2022 Silly Season

^ That doesn't make any sense. Cindric was announced before the '21 season that he would be in the car in '22. It wasn't until Brad decided to leave Penske that there was talk about Matt possibly staying put.
 
2 Sweet said:
^ That doesn't make any sense. Cindric was announced before the '21 season that he would be in the car in '22. It wasn't until Brad decided to leave Penske that there was talk about Matt possibly staying put.
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Penske had the option, meaning Penske could’ve put him some place. But yeah, never was going to happen but was in his contract anyway.
 
Blaze said:
All I’m saying, if it was “never going to happen.” Why even put that in the contract? Seems that “never gonna happen” would be “oh if he win totally gonna happen.” But people will hate still
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The contract was signed in 2019. His option was picked up for 2021, and at that time it was announced publicly that he would be returning for only one more year.

The degree to which the option for 2022 prevented DiBenedetto from talking to other teams is the degree to which Penske intended to legally enforce it. I agree that the Larry Mac quote you posted introduces a little doubt into the equation.
 
gnomesayin said:
The contract was signed in 2019. His option was picked up for 2021, and at that time it was announced publicly that he would be returning for only one more year.
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Did you see the tweet about what Larry Mac was told by PENSKE at the start of 2021? Cause that says other wise. So either a. Penske lied to Larry Mac. B. Larry Mac lied, or C. Penske lied to us about the whole deal. One of those 3 have to be what it is…
 
Technically by the letter of the law, the option would still exist now, unless its expiration date has passed. Can he talk to other teams now?

In truth he always could. It could be more persuasively argued that he wasn't able to actually sign with another team until granted an official release.
 
I mean I don’t know anymore details than that. I just find it odd if you told someone they aren’t coming back, theres an option in their contract where they could come back. Neither of you can seem to explain that.
 
Blaze said:
I mean I don’t know anymore details than that. I just find it odd if you told someone they aren’t coming back, theres an option in their contract where they could come back. Neither of you can seem to explain that.
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I'd like to know more about the Larry Mac quote. It's a good find by you. However, the explanation on the option is simple. He signed a contract in 2019 for 2020, with an owner option for 2021 and 2022. His option for 2021 was picked up in late 2020, and at that time it was announced it would be his last season with the organization. The option for 2022 doesn't go away on paper, but it certainly can to a large degree in practice.
 
gnomesayin said:
I'd like to know more about the Larry Mac quote. It's a good find by you. However, the explanation on the option is simple. He signed a contract in 2019 for 2020, with an owner option for 2021 and 2022. His option for 2021 was picked up in late 2020, and at that time it was announced it would be his last season with the organization. The option for 2022 doesn't go away on paper, but it certainly can to a large degree in practice.
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That could be it, just seems odd Penske if he did indeed tell Larry that, that he say it’s there while also saying to Matt he’s not coming back. I can see why Matt had even some hope if that was in his contract. If Matt had got some wins, who knows maybe he would’ve been picked up for a car within Penske. That part does fall in him, but I can see where some hope was at for him.
 
last month:

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Blaze said:
I mean I don’t know anymore details than that. I just find it odd if you told someone they aren’t coming back, theres an option in their contract where they could come back. Neither of you can seem to explain that.
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Roger is the richest man of all Nascar team owners. He didn't get that rich by being Mr. Nice Guy on every agreement he put in place.
 
Blaze said:
Do you care to even explain then why WHY have an option for 2022, and why tell someone else that Matt has it? I’ll be waiting to see your well thought out reply to that. :)
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Jenna said Larry Mac said. That is heresay in my world. Jenna has been wrong on more than one occasion. You on the other hand and others can believe what they want. When Roger Penske says publicly what he said and Matt lately on Twitter is saying he will take almost any ride including an Xfinity one, I can put two and two together and see there aren't any restrictions. Matt whining about it a couple weeks ago doesn't change reality.
 
aunty dive said:
Silly Roger ... rating drivers on performance over time.
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Could be as simple as Roger didn't like what Matt was selling. He liked Sam Hornish and he kept him racing for years in Nascar with a dismal record. :idunno: Penske was kind of hand cuffed because Menard who was sponsoring the car wanted Matt in the seat. Co incidental? that now Menard isn't prominatley on the car that Matt is getting to boot.
 
StandOnIt said:
Jenna said Larry Mac said. That is heresay in my world. Jenna has been wrong on more than one occasion. You on the other hand and others can believe what they want. When Roger Penske says publicly what he said and Matt lately on Twitter is saying he will take almost any ride including an Xfinity one, I can put two and two together and see there aren't any restrictions. Matt whining about it a couple weeks ago doesn't change reality.
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So, damn not possible Penske could ever lie. Good to know.
aunty dive said:
Silly Roger ... rating drivers on performance over time.
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I don’t think anything I’ve said has had anything to do with that. In fact I said if he got wins be probably would’ve been picked up on the 2022 option..
 
