The End of an Era!

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THIS WEEK’S STORY LINES

1.   IT IS OFFICIAL– PETTY MERGED WITH GEM:(foxsports.com)

2.   ALMENDINGER REPLACES SADLER @ GEM:(espn.com)

3.   LABONTE LOOKING FOR A NEW RIDE:(motorsports soapbox)

4.   WOOD BROS. RUNS A PARTIAL SEASON:(espn.com)

5.   EARNHARDT-GANASSI SCRAMBLES FOR SPONSORS:(racing one)

6.   HMS SUES DEI AND GINN RACING:(SceneDaily)

7.   2009 TENTATIVE TEAM CHART: (jayski.com)

8.   BILL DAVIS SELLS RACE REAMS: (scene daily)

9.   EVERNHAM STILL WANTS A ROLE IN NASCAR:(Charlotte Observer)

The 2009 season will witness an end of an era!!!  On Christmas Eve Petty Enterprises merged with Gilette-Evernham Motorsports.  On the outside that statement really does sound like an earth shaking event, but let us look closer.  Earlier in the 2008 season Richard Petty sold a majority interest in his family business of Petty Enterprises to Boston Ventures.  That is the same Petty Enterprises that his father, legendary NASCAR icon Lee Petty, started in 1949 in NASCAR’s infancy.  The same Petty Enterprises that dominated NASCAR in the 1960’s and early 1970’s.  That is the same Petty Enterprises that produced the “Petty Blue” color scheme on the Plymouths of those glory years.  Richard Petty and NASCAR have been synonymous for the last 50 years!  With this merger, Richard Petty has relinquished his control and influence in Petty Enterprises!!  The details have yet to be made public, but one thing is for sure, the number 43 is now in the Gilette-Evernham Motorsports stable!

 

Speaking of GEM, with this merger just being announce, there are some shake-ups in the driver’s seat there.  It appears that, even after signing a two year contract extenion, Elliot Sadler has been ousted from the #19 Dodge.  A. J. Almendinger is set to replace Sadler in that ride.  It also apears that Reed Sorenson is set to jump into the “newly acquired #43 Dodge GEM Dodge”!!

 

In another sign of the tough times, Bill Davis has sold his racing operations to Triad Racing Development.  The 2009 season for #22 Toyota is still up in the air.  The new owners are trying desparately to secure sponsorship in order to put that car on the track for the 2009 season.  The economic environment is proving to wreak havoc in the NASCAR garage for the 2009 season.  The DEI-Ganassi merger, Earnhardt-Gannasi Racing (EGR) likewise is finding sponsorship a difficult chore.  Even though the new team will be running Chevrolets, they are still “beating the bushes” for sponsorship for their four teams!

 

COMMENTARY:

When this reporter read that Petty Enterprises merged with GEM, it piqued my interest.  When the details come out, it will reveal that Richard Petty will no longer have a stake in his NASCAR racing team.  It appears that the Petty name will remain, but “The King” will not have an owner’s stake in it! 

 

This reporter remembers his one and only conversation with “The King”.  I was about 1987 at the Atlanta airport.  I walked into the restroom in the C concourse “to let out some diet coke”.  As I was standing there a tall slender gentleman walked up next to me.  As I slowly looked to my right I noticed the big hat, sunglasses, and an embroidery of an STP #43 on his hip pocket of his jeans.  Holy Moly, it is Richard Petty!!!  As we washed our hands I engaged him in some conversation.  I first acknowledged how much I loved watching him race!  I then asked him a few questions, which he very gracefully answered.  I then asked him a question that I heard  was true.  I asked “The King”, about his philosphy of signing autographs.  He told me, “Son I will sign autographs til there is nobody left that wants one.  I learned a long time ago that if there is nobody in the stands watching the races, then I don’t make any money! ”

Here I was talking to a NASCAR icon, an American Hero, presumably a wealthy race car owner and businessman.  What really surfaced there was that Richard Petty, Mr. NASCAR, “The King”, was a very humble good ol boy and southern gentleman!!  He was very appreciative that this young airline pilot at the time acknowledged him.  But more importantly, he took time to talk to me, answer my questions and take an interest in what I was asking him.  He wan’t all business!!

 

GOD BLESS YOU RICHARD PETTY!!  THOSE ARE HUGE SHOES THAT YOU LEAVE TO FILL!!

ONCE AGAIN, I LOOKED IT UP SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!!

IT IS 45 DAYS TILL “GENTLEMEN START YOUR ENGINES”!!!!!!

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND POSPEROUS NEW YEAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got Something For Johnson??

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THE STORY LINES:

 

1.   JOHNSON WINS AGAIN!

2.   QUALIFYING RAINED OUT FOR 9TH TIME:

3.   HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS DOMINATES @ MARTINSVILLE:

4.   DEI AND PETTY ENTERPRISES MERGER? ( espn.com) (nascar.com)

5.   PETTY RESURRECTS #44:  (espn.com)

6.   JEFF GORDON CLOSING IN ON 20,000 LAPS LED:

7.   ROCKINGHAM RACEWAY BUILDS A “LITTLE ROCK” ON PREMISES:

8.   AMBROSE IN #47 (WAS #44 MWR) REST OF YEAR:(MWR PR)

Well folks, it happened again!  The #48 Lowes Chevy dominated the race.  Jimmie Johnson led over 330 laps of the 500 lap race, a true sign of domination.  The Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) Chevys all had a good day at the track.  Just to let you know how the HMS teams have done over the years at Martinsville, here are some facts.  Prior to Sunday, HMS  had posted 11 victories and 78 top 10’s there!!  Now make that 12 victories and 82 top 10’s!!  They have completed over 96% of all laps entered.  Jeff Gordon has posted 7 victories there alone!   They have now won 9 out of the last 12 races at Martinsville!!  HMS now have a total of 174 wins and 7 Sprint Cup Championships in NASCAR!!!!  These numbers are staggering!

 

The merger rumors are running rampant in the garage area this week.  There are talks rumored between Petty and DEI.  There are rumors of talks between Petty and Ganassi.  There are rumors that Gilette-Evernham (GEM) are leaving Dodge and heading to Toyota.  It is truely “The Silly Season”!!!  IT APPEARS THAT NOT ONLY IS “JOE THE PLUMBER” HAVING TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES, THE CUP TEAMS ARE EQUALLY FINDING THE TIME A ROUGH GO!!!!  There appears to be  a changing of ownership coming to the garage area.  Financial partners and mergers seems to be the key to suviorship here in NASCAR!

 

COMMENTARY:

Remember the first 26 races of this season???????   Ol Kylie Busch, aka TLVW, was truly dominating the entire field each and every Sunday.  What happened??????    Everyone was singing the praises of TLVW, how he was running away with the championship lead!  Well, did everyone forget how the #48 Lowes Chevy came from the cellar last year to put the BIG WHOOP on the other 11 contenders in the Chase??????  DON’T LOOK NOW, BUT HE IS ABOUT DO REPEAT THAT SAME FEAT THIS YEAR!!!!!!! 

This reporter was one of the naysayers this year.  I repeatedly said that the #48 Lowes Chevy team could not possibly win 3 championships in a row!  After all, it had only happened once in the history of NASCAR, so that by itself shows the difficulty of that feat.  By the way, that one feat was accompolished by one William Caleb (Cale) Yorborough from 1976-1978.  But don’t look now, it is about to happen again!!!!  

 SO THE ANSWER TO THE TITLE OF THIS BLOG WOULD BE A RESOUNDING NO!!!!! 

ONCE AGAIN I LOOKED IT UP SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!!!!!