SOmething brewing at MBV?

P

PettyBenson

Guest
From the Winston Journal

" Among the teams being watched for possible changes is the Johnny Benson-James Ince operation. Since winning at Rockingham last October, things haven't gone well. The team is still one of the coolest to hang around, one of the tightest groups on the circuit. But the bottom line is the bottom line:

'We've got another year on the contract,' Benson says. 'But there are a lot of things we need to do to get stuff for our guys in the shop. We need to move forward faster.

'The problem is there are five or six teams that need sponsorship, and there are other cars that need (associate) sponsorships. And when you've got Roush, Hendrick and DEI looking, it makes it awfully hard for the smaller teams. The big teams are asking for a lot of money, $16 million, $17 million, even more. For that, the sponsorship corporations are really looking hard what they're getting for their money.'
"
------
I heard that Johnny was asked to sign a 3 year with MBV contract and he asked Valvoline if they planned to explore an inside engine program. When Valvoline said no, he did not sign.

Is something gonna happen there!!! IF JB gets out of his contract and looks for another ride do you guys think he could find a ride in cup? IF he does want to get out of it or MBV wants to make a driver change at the end of the year they better make it public now so he has a shot to find a new ride that is good such as BDR,RCR,DEI,Ganassi, or any other rdie tha might come up!
I hope James Ince could go with him if JB leaves he 10 team, they work well together!

I would like JB to stay in pontaics, becasue he has had his best luck with them but if the change is thatthey will swict manufactures I hope it is Dodge.
 
Originally posted by PettyBenson4510@Aug 5 2003, 02:34 PM
From the Winston Journal
Click to expand...
I've learned to not take much from that news source anymore.
 
That would be cool, but right now I don't think i could handle both my drivers struggling! If the 43 was running top 20s constently then maybe but not when the team is struggling so bad. I would pull my hair out. SOmetimes JB is my only hope! And he is not doign all that great either! WEll 2 top 20s in a row thats good or at least better than the races before that!
 
I don't think Johnny Benson would be a very hot free agent. He might want to think about whether this is the hill he wants to die on. He seems like a really nice guy and he has some talent. But unless you are a proven winner (by that I mean much more than one race) most owners are looking for much younger drivers. They all want to find the next Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, etc.. It is unfortunate for guys like Johnny, but people would rather take a chance on a young guy who might be great than a veteran who has shown himself to be good, but not great.
 
I think it would be tough for JB to find a really great ride. He's really good with sponsors and thats a plus. I think he'd have been a more attractive free agent at the end of last season since that was when won his only race...
 
Originally posted by N2racin88+Aug 5 2003, 05:07 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (N2racin88 @ Aug 5 2003, 05:07 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--PettyBenson4510@Aug 5 2003, 02:34 PM
From the Winston Journal
Click to expand...
I've learned to not take much from that news source anymore. [/b][/quote]
I tend to think your right...I just saw a post on a different site that quoted the WJ as saying that Theresa Earnhardt has asked Mike Helton to take over at DEI...have to see that one to believe it.
 
I hope Johnny finds a good ride...he's proven in other series (Busch, ASA) that he can drive. Even when he was with Roush, IMO he didn't get the 'best' stuff. But all his other rides in WC haven't been with a team of Roush's caliber.
 
Thanks for being honest! It sometimes hard to tell how your favortie driver stacks up against others! I do agree his age (39) would hurt him alot with teams, but him being a clean, freindly driver and good with sponsors might help him find another ride as well.

I am not sure if the changes are with the driver Crew Cheif or what ever, But i do think a change is coming!

The people on the JBFC board are saying that if James is let go JB won't be far behind him, half the team might be right behind JB as well! Its such a close nit group of people!
 
This is the same team when Johnny ran unsponsored in the Daytona 500, right? Boy I would have loved to see him win that race. Felt pretty bad when Lycos screwed that team over.

Johnny is a good driver, right about average for the Winston Cup level, a midpacker, but solid and clean. It would hurt him to go to another team I believe, and I think the only owner willing to take a whole group on like that would be BDR I believe, which isnt exactly a step up. They seem to have a decent program there, the new Pontiac body might have set them back a little. They should focus on their resources that they have right now and try to build that team up. Just my $0.02
 
Yup its the same team! Just diffrent owners than back in 2000!

If you want to get real technical this is the team that DW owned for years! Tyler Jet bought the old #17 team and merged with the #35 tabasco team. In 1999 they changed it the #45 with 10-10-345 with Bickle. The Petty's requested the #45 from Tyler Jet and they gave it up for the #10.( would have been kinda funny if they did not give it up JB would be driving the #45 now)As you said they got screwed from Lycos and where close to shutting the doors down when Aaron's came aboard for the rest of the 2000 season. In 2000 is when they merged with the MB2 team and became a 2 team operation. Then Valvoline bought into half of the #10 car and that is when the team changed to MBV and MB2. And thats where they stand today.
Thats a little history of the team. I am not sure but when DW started the team I think he bought it off of someone as well but I forget who. I know that he used Hendricks motors and still today the team uses Hendrick motors.

Valvoline said no to its own motor program but I think they should look into becoming a partner with PPI and there motor program!
 
Wow, I didnt know that team had that much history. Great info.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom