A Voice for the fans ~ Silly Season Not So Silly

9/25/2013

PattyKay Lilley

I bid you welcome gentle readers, and a warm welcome as well to our assigned reader, most likely ensconced in the glass palace known as the Fan and Media Espionage Center in the beautiful Queen's City of Charlotte NC. I do hope your stay is a pleasant one.

 

Well, it's been quite a couple of weeks, hasn't it race fans? Is everyone enjoying the Chase For No Sponsorship (coined in 2004 by The Lady in Black, as previously noted) after two races ironically won by the same driver that was deemed "too boring" and became the stated reason for "The Chase?" This scribe said "Pooh" to that nine years ago, and my thoughts remain unchanged today. "Pooh!"

 

When last we spoke of Silly Season on these pages, Kurt Busch had just begun the expected domino effect by announcing he'd be leaving Furniture Row and the #78 car for SHR in 2014 and hopefully, the #00 car. After what we thought were most of the dominoes falling into place, with Furniture Row the only quality team (Sorry to the rest, but partial schedules and second rate cars don't equal a quality team) with a driver still unsigned. Then came Richmond! As we've all seen and weathered together, the once proud Capital of the Confederacy played host to one of, if not the biggest scandals ever to hit NASCAR.

 

There is no need to go back over who did what to whom at Michael Waltrip Racing that night in Richmond. Suffice it to say that while this scribe feels there was a huge overreaction on the part of NASCAR originally, any semblance of a sufficient apology for what many view as a cardinal sin is yet to be forthcoming in any meaningful and believable way from Michael Waltrip himself. So gentle readers, what we have here are my two least favorite people in NASCAR at each other's throats and vying for the role of who will play "Dumb" and who will play "Dumber." Works for me either way.

 

NAPA Auto Parts, one of the largest sponsors in the sport, closely associated with Michael Waltrip and MWR since 2001, tersely ended their relationship effective at the end of the 2013 season, and quite possibly will extend that to the entire sport of NASCAR racing.

 

There has to be a massive effort on the part of NASCAR and who knows who else to keep NAPA in the sport of stock car racing. Michael Waltrip "apologies" aside, losing NAPA would be close to a mortal wound to NASCAR racing as a whole because other sponsors, not limited to those at MWR, may choose to follow suit. Yes, NAPA carries that much weight in the automotive world. That ripple effect that NASCAR was "not concerned with" is still building. Everyone, from Brian France all the way down to Michael Waltrip had best be removing his head from his hind end and scramble to get this one right.

 

Hints of gloom have now arisen from MWR sponsor of #15 driven by Clint Bowyer. The closest thing to a commitment for remaining with the car in 2014 came from President Scott Henderson on Sunday when he was quoted as saying, "We'll see how the year plays out." Hardly a ringing endorsement,  especially considering that statement was closely followed by this one,  "There's a lot of talk about integrity," he said. "When the guy who's in charge can say, 'I can do whatever I want and I'm going to do it and I just did,' I wonder about integrity. I want to make sure we can win in this sport, OK?" With that, he made his exit.

 

Here is another large and lucrative sponsor, seemingly on the verge of bailing not only MWR, but the sport as well. Mr. France... Brian, if I may take that liberty, please... listen to the advice of others. What you're doing is not working. Step back Sir, and let someone run the sport that knows about racing. The equation is very simple Sir. The Empire you acquired by birth was built on and around racing. Without racing, there is no "product." There is precious little call for tickets to sit in a grandstand and watch nothing but perhaps a stock ticker. Stock car racing needs an overseer that can give it guidance and direction, someone like your grandfather or even your father. Someone like Mike Helton? Yes, he could do it and would without a doubt do it very well. Playing Emperor as you did in the case of arbitrarily "placing" Jeff Gordon in the already full Chase field "Because I can" did not sit well with the fans, and it clearly is not sitting well with some sponsors. The folks out here all know the Emperor has no clothes. Time to wake up and get dressed.

 

And while all that keeps simmering on the stove of public opinion, let's take a look at who's left still looking and who's moving where for the 2014 season. The following is a list of as yet unsigned drivers, most from lower tier teams that will probably remain in that position, though maybe not with the same team.

Dave Blaney
Jeff Burton
David Gilliland
Travis Kvapil
Bobby Labonte
Mark Martin
David Ragan
David Reutimann

 

The drivers that immediately catch one's eye are Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin. Martin, we know wants to run only a partial schedule, and rumor has it he may find a way to do that at SHR, where he is currently subbing in the #14 car for the injured Tony Stewart. (Miss ya Smoke!) As to Burton and Labonte, what can I say? These are two of the nicest guys on the circuit (as is Martin; no intent to leave him out of that). Both have been around a long time now; Burton is 46 and Labonte 49. (Martin, the ageless kid, is 54) With sponsors and consequently owners looking for those fresh-faced youngsters to hawk their wares while driving fast at the same time, these guys may have to settle for a second tier ride or perhaps move to Nationwide(?) or Trucks to find a seat behind a wheel. Personally, if it is their time to quit, I hope they do so with dignity and go out from a top ride. These guys have provided the fans with many thousands of miles of great racing. They deserve our applause for all they've given to the sport and to us. Bravo Jeff and Bobby! We, the fans, thank you for everything you've done, every mile you've run and every race you've won.

 

Now gentle readers, with that said, these are some notes I've accumulated and put into some semblance  of order by car number, though in some cases, even that is not certain as of yet.

I've listed car#, owner(s), Team name

 

#00 Tony Stewart, Gene Haas = Stewart-Haas Racing. Strong rumors have the #00 replacing the #39 driven this year by Ryan Newman. I'm guessing the number "might" still belong to MWR, and I can't see a reason why they would not release it... if indeed, they have kept it in reserve. (Editor’s Note: As of press time, we are hearing the number might be No. 41.)

 

#4 Tony Stewart, Gene Haas = Stewart-Haas Racing.  Will replace the #39 and will be driven by Kevin Harvick in 2014. #39 may possibly remain in play, depending on availability of #00

 

#29 Richard Childress = Richard Childress Racing.  Vacated by Kevin Harvick, who will drive the #4 for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. No "Official" announcement as yet, but every instinct tells me this will be the #3 in 2014, piloted by Childress' grandson,  Austin Dillon.

If not, someone wasted a whole lot of time building this: