1st casualty of the economy

wilson89

wilson89

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Next week's race at Bristol Motor Speedway may be #28-Travis Kvapil's last for Yates Racing this season. Sources close to the organization say Kvapil's crew has been told they will not run the next two Sprint Cup events at Martinsville and Texas, and that unless sponsorship comes along they won't run the rest of the year. The team pieced together sponsorship for the first five races hoping Kvapil would do well enough to garner more attention. Things were looking up after he finished second in the second race at California. Then he failed to qualify for the Las Vegas race and a failed engine last week at Atlanta left him 42nd with a car capable of finishing in the top 20. He's 39th in owner points with little chance of being in the top 35 guaranteed a spot in the field after Bristol
 
Heres the danger zone as of right now with 1 race to go -

31. #77 Sam Hornish 42
32. #39 Ryan Newman 38
33. #20 Joey Lagono 35
34. #71 David Gilliland 15
35. #5 Mark Martin 0
36. #8 Aric Almorola -9
37. #82 Scott Speed -30
38. #98 Paul Menard -48
39. #28 Travis Kvapil -72
40. #78 Regan Smith -80
 
wilson89 said:
Next week's race at Bristol Motor Speedway may be #28-Travis Kvapil's last for Yates Racing this season. Sources close to the organization say Kvapil's crew has been told they will not run the next two Sprint Cup events at Martinsville and Texas, and that unless sponsorship comes along they won't run the rest of the year. The team pieced together sponsorship for the first five races hoping Kvapil would do well enough to garner more attention. Things were looking up after he finished second in the second race at California. Then he failed to qualify for the Las Vegas race and a failed engine last week at Atlanta left him 42nd with a car capable of finishing in the top 20. He's 39th in owner points with little chance of being in the top 35 guaranteed a spot in the field after Bristol
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That's really sad. :(
 
Bummer!! Is Travis still driving trucks and if so, who does/did he drive for?

Red Bull were idiots for letting A.J. go. Maybe I should send them this pic just to make them feel worse. LOL

Glen81008024.jpg


Took this when I had no idea where I was walking to and ended up on pit road. LOL
 
That really stinks for Kvapil and I hope he can pull it off. He is not as bad as his standings show this season. I also can't believe what Yates has been going through the last couple of years.


As far as the Dinger goes, I hope he has one hell of a year. Not just because I like the guy but because I really want Red Bull to regret letting him go.
 
kelloggs5TLfan said:
I think he has a lot of potential. :beerbang:
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The problem is that I don't believe if he has the potential that it will be discovered unless it's in the Truck Series. I don't see a decent car picking him up or giving him a shot in the Cup now. Could be wrong. Regardless I always wonder how good some drivers would do if they were given a top notch ride.
 
Kvapils been there done that. He's a former series champ in the trucks. Now he's blown cup rides with both Penske and Yates.
I don't think that he's got any options left.
 
racepix said:
Kvapils been there done that. He's a former series champ in the trucks. Now he's blown cup rides with both Penske and Yates.
I don't think that he's got any options left.
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That is a harsh but true assesment...A journeyman driver is only as good as his last race/ride. It takes that intangible something else to rise to stardom and a less harsh critique of your talent. I dislike it but it's the way the public rates drivers anymore. There are no truly untalented drivers at this level...JMHO
 
Yeah, once you get your shot in the Cup regardless of what ride you are in, it doesn't take too long for one to determine if you are good or not. Whether it's the cars fault doesn't matter, if you don't run good then you look bad. I'm surprised personally how David Stremme got another shot in the Cup with the No. 12 car after his run in the No. 40 before.
 
Ward Burton said:
Yeah, once you get your shot in the Cup regardless of what ride you are in, it doesn't take too long for one to determine if you are good or not. Whether it's the cars fault doesn't matter, if you don't run good then you look bad. I'm surprised personally how David Stremme got another shot in the Cup with the No. 12 car after his run in the No. 40 before.
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agreed.

also, see: Casey Atwood
 
Casey and David are two prime examples of good looking, marketable young men. Joey Loganno is our latest example of this. It really has its roots in Jeff Gordon, the need for good looks and driving talent. If you can't please the marketing department I don't think you get much of a chance.

Who was that incredibly talented young driver Rousch Racing promoted up from that driver-X TV program anyway? Madison Avenue just doesn't care for the bubba look and sound, no matter how good of a driver you may become. That is just the state of the sport currently.
 
Ward Burton said:
Yeah, once you get your shot in the Cup regardless of what ride you are in, it doesn't take too long for one to determine if you are good or not. Whether it's the cars fault doesn't matter, if you don't run good then you look bad. I'm surprised personally how David Stremme got another shot in the Cup with the No. 12 car after his run in the No. 40 before.
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Totally agree, he does not seem to be "good " enough to warrant another ride.
 
