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Tag: RPM

  • Two Drivers Looking for Victory at Watkins Glen to Make Chase

    Two Drivers Looking for Victory at Watkins Glen to Make Chase

    Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger both know that the road course at Watkins Glen offers them one of their best chances at securing a spot in the 16 member Chase for the Sprint Cup. When asked questions about making the field both have differing thought processes. One will speak about their team in the field, the other says he doesn’t necessarily think about it because he’s not in it yet.

    On the same day that it was announced that Kimberly- Clarke was going to stay on board with Allmendinger and the No. 47 JTG-Daugherty for three more years,  Allmendinger let us know that the his car owners are still looking for sponsorships. “Tad (Geschickter),” Allmendinger said, “is out there continually trying to work on finding sponsorship and really help build the race team. It doesn’t hurt. The more money you find the more it’s going to help with resources at the race team. He is working hard on that. I know this whole week he has been out there trying to help sell and find more money for the race team. I think we just have to continually grow. Being a one car race team you are always going to be behind. I think it’s just as we add more resources and Tad continually goes out there and tries to find more money for us and Brad (Daugherty) does the same thing. That is going to help, but I think just trying to keep updating our cars.”

    Allmendinger was pretty honest with the gathered media saying that he doesn’t think that his team is necessarily up to the task of being a championship team. “When it comes to the Chase side of it,” he said, “It would be great to be in the Chase because it meant we won. That is the only way we are going to get in. When it comes to making the Chase to win a championship with our race team right now I am not sure that we are quite in that realm of saying if we make the Chase we can go win the championship. Anything can happen, but I think to come here and if we were to win to get into the Chase would just be great for all of our sponsors and this race team and to help keep building the race team and promoting it. That is the way I look at it. I don’t look to make the Chase to make the championship, but when it comes to this weekend I feel like after our test here a couple of weeks ago we had a really good test. I feel like if we do the right things we can be in contention to win the race. I don’t want to make it all or nothing. If we don’t win and we have a great top-five, top-three run, but we don’t win I don’t want that to be a disappointing weekend. But like I said, I think if we do the right things, kind of like at Sonoma we had a good shot to win that race, we will have good speed in the race car I believe. We will see what happens.”

    For Ambrose, it’s a bit different situation. He has won here at both the Nationwide and Cup level. He said, “I get talked about more and people want to know what I am doing (here). That is a good thing. I don’t have  a problem with that. When someone asked him that and started with, “If you made the Chase…” Ambrose was quick to respond, “I hate to be rude but I am not in the chase yet. I just haven’t thought about it. It is pretty straight forward. RPM would love to have both cars in the Chase and that is what we will try to do this weekend.”

    Ambrose admitted that the last couple years have been a struggle for him. His 2015 plans are announced and there’s rumors of him exiting NASCAR and heading back home to Australia. “It has been a struggle,” he said. Our first two years before this new body we had really good speed every week and it was a lot of fun. The last couple years have been a challenge. It’s been a grind, no doubt. We are looking for that next step for our team. It is a big step for us to make the Chase with Aric (Almirola). I am driving for the King and driving for Ford and it is great to be part of the series. Just because it is hard doesn’t mean it isn’t great.”

    Look for Watkins Glen’s race on both days to be some of the most entertaining to date. There are more than a handful of drivers who can win the race when they have nothing to lose (previous winners) and must win to make the chase. The weather is predicted to be beautiful all weekend, something that is relatively rare in upstate New York. Expect both Allmendinger and Ambrose to be a factor.

  • SHR continues to get stronger

    SHR continues to get stronger

    On the last edition of The Inside Pass (www.theinsidepass.net), heard on Tuesday November 26th, my co-host Randy Miller and I spoke at length with veteran spotter Tim Fedewa. The conversation ranged from the new Gen 6 car and the struggles of the Ford camp to find speed through out the season to what Tim is looking forward to doing during the off season (hunting for those wondering).

    The telling point in the interview was when Randy Miller asked Tim what his plans were for next season. Tim broke the news that he would be moving to the number 4 car and would be spotting for Kevin Harvick moving forward into the 2014 season. Tim is still currently under contract with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) until the end of the year, which for those that do not know the NASCAR year typically ends on December 31st of each year. Tim expected to be spotting for RPM during the early December testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tim believes that he will be spotting for Aric Almilrola during that testing session, but nothing is firmed up yet. During the off air conversation, Tim also confirmed that this would be a year to year contract.

    When asked Tim stated that he is excited about thae move, and that he is very appreciative of everything that working at the legendary Richard Petty Motorsports has done for him personally and professionally. He enjoyed working with Marcus Ambrose and felt strongly that they as a team were really close to getting the Australian driver his first oval track win. As the interview progressed, I asked Tim exactly what does a spotter do to help build the level of trust up that is needed between a spotter and a driver moving into the January testing at Daytona, which is where Kevin and Tim will be working together for the first time. Tim’s response was enlightening, they are going to be sitting down to lunches together along with recently named crew chief Rodney Childers, who is leaving Micheal Waltrip Racing (MWR), along with the car chief to try and get on the same page moving forward.