StandOnIt said:
Penske, the guy signing the check, telling him he is gone after this year, and even though Kez is leaving he is still gone is a tough one to swallow for some.
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I’m just questioning things is all. Forgot that’s frowned upon here and you just got to fall in line and tow the line. My bad.
 
Blaze said:
Do you care to even explain then why WHY have an option for 2022, and why tell someone else that Matt has it? I’ll be waiting to see your well thought out reply to that. :)
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You asked for my opinion and now you have a problem with it. Smh
 
StandOnIt said:
Jenna said Larry Mac said. That is heresay in my world.
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You are incredibly wrong, due to sheer ignorance, as usual. Matt has been talking about his contract for a long time. These quotes are from an article that is a year old

DiBenedetto signed a team-friendly contract with the organization last fall that contains annual fail-safes.

“My contract is a multi-year opportunity. I guess that’s the way to word it because it does have options for 2021, 2022,” DiBenedetto told me in a phone interview last week. “They have to pick up those options every year.”

“They expressed to me when I came over here that they wanted this to be a long-term relationship and to build this into a top, winning and hopefully championship-contending team,” said DiBenedetto. “That doesn’t happen overnight, but that was their goal.”

www.forbes.com

Contract Decision Looms For NASCAR’s Matt DiBenedetto

Matt DiBenedetto just earned Wood Brothers Racing its first NASCAR playoff appearance in three years. Now, the team must decide whether to cut cost or exercise its contract option to retain him for the 2021 season.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
 
StandOnIt said:
You asked for my opinion and now you have a problem with it. Smh
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Nah, I got no problem with that, it’s you thinking it’s a “tough one” to shallow all because I’m not buying the BS Penske is putting out. You know for a guy who ****s on Gibbs all the time, you sure have a problem with me not trusting another owner.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
You are incredibly wrong, due to sheer ignorance, as usual. Matt has been talking about his contract for a long time. These quotes are from an article that is a year old

DiBenedetto signed a team-friendly contract with the organization last fall that contains annual fail-safes.

“My contract is a multi-year opportunity. I guess that’s the way to word it because it does have options for 2021, 2022,” DiBenedetto told me in a phone interview last week. “They have to pick up those options every year.”

“They expressed to me when I came over here that they wanted this to be a long-term relationship and to build this into a top, winning and hopefully championship-contending team,” said DiBenedetto. “That doesn’t happen overnight, but that was their goal.”

www.forbes.com

Contract Decision Looms For NASCAR’s Matt DiBenedetto

Matt DiBenedetto just earned Wood Brothers Racing its first NASCAR playoff appearance in three years. Now, the team must decide whether to cut cost or exercise its contract option to retain him for the 2021 season.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
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There it is. He was told that this year was his last year.
 
StandOnIt said:
There it is. He was told that this year was his last year.
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You do realize this article was written in 2020 and Matt is referencing his 2021 option and his 2022 option in the original contract? The 2021 option was picked up while the 2022 was not. He states right there his “multiyear” contract was option based and one of those options was for 2022.

We aren’t getting the entire story from Roger, which is fine, that Matt was told from the very get-go at Penske that he would not be in the car in 2022. He put options in Matt’s contract which contradicts Roger’s own statement. These are public figures but they have private business lives and I’m sure we aren’t getting the entire story. Either way, the story is closed and everyone is looking forward.

heavy.com

Matt DiBenedetto Will 'Entertain Anything' for 2022 Season

When the 2021 season ends, Matt DiBenedetto will not have a ride. He continues to search for his next destination and remains open to all possibilities.
heavy.com heavy.com
 
I can't believe this is going on for so long to me I find it hard to believe that Matt was not allowed to talk to other teams about driving because Penske had an option for another year in his contract. If that's the case Matt's dumber than I thought. So you don't have to sign me, but I can't talk to other teams?...........Ok sure I'll agree to that!
 
wi_racefan said:
I can't believe this is going on for so long to me I find it hard to believe that Matt was not allowed to talk to other teams about driving because Penske had an option for another year in his contract. If that's the case Matt's dumber than I thought. So you don't have to sign me, but I can't talk to other teams?...........Ok sure I'll agree to that!
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It’s either sign the contract that keeps you in the Cup series with a decent team or don’t sign and be out of a NASCAR job. Pretty easy decision. The only thing that makes it “look bad” is Penske’s decision not to pick up the option with over half the season remaining. Since then, Matt and the #21 team have thrown together a string of finishes that I’m sure has picked up the ears of a couple of owners. Who knows what the next 13 races holds.
 
