Back in business
What a week to be out of action. (I blame my corporate overlords.)
Since I last checked in:
* The Kurt Busch-to-Penske and McMurray-to-Roush moves finally happened.
* Ricky Rudd will retire, sort of.
* Brian France stuck it to Jack Roush and Terry Labonte. Better, NASCAR will limit testing to specific tracks.
* Joe Gibbs Racing cut loose Bobby Labonte, who will drive the No. 43 next season. (Way cool.)
Needless to say, Dustin Long has been busy this week. And it's a good thing. Otherwise you would have ended up with the coverage like I got in my hotel-delivered USA Today: short and buried inside the paper.
It's good to be back. More later.
Comments (4)
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The question is how did France stick it to Roush? He has four years to cut loose one team. And in the unlikely event he can manage to resign all the current sponsors and drivers he continues on with five teams. So what's gained? One team, one driver and a few sponsors that MAY trickle down to the Cal Wells or Robbie Gordon types.
If I were Roush and with the sole purpose to stick it back into France's side, I would be holding a resigning party. Offer all his sponsors cut rate fees to resign past '09. All the current drivers would be given options past '09 with raises that blows the lid off all previous driver salaries.
As for the new testing rules, note that tests at non-Nextel Cup tracks will continue to be permitted.
That means Kentucky Motor Speedway, along with Gateway, USA International and Greenville-Pickens, will gain thousands of dollars in track rental fees and Hoosier Tire will sell a butt load of ARCA style radial tires to Cup teams looking to skirt the tire leasing program.
Does anyone REALLY think Kevin Harvick is running all the Cup and Busch events next year out of the goodness of his heart or the spirit of competition? Dream on if you do. If you think the "Bushwacker" problem has been bad til now, just wait, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Posted on November 12, 2005 9:44 AM
I've never understood the Buschwacker debate. It means (to me anyway) that I get to see Cup drivers twice a weekend instead of just once.
As for the ownership rules, the "stuck it to Roush" comment was intended to be snarky. Jack Roush has portrayed himself as the victim all along here, and the debate narrative has turned into a France v. Roush cage match.
I'd argue that limiting owners to even three teams each is still stopping short of the ideal. NASCAR will reach a limit to suckers named Aikman and Staubach who are willing to put up that kind of cash to play the racing game.
Posted on November 13, 2005 10:15 AM
Pretty amazing Speedchannel show today with Kenny Wallace being named driver of the 97 basically on live TV.
The best line was when Wallace was still doing his part on the preview show and when asked whose chances he like best in the race he said, "mine."
Posted on November 13, 2005 1:53 PM
It's my belief that the team limits have nearly nothing to do with better competition or anything related.
Look at France's reasons for the move. Better competition? What other racing series has double digit winners each year?
Multi-car teams inhibit new owners? Don't tell that to Aikman and Stauback or Tim Brown.
Multi-car teams inhibit new sponsors from entering? Not hardly look at all the new logos adorning cars in the last 5 years. Look at how Home123 and AAA go from a relatively small budget associate sponsorships to full bore 10-20 million full sponsorships.
France has sold everyone a bill of goods. It's really about him perceiving multi-car teams as threat to his cash cow. If in the future, say 5 five cars teams existed they would hold vast power over more than half the field in the form of TV rights distribution, rules changes, etc.
Beside all that France should be last one, aside from Bill Gates, to be screaming about racing monopolies like Roush and Hendrick.
Posted on November 13, 2005 11:03 PM