    As the title of this article implies gaining a veteran spotter such as Tim bodes well for the fans of Kevin Harvick and does not bode well for the rest of the field. Tim has been spotting in the national series dating back to when the Sprint Cup was known as the Nextel Cup.  Tim is a former racer turned spotter.  He understands how to help a driver navigate the traffic and track in order to help his team and driver get the very best out of the car.  When teamed with a driver who is known for taking care of his equipment and being “there” at the end of a race, this could potentially be the new powerhouse driver/spotter combination.  When asked what he had already been doing to prepare for the potential move to Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Tim replied that he had been scanning the 29 cars channels in order to pick up on the lingo and the meter that Billy O’Dea and Kevin used throughout the latter stages of the year so that he would be better prepared for his new role with Kevin.

    Tim’s pedigree in racing is not a short lived one, he was born into a racing family.  His father Butch raced in several series eventually reaching the ARCA/ReMax series before retiring and began helping Tim with his racing career.  Tim made limited starts in the Camping World Truck and some 300 Nationwide Series starts, with four wins in that series, along with one start in the Winston Cup Series, and also ran in a relief role for John Andretti with Petty Motorsports at the Coke 600 in 2000 when John was injured.  Tim understands the nuances that help make a car go fast, this role with the new number 4 team is not something that Tim simply fell into over night.  He has been doing this for awhile now, and he has the respect of his peers atop the spotter’s stand.  While NASCAR may have mandated rules changes that there would no longer be “deals” made from the spotters stand, I hope no one is naive enough to think that the spotters don’t work together to try and help their driver out when trying to make their way through the field.

    When you take a look at the cache of talented members continuously being added to the stables over at Stewart-Haas Racing, I think that we could see a few new/old faces challenging Jimmie Johnson (six time) for the championship next season.

  • The Smart Money’s On Busch to RPM…Or Not

    The Smart Money’s On Busch to RPM…Or Not

    After the continuing activity during this off-season, I have but one conclusion. You just never know what is going to happen. Witness the separation of Penske Racing and Kurt Busch. Even though Busch pretty much sealed his own fate with his actions this year, you had to feel that a championship caliber driver would not be asked to move on. I was wrong. I imagine sponsor Shell-Pennzoil had a lot to do with that decision. So, the next shoe to drop shouldn’t have been a surprise.

    [media-credit name=”Jerry Markland, Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”216″][/media-credit]When Best Buy made the decision to head over to Roush-Fenway to sponsor 2011 runner-up Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, it left A.J. Allmendinger without a sponsor, so he had to go looking. Even though it was rumored that David Ragan, also sponsor less since UPS also headed to other teams in Jack Roush’s stable, would possibly take the No. 22 ride. After so much time elapsed, it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen. And Allmendinger had to deal with Robbie Loomis’ comment that he would mortgage his house to get Kurt Busch in Allmendinger’s No. 43 car. Allmendinger got the offer and he jumped. Ragan is still looking for a ride, but he’s not alone. I imagine David Reutimann, replaced by Clint Bowyer, and Brian Vickers, the victim of Red Bull’s closure, are feeling the same pain. It appears the only good job left is the famous No. 43 ride, and with Busch, Ragan, Reutimann, and Vickers looking for a ride, the competition will be fierce.

    On the surface, it looks to be a game between Busch, Ragan, and Reutimann. I don’t see any way that Vickers will be considered for a Richard Petty Motorsports car—too much bad blood between Vickers and Matt Kenseth after last season’s troubles, and you have to remember that RPM is more or less a satellite of RFR. It’s pretty much the same with Busch. After Busch won a championship with RFR, he announced he was leaving for Roger Penske’s operation. Then an alcohol related event at Phoenix led to his firing. There is bad blood between Roush and Busch. Even though King Richard runs his own team, I can’t imagine RPM hiring Busch unless he can bring a sponsor with him. That’s the bottom line. The same could be said for Ragan and Reutimann. Whoever can bring the dollars will get the ride. It’s the way things are done in these times. Whichever driver can finance the No. 43 will get the ride.

    My crystal ball is a little foggy these days, and even though the common opinion is that Ragan will go to RPM’s famous ride, I don’t see it happening. Kurt Busch is a name driver, whose talent has never been in doubt. David Ragan has won one race in his career and might be the choice is sponsorship doesn’t come. Petty has said he is committed to running the No. 43, no matter what. Reutimann is the dark horse. Once again, bringing sponsorship seals the deal. You just never know.

    Look for Ragan to get a ride in one of the Front Row Motorsports cars for 2012. Look for Busch to get the RPM ride. I’ve been wrong before, and like I said the crystal ball is foggy, but I can’t imagine anything else. Reutimann? Who knows? One thing is certain, unless someone has a rabbit up their sleeve, this is the way it will come down, unless Busch Reutimann, and Ragan strike out in finding a sponsorship. Like I said, you just never know,