wi_racefan said:
I can't believe this is going on for so long to me I find it hard to believe that Matt was not allowed to talk to other teams about driving because Penske had an option for another year in his contract. If that's the case Matt's dumber than I thought. So you don't have to sign me, but I can't talk to other teams?...........Ok sure I'll agree to that!
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I can't believe it either, because he is saying publicly that he is looking for a ride and not ruling out an Xfinity one. He also says about options is that it has to be ok'd first..think about that one. That means little if nothing. So in this case he was given a years lead time to find another ride...how is that cruel and unusual punishment. Penske didn't have to do that, there wasn't a binder
 
ChexOrWrex said:
It’s either sign the contract that keeps you in the Cup series with a decent team or don’t sign and be out of a NASCAR job. Pretty easy decision. The only thing that makes it “look bad” is Penske’s decision not to pick up the option with over half the season remaining. Since then, Matt and the #21 team have thrown together a string of finishes that I’m sure has picked up the ears of a couple of owners. Who knows what the next 13 races holds.
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Anyone that would agree to those terms up front shouldn't be driving a race car in the top series. I know I sure wouldn't agree to something that prevents me from seeking employment if my current employer made it clear that I might not be around much longer.
 
2 Sweet said:
First of all, was the option for '21 or '22?

Second, like most options, we don't really know the details. I'm assuming there was a deadline for them to pick up his option with plenty of advanced notice if they chose to decline.

Third, there's no way it would stop him from talking to other teams. Drivers ALWAYS talk to other teams about potential opportunities while still under contract with their current team.
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Correct x 10
 
Dr_B_UNC said:
I don't know what's more painful for a JJ fan: having to watch his last couple NASCAR seasons, or watching him flail about helplessly in Indy Cars worse than Michael Jordan trying minor league baseball...
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I think the NASCAR seasons would sting more. The Indy car run honestly just seems like a circus.

I think in a few random one-offs in a cup car at a racetrack that he actually is motivated to compete at He could probably run top 10.

Or for all we know, he could do a one-off and the gen 7, realize he loves the car and run a full season again on a random team lol

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
aunty dive said:
The other day, you castigated me for doing what you did here.
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Oh please. You’re throwing personal insults and my pointing out consistent inaccuracies aren’t even on the same level, and then you try to point out what I did by erasing the context as to why he is wrong? Do better.
 
Blaze said:
Funny thing is, if Gibbs did this, some of the people defending would be saying how he’s a snake and blah blah blah.
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If he did what? I'm not following. What, exactly, did Penske do that should be frowned upon? Choosing not to exercise his option on his driver? Did Penske ever tell Matt he would be in the car in '22?
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Oh please. You’re throwing personal insults and my pointing out consistent inaccuracies aren’t even on the same level, and then you try to point out what I did by erasing the context as to why he is wrong? Do better.
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I did just fine.

Sheer ignorance. As usual ...
 
ChexOrWrex said:
DiBenedetto signed a team-friendly contract with the organization last fall that contains annual fail-safes.

“My contract is a multi-year opportunity. I guess that’s the way to word it because it does have options for 2021, 2022,” DiBenedetto told me in a phone interview last week. “They have to pick up those options every year.”

“They expressed to me when I came over here that they wanted this to be a long-term relationship and to build this into a top, winning and hopefully championship-contending team,” said DiBenedetto. “That doesn’t happen overnight, but that was their goal.”

www.forbes.com

Contract Decision Looms For NASCAR’s Matt DiBenedetto

Matt DiBenedetto just earned Wood Brothers Racing its first NASCAR playoff appearance in three years. Now, the team must decide whether to cut cost or exercise its contract option to retain him for the 2021 season.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
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That is not what the article you posted states. Once again, the contract was signed in 2019, guaranteed for 2020 and with owner options for 2021 and 2022. He didn't sign a new contract last fall.
 
gnomesayin said:
That is not what the article you posted states. Once again, the contract was signed in 2019, guaranteed for 2020 and with owner options for 2021 and 2022. He didn't sign a new contract last fall.
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Sorry, by signed I meant resigned to take the 2021 option. I know he didnt get a new contract, thats why I posted this article from 2020 where Matt talks about his options in the contract.

Just a few pages ago nobody understood that he had options written into his contract. Now that everyone knows, it’s easier to understand why its so blindsiding. If you want to go deeper, theres an interview somewhere, if I recall correctly, Matt talks about how he was told that September 2021 was decision time for Penske but he got the “decision time” news a few months earlier than what he was initially told.

Nobody but team Penske knows the full details of what was expected of the #21 team for 2021, if that includes win(s) or not, but Penske made an early move and now that the #21 is rolling late in the season it will be interesting to just how many top 10s, 5s, or a win Penske is willing to gamble on. Matt’s stats are better than Mendard in the #21 and all but mirror Blaney in the #21, outside of that lone win at Pocono. Not exactly sure what Penske wants out of the #21 team that he thinks Burton will magically get him.
 
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