to see him end up driving for RCR, given that’s where Dale Senior ended his career. Some even would want Junior to drive the No. 3 COT next year. Personally, I think those are two bad choices for Junior.
Why, you ask?
First, just driving for RCR would put immense pressure on Junior because his father drove for RCR. Second, what (lord forbid) if Junior didn’t win a NEXTEL title driving the No. 3 for RCR? Calamity would certainly ensue because Junior is seen as capable of winning a title if he’s with the right owner. I think it would be unfair to Junior to put him in such a position.
Given his other choices (and the current status of several owners of Chevy teams), my opinion is that Junior should go it on his own. He already has the offer from Rick Hendrick to assist with engines. He certainly has the financial backing as well as name recognition to bring on additional sponsors (and perhaps financial partners). The only major problem is that single car teams simply have a tough row to hoe, and he would not be any different. Tough decision making time for Junior.
Best of luck!
Jon
It’s hard to believe that when I first started watching NASCAR regularly, there were so many single car owners. Even some owners today were single car owners for quite a while before bringing on a second (or third or fourth) car. Rusty Wallace with Penske, Dale Earnhardt with Childress, Bobby Labonte with Gibbs.
Then, we also had the owner/driver combinations, most notably Geoffrey and Brett Bodine (although they didn’t have that much success). Today, according to the list of Nextel drivers on NASCAR.com, there are only four single car owners, with one (Robby Gordon) an owner/driver. Surprisingly, two of the four are in the top 29 (Raines at 23rd and Gordon at 29th — Kenny Schrader is 40th and Kenny Wallace is 43rd) after the recent Richmond race.
What’s my point, you ask? The days of single car owners are nearly at an end. As a result, I believe that what we’re going to see (and probably are already seeing) is “competition compression” (we saw it last year on several occasions when three multi-car teams captured nearly all of the top ten positions in a race; additionally, no single car owner won a race last year). This “competition compression” is going to have a detrimental effect on second- and third-tier multi-car teams (minimal chance at winning, let alone be in the “Chase”) and fan interest.
Let’s face it — picking Kenny Schrader, Sterling Marlin, or even Bobby Labonte to win on a regular basis is an exercise in futility. Last year all races were won by drivers from six teams! Maybe this explains the “top 35 in owners’ points” syndrome that has been thrust upon us!
Jon
Everyone who follows NASCAR knows that fan loyalty to NASCAR sponsors is the highest for any major sport. We shop at The Home Depot, drink Coca Cola and drive Chevys.
So what about the drivers? How much loyalty do they have for their sponsors? I would suppose a great deal.
So let’s look at a situation where a driver chooses to NOT race in support of his sponsor. Everyone likes Mark Martin, the current “dean” of drivers. After announcing his retirement last year, he turned around and signed a deal to drive for Ginn Racing — although on a limited basis. Well, as luck would have it, Mark sits in first place in the standings after the first four races. Yet, rather than continue to drive his 01 U.S. Army car, he has chosen to sit out the next two races and allow a rookie to take over.
I wonder if Joe Gibbs would allow Tony Stewart to continue driving if Tony decided to take a couple of weeks off?
Although not driving full time was part of the agreement with Ginn Racing, Martin seems not to recognize the responsibility to his sponsor and team owner that others would deem required, especially given his place in the standings. It appears Martin has placed himself as “01” instead of the U.S. Army and Ginn Racing. As a result, upon returning to the 01 car for the Texas race in April, he’ll be no better than 36th place.
So much for loyalty.
-- Jon
Recently while talking to a reporter I was asked if I had done any research on drivers’ salaries. My response was candid — no, most drivers’ salaries are not made public.
Then, after talking with my colleague, Mike, we started researching this issue. Mike found a couple of contracts for Kasey Kahne that were entered into court records several years ago. I followed up by contacting Dustin Long, a reporter for several newspapers. He confirmed that Kasey’s contract was reflective of the norm.
But I still wondered why the drivers’ contracts were so “hush-hush‿ — especially given how open the media is with contracts for players in the NFL, NBA, etc. So a little more research showed that in 2005 Jeff Gordon’s salary, winnings, and endorsements placed him 19th on Sports Illustrated’s list of the top 50 paid athletes, while Tony Stewart ranked 34th.
Darrell Waltrip has written that when owners are discussing deals with sponsors, the drivers might not even be discussed before the deal is sealed. Given how often we learn of salaries of professional athletes, CEOs, and even college professors (I’m at a state institution where my salary figure is readily available if anyone cares), why aren’t drivers’ salaries disclosed? Should they be? Do sponsors eventually know? Do we even care? Just a thought.
On another note, in case you missed it, Washington state House Representative Larry Seaquist made it clear he does not want NASCAR and its fans in his beloved home state:
“These people are not the kind of people you want living next to you,‿ he told a Fox television news station. “They’d be the ones with junky cars in their front yards and would try to slip around the law.‿
Guess he hasn’t seen the motor homes of fans at the race tracks!
-- Jon
(More on the Washington racetrack debate: (1) http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/03/05/gbiffle.washington.track.support/; (2) http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/opinion/03/06/jmenzer.washington.track/)
Top 10 Fearless (but not ones we are betting any cash on ) Predictions for 2007:
10. Staten Island - DOA; Hello, Seattle!
9. The rising cost of attending a race drives fans away.
8. Introduction of Toyota--what will be the reaction, one like Jack Roush or more like Brian France? (We know, we know, it is more of a question than a prediction)
7. New demographics-- Montoya's entree into Nextel and Busch's points race in Canada lead to new viewers
6. COT confuses fans who don’t want IROC-style racing.
5. JPM finishes well and two more F1/INDY drivers follow.
4. New Busch Series Sponsor -- big deal or non-story, and will there be a "target" on the new sponsor?
3. The fines just keep on a coming
2. Toyota wins by seventh race. (Ensuing controversy good for solving item # 9).
1. No one can replace Benny.
Big stories of the Week:
"Just in time for Valentines...The Candymen deliver"
1. David and Lazarus are appropriate monikers for the front row holders of this year's Daytona 500. By providing Yates Racing and Masterfoods, Inc., the front row for this Sunday's classic, perhaps the folks at Snickers can place into their rearview mirror their strange Super Bowl commercial.
2. The only question left to be answered is the "water into wine" miracle for Michael Waltrip (perhaps we should say "mystery liquid into 'oil' "). Hey Matt, that should show you that a few misplaced holes are not that exciting.
3. On the other front we are guaranteed that for the first time since 1963 -- when Smokey Cook ran an MG (yes, you read that correctly) at Bowman-Gray stadium in a 200 lap event won by Junior Johnson -- a foreign entry will run in a NASCAR points race. Wonder what took them so long?
4. James Hylton age 72 looking relaxed and ... well, need we say more ?
5. New life for Chip Gnassi !
Overall: Score a -3 for the Toyotas and a +1 for candy.
--- Jon and Mike