Don't shoot the messenger

Allenbaba

Allenbaba

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Was at Loudon all weekend. Here's some scuttle that was floating around the garage. THESE ARE NOT MY OPINIONS, but rather things I heard from multiple people, so don't bother debating me on any of it. I have my personal opinions on all three, but I'll keep 'em to myself ;)

1) Dale Jr will (eventually) retire because of the concussion risk. It might not be today, or even this season...but when he retires, it will likely be sudden, and this will be why. While his concussion symptoms are very real (this isn't some ploy), it does provide him a very nice, neat, easy way to say goodbye. No guilt, no fanfare, no victory tour, no pressure from NASCAR, no one second guessing him or upset by his decision...just a sudden, emotional press conference, and that's that...which, quite frankly, Dale would prefer. Just rip off the band-aid and be done with it. This is the perfect "out."

2) There is a very real possibility of Paul Menard and the Menards sponsorship going to Penske next season. Three car team. Paul will drive for another season or two, then retire...Ryan Blaney will pick up the sponsorship moving forward. Will it happen? Who knows. But, talks have happened, and it's a real possibility. (Remember, the two have an Indy relationship).

3) Cole Pearn has apparently been trying to recruit people to Denver. A second FRR car looks like it might be pretty close to happening. Most assume for Erik Jones. I heard a few specifics about the possible sponsors, but would rather not disclose.
 
None seem out of line to me. Junior is ready to go . Menard doesn't get much respect where he is and joining the young guns at Penske would be a big shot in the arm for his last few years. Pearn would certainly be the lead guy to watch in recruiting .
 
Love to hear an informal survey of your sources on which tracks are the highest degree of difficulty.
 
Thanks, Allen.
1) When Dale retires - I hope not this year - I'd so love a sudden thing without the ever-tiresome farewell tour. If it is this year or next year, OK and wish him all the best.

2) Menard-to-Penske is no surprise to me, but thanks for the Blaney connection... very interesting. I had considered Ganassi a contender, but I wonder if Menard sponsorship would be seen as a conflict with Target. If so, Gannasi is out.

3) Is Furniture Row in good shape with sponsorship for the 78? To the extent that they can sign a long term deal with Truex? I hope so.
 
Yeah these all seem pretty reasonable. #2 would unfortunately delay Blaney's full-time move to Penske, but everyone knows they want a third team and it's eventually going to be driven by Blaney. Combine that with #3 and we're looking at not one but two charters needing to be bought this off-season with no obvious sellers.
 
Acs said:
Combine that with #3 and we're looking at not one but two charters needing to be bought this off-season with no obvious sellers.
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An excellent point. Premium might be one obvious seller. Their charter is leased to HScott on a one-year lease, IIRC.
 
Allenbaba said:
Was at Loudon all weekend. Here's some scuttle that was floating around the garage. THESE ARE NOT MY OPINIONS, but rather things I heard from multiple people, so don't bother debating me on any of it. I have my personal opinions on all three, but I'll keep 'em to myself ;)

1) Dale Jr will (eventually) retire because of the concussion risk. It might not be today, or even this season...but when he retires, it will likely be sudden, and this will be why. While his concussion symptoms are very real (this isn't some ploy), it does provide him a very nice, neat, easy way to say goodbye. No guilt, no fanfare, no victory tour, no pressure from NASCAR, no one second guessing him or upset by his decision...just a sudden, emotional press conference, and that's that...which, quite frankly, Dale would prefer. Just rip off the band-aid and be done with it. This is the perfect "out."

2) There is a very real possibility of Paul Menard and the Menards sponsorship going to Penske next season. Three car team. Paul will drive for another season or two, then retire...Ryan Blaney will pick up the sponsorship moving forward. Will it happen? Who knows. But, talks have happened, and it's a real possibility. (Remember, the two have an Indy relationship).
Click to expand...

1. I hate to see this happen. None of the new drivers have attracted my loyalty yet, so once Jr goes I don't know who I'll have to cheer for. Maybe Jeffrey if he sticks around....

2. Hopefully Menard does really well with Penske. Personally I think he's really underrated as a driver.
 
[Was at Loudon all weekend. Here's some scuttle that was floating around the garage. THESE ARE NOT MY OPINIONS, but rather things I heard from multiple people, so don't bother debating me on any of it. I have my personal opinions on all three, but I'll keep 'em to myself ;)

1) Dale Jr will (eventually) retire because of the concussion risk. It might not be today, or even this season...but when he retires, it will likely be sudden, and this will be why. While his concussion symptoms are very real (this isn't some ploy), it does provide him a very nice, neat, easy way to say goodbye. No guilt, no fanfare, no victory tour, no pressure from NASCAR, no one second guessing him or upset by his decision...just a sudden, emotional press conference, and that's that...which, quite frankly, Dale would prefer. Just rip off the band-aid and be done with it. This is the perfect "out." this makes alot of sense too. Jr doesn't seem like the type to enjoy the gushing over and attention. I am also very concerned how even if he is healthy how this effects his driving. I can't imagine trying to drive a race car at the limit knowing one crash could induce a concussion with lasting effects. These guys have to be free to really push the car. in the back of your mind knowing this could effect you will mean your not as fast. Its like the time I was driving a late model a couple times. It would have been very very embarrassing if I crashed the car given the situation I was in not to mention the car wasn't really fitted for me and I can't afford to get hurt because I have a family to take care of. I didn't feel free to explore the outer limits of the car. Same deal but to a much larger degree with dale jr he is risking quality of life beyond racing.