Ward Burton said:
Yeah, once you get your shot in the Cup regardless of what ride you are in, it doesn't take too long for one to determine if you are good or not. Whether it's the cars fault doesn't matter, if you don't run good then you look bad. I'm surprised personally how David Stremme got another shot in the Cup with the No. 12 car after his run in the No. 40 before.
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outlawfan said:
Casey and David are two prime examples of good looking, marketable young men. Joey Loganno is our latest example of this. It really has its roots in Jeff Gordon, the need for good looks and driving talent. If you can't please the marketing department I don't think you get much of a chance.

Who was that incredibly talented young driver Rousch Racing promoted up from that driver-X TV program anyway? Madison Avenue just doesn't care for the bubba look and sound, no matter how good of a driver you may become. That is just the state of the sport currently.
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Penske hired Stremee before Allmendinger was open.

I think he's just there to keep that seat warm for Allgaier while Allgaier runs Nationwide. Anybody that's seen Justin Allgaier race knows Roger's got an enormous amount of talent right there.
 
outlawfan said:
Who was that incredibly talented young driver Rousch Racing promoted up from that driver-X TV program anyway? Madison Avenue just doesn't care for the bubba look and sound, no matter how good of a driver you may become. That is just the state of the sport currently.
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Think it was Eric Darnell. He's in a truck now.
 
Actualy I was thinking of Danny O'Quinn. In my opinion he was a better raw talent than Eric Darnell but was never given the development opportunities of a more city boy looking counterparts.

He was second place in the Driver-X TV show. The marketing folks didn't like him much, but Jack put him in the BGN series anyway.
 
outlawfan said:
Casey and David are two prime examples of good looking, marketable young men. Joey Loganno is our latest example of this. It really has its roots in Jeff Gordon, the need for good looks and driving talent. If you can't please the marketing department I don't think you get much of a chance.
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Well they made an exception for Kyle B. since he's got one but not the other ..... as far as I'm concerned. I wonder which one????? ;) :D

Although I've often said when I look at certain athletes no matter what sport, if they were not famous, they sure wouldn't have some of the good looking women with them. Not that some women are shallow or anything. ROFL :rolleyes:
 
WOW! My wife would have written the same thing... We met Trevor Bayne at Bristol a couple of years ago and the wife can't wait for him to get a cup ride.

Does that mean she might be shallow? :D

WNY24Fan said:
Well they made an exception for Kyle B. since he's got one but not the other ..... as far as I'm concerned. I wonder which one????? ;) :D

Although I've often said when I look at certain athletes no matter what sport, if they were not famous, they sure wouldn't have some of the good looking women with them. Not that some women are shallow or anything. ROFL :rolleyes:
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Well i can say Kvapil and the 28 team really tried to give it there all today. They ran most the race in the top 15 but fell back at the end and ended up 1 lap down in 18th.
 
wilson89 said:
Well i can say Kvapil and the 28 team really tried to give it there all today. They ran most the race in the top 15 but fell back at the end and ended up 1 lap down in 18th.
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Gallant effort, but I'd say a little too late
 
I see where former team owner, Gary Bechtel, is back in Cup as part owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing. Gary is a real maverick and just can't get racing out of his blood regardless what the family tells him. He reminds me of someone else I know that will spend all his family fortune and end up broke.
 
muggle not said:
I see where former team owner, Gary Bechtel, is back in Cup as part owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing. Gary is a real maverick and just can't get racing out of his blood regardless what the family tells him. He reminds me of someone else I know that will spend all his family fortune and end up broke.
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Who might that be??
 
Yates was a powerhouse team not all that long ago. I know you're only as good as your last race but to see them struggling as they are to get sponsors just proves how tough this business has become.

I doubt the #28 will be the only casualty this year.:(
 
SST55 said:
Yates was a powerhouse team not all that long ago. I know you're only as good as your last race but to see them struggling as they are to get sponsors just proves how tough this business has become.

I doubt the #28 will be the only casualty this year.:(
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I agree, I think there will be 2 or 3, maybe even 4 more that go under.
 
We're going to end up with a Roush,Gibbs,Hendricks or Childress driver winning every race very soon. There's no way the smaller teams can compete. If I was a CEO, CFO, or HMFIC wanting to sponsor a car where would I put my 20+ million? In a team that's proven to win or in one that fails to qualify occaisionally and ends up finishing 25 or worse? Hmm don't have to think too hard.

Remember "Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"
 
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