NASCAR running thread

This is pretty stupid of Roush. Yeah, let the the most recent Daytona 500 winner and current points leader walk. The fact that, not only Kenseth, Gordon, Earnhardt, Johnson, etc., can't get a single sponsor for an entire season shows what the sport has done to itself in terms of cost and what potential sponsors see as not the best return on an investment.

 

Unfortunately, it's business. And I see where Roush is coming from.

You've got a very, very good driver. One that is very quiet, humble, unassuming and some would say boring and not very mediagenic. One who can pull top tens very consistently and quietly. He drives a car that doesn't have full presenting sponsorship for the year.

He drives for an owner who-it's been said-has trouble keeping sponsors because he's batshit crazy. An owner who locked up two promising young drivers into longterm developmental contracts in Stenhouse and Bayne, neither of whom probably make (guessing) 25% of Matt's pre-win base salary. You can't keep the young'uns in the playpen till they go to college.

It's a Catch-22. Is there a right and wrong party here? Did Matt quit or get quit? Who knows-Matt certainly wouldn't say, I don't think.

At first, I thought maybe he goes to MWR, but I'm not sure that he has the "it factor" ala Tony Stewart to bring his people (much less a sponsor) with him. I think he goes to JGR and gets Toast, er, Sliced Bread out of that 20 car.

 

It's for certain that Matt, while a nice enough guy when you sit down with him, pegs about a 2 on the personality meter and there is nothing wrong with bringing up Stenhouse.

Truth be told, if I was Kenseth, I'd pack my stuff and go to the house. I'm sure his family is financially secure. I'd sit on my back deck on Lake Norman and enjoy life. If I had an itch to race, I'd build me a Modified and take up to Bowman Gray or a Late Model and head to Gastonia on Saturday night.

 

Wonder how much the penny-pinching going on at Yawkey Way and Anfield has to do with the race team's fortunes. Maybe not much, but I am curious.

 

Now why'd you have to drag the Labontes into this?

 

I thought we were talking about Bill Elliott. My bad.

 

No, Mark Mar... Never won a title. Still kickin' ass.

 

Absolutely dominant win by Austin Dillon. Nice to see the No. 3 back in VL.

 

Any clue how long we'll have to wait for Richard Childress to replace Jeff Burton or Jamie McMurray with his elder grandson?

A Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-Austin Dillon race for 2013 rookie of the year would be fun.