2) There is a very real possibility of Paul Menard and the Menards sponsorship going to Penske next season. Three car team. Paul will drive for another season or two, then retire...Ryan Blaney will pick up the sponsorship moving forward. Will it happen? Who knows. But, talks have happened, and it's a real possibility. (Remember, the two have an Indy relationship). called it called it called it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! everyone here laughed at me and told me I was full of it. I should go find the thread I said this would happen at the beginning of the season. I smelled something afloat with the menard/penske indy sponsorship. Its a good fit penske gets full funding for a 3rd team. menard gets to move to a better team

3) Cole Pearn has apparently been trying to recruit people to Denver. A second FRR car looks like it might be pretty close to happening. Most assume for Erik Jones. I heard a few specifics about the possible sponsors, but would rather not disclose. this does not suprise me one bit. its actually a pretty cool story. We are seeing more and more FRR is getting sponsors on the car. A team that comes in from nothing and is able to build a multi car team is such a rarity these days. I wish them well.
 
I really hate that for JR. I know the sport has long survived the coming and goings of a lot of great drivers and figures, but he is so good for the sport. I am not looking forward to that day.
 
Losing Jr. will be a huge blow to the sport. Yes I will still be a fan but because of jr I look up the practice speeds on Friday and Saturday to see who is fast and in particular try to guess where the 88 stacks up to the competition. The sport already lost Jeff, tony is going the sport is losing stars that really attracted attention. The sport has changed in huge ways since these guys got their start. Now we have people that mostly came with sponsor connections, Menard, the Dillion's. Etc
 
Sadly I can see Jr walking away now. He's in a precarious situation with his health. Shame he never got a cup championship but sometimes life throws you a curve.
 
I hate it for Jr. He seems like one of the actual good guys in the sport.

It will survive though. Chase is the next big thing, right or wrong. Kyle Busch is now loved. The Penske boys are the villains for now, and you still have Harvick to start **** and run.

I never thought it would be worth a crap without Martin, Wallace, Rudd, Earnhardt, Bodine, Ervin, Labontes, or Allison but the sport carried on without much of a beat lost.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
Losing Jr. will be a huge blow to the sport. Yes I will still be a fan but because of jr I look up the practice speeds on Friday and Saturday to see who is fast and in particular try to guess where the 88 stacks up to the competition. The sport already lost Jeff, tony is going the sport is losing stars that really attracted attention. The sport has changed in huge ways since these guys got their start. Now we have people that mostly came with sponsor connections, Menard, the Dillion's. Etc
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In other words, nothings really changed since the sports inception. Drivers come and drivers go. The sport will survive. This from a lifelong Earnhardt fan.
 
Bobw said:
Sadly I can see Jr walking away now. He's in a precarious situation with his health. Shame he never got a cup championship but sometimes life throws you a curve.
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I'm a huge fan of his but i think you could be right. I'd much rather see him walk away from the sport as a driver and have his health over wanting to entertain his fans.
 
1) I really think Jr. might walk. He is freaked. The brain donation. Stepping out now. I hope I am wrong.
2) Interesting yet shrewd move by the Captain.
3) No question Erik to Furniture Row. Team Toyota gets stronger.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
Now we have people that mostly came with sponsor connections, Menard, the Dillion's. Etc
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Well, let's take a look at the "Etc." before we declare that Cup racing is nothing but a playground for the wealthy who bought their Cup seats...

Kyle Busch - M&M's
BKez - Miller Brewing
Logano - Pennzoil
Larson - Target
Chase Elliott - NAPA
Ryan Blaney - Ford Motorcraft
Erik Jones - Toyota
Chris Buescher - Roush/Ford
Daniel Suarez - Arris/Telmex

Hmmm. I'd say your conclusions are pretty weak.
 
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1,2,3 do not surprise me in the least, and I wouldnt be shocked if Jr does not come back at all, myself, just like many here I think have had that feeling that he was getting close to hanging up the helmet.
 
1) That does not surprise me at all. Once he declared being out of the Loudon race I fully expect him to last no longer than the end of the 2017 season.

2) Menard moving to Penske would be in his best interests. He is clearly on the bottom of the totem pole at RCR and I do not think he is happy. Moving to Penske could rejuvenate him and give him a great shot of making the Chase multiple times. I believe it would be most beneficial to him if he raced Cup for 2-3 more years, and then went to Xfinity full-time for a few years (a la Sadler). Menard would have a realistic shot of winning a championship in that series.

3) A second FRR car does not surprise me, but Erik Jones going there does. I figured he would be a great fit at HMS or SHR.
 
RacerrecaR said:
1) That does not surprise me at all. Once he declared being out of the Loudon race I fully expect him to last no longer than the end of the 2017 season.

2) Menard moving to Penske would be in his best interests. He is clearly on the bottom of the totem pole at RCR and I do not think he is happy. Moving to Penske could rejuvenate him and give him a great shot of making the Chase multiple times. I believe it would be most beneficial to him if he raced Cup for 2-3 more years, and then went to Xfinity full-time for a few years (a la Sadler). Menard would have a realistic shot of winning a championship in that series.

3) A second FRR car does not surprise me, but Erik Jones going there does. I figured he would be a great fit at HMS or SHR.
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Toyota isn't letting go of Jones any time soon.
 
BobbyFord said:
Toyota isn't letting go of Jones any time soon.
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I'm pretty sure Gibbs has Jones under contract. Joe Gibbs recently said "We have a plan in place for Jones," although he did not provide any details. Bobby, do you know how long the contract goes?
 
LewTheShoe said:
I'm pretty sure Gibbs has Jones under contract. Joe Gibbs recently said "We have a plan in place for Jones," although he did not provide any details. Bobby, do you know how long the contract goes?
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I do not know. I just know they'd be foolish not to have him locked down
 
I was thinking about this.

When Dale Jr hangs it up for good, will we see Jeffrey Earnhardt suddenly become the most popular driver in Nascar? The Earnhardt fan base is by far the largest in the sport, and I don't see them abandoning the family name as long as there is a driver out there with it.
 
CamelPowered said:
I was thinking about this.

When Dale Jr hangs it up for good, will we see Jeffrey Earnhardt suddenly become the most popular driver in Nascar? The Earnhardt fan base is by far the largest in the sport, and I don't see them abandoning the family name as long as there is a driver out there with it.
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I can't imagine the Jr. fanbase suddenly rallying behind Jeffrey.
 
BobbyFord said:
I can't imagine the Jr. fanbase suddenly rallying behind Jeffrey.
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Well Earnhardt nation rallied around Jr. for 15 years even though he's been a big let-down. He's gonna retire without a single championship despite all the money he's gotten from NASCAR.
 
To [QUOTE="CamelPowered said:
I was thinking about this.

When Dale Jr hangs it up for good, will we see Jeffrey Earnhardt suddenly become the most popular driver in Nascar? The Earnhardt fan base is by far the largest in the sport, and I don't see them abandoning the family name as long as there is a driver out there with it.
Click to expand...

I guess you weren't around this forum a couple years back during the Junior Hate Years . He finally put a few wins together and shut them up , but there was no free ride for Junior on here .Well he shut most of them up . ^
 
Acs said:
Well Earnhardt nation rallied around Jr. for 15 years even though he's been a big let-down. He's gonna retire without a single championship despite all the money he's gotten from NASCAR.
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Disappointment?

His career has not been that bad, but when you compare it to his dad's. Yeah, but forget all of that.

Let's call Kyle Petty a joke to his father, but Kyle was a fun guy to watch back in the day with steep competition.
 
CamelPowered said:
I was thinking about this.

When Dale Jr hangs it up for good, will we see Jeffrey Earnhardt suddenly become the most popular driver in Nascar? The Earnhardt fan base is by far the largest in the sport, and I don't see them abandoning the family name as long as there is a driver out there with it.
Click to expand...

Ah, No!
 
Kiante said:
Disappointment?

His career has not been that bad, but when you compare it to his dad's. Yeah, but forget all of that.

Let's call Kyle Petty a joke to his father, but Kyle was a fun guy to watch back in the day with steep competition.
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Both drivers were HUGE disappointments if you compare them to their fathers. Neither won a championship and neither was a contender for a win week in and week out. However, I would say that Dale was a bigger disappointment than Kyle SOLELY for the fact that Dale has been in top-tier equipment his entire life. Put Dale and Kyle in equal equipment at the prime of their career and I think Kyle would out-edge Dale most races. This is all a moot point and the fact is both drivers had way too much undeserved pressure placed upon them, and they were both formidable drivers in their own right based upon the circumstances.
 
RacerrecaR said:
Both drivers were HUGE disappointments if you compare them to their fathers. Neither won a championship and neither was a contender for a win week in and week out. However, I would say that Dale was a bigger disappointment than Kyle SOLELY for the fact that Dale has been in top-tier equipment his entire life. Put Dale and Kyle in equal equipment at the prime of their career and I think Kyle would out-edge Dale most races. This is all a moot point and the fact is both drivers had way too much undeserved pressure placed upon them, and they were both formidable drivers in their own right based upon the circumstances.
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Dale Jr was a contender every week until his crash at Sonoma in 2004. After that, he didn't run the same for several yeas.

He's had some hard hits in his career. I bet concussions are more frequent than we know.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Dale Jr was a contender every week until his crash at Sonoma in 2004. After that, he didn't run the same for several yeas.

He's had some hard hits in his career. I bet concussions are more frequent than we know.
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Kyle was never the same after his concussion at Indy. Things got even worse once Adam died. It's eerie how similar both of their careers were and it sucks because they were both great for the sport.
 
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