This is a good read about the trucks

He's run 25 races in Trucks and Xfin over a three year period, and 2 ARCA races.

http://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Tommy_Joe_Martins

This is NASCAR. Not local short track. It takes money to run here. I hear what he's saying but it doesn't seem like he's done a lot racing. Good drivers have always been scouted by top teams. Nobody in NASCAR is looking to hire a relatively unknown 29 year old racecar driver.
 
From the article...

"Equipment has been a factor in racing for a lot longer than I’ve been around. It’s called a motorsport for a reason. But it’s never been more painfully apparent at every level of the sport. When skill & talent aren’t the primary factors that determine if someone can advance their career in a sport, then it’s not a sport.

But talent has nothing to do with your progress in this sport. In the end, it all comes down to dollars and cents. You don't earn top rides in NASCAR anymore. You buy them.

Sponsorship is a nightmare. We’ve allowed the costs in the sport to get so high that even small budget teams like ours are losing propositions."
 
2 Sweet said:
From the article...

"Equipment has been a factor in racing for a lot longer than I’ve been around. It’s called a motorsport for a reason. But it’s never been more painfully apparent at every level of the sport. When skill & talent aren’t the primary factors that determine if someone can advance their career in a sport, then it’s not a sport.

But talent has nothing to do with your progress in this sport. In the end, it all comes down to dollars and cents. You don't earn top rides in NASCAR anymore. You buy them.

Sponsorship is a nightmare. We’ve allowed the costs in the sport to get so high that even small budget teams like ours are losing propositions."
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I think a lot of this is false. Not all drivers in top tier rides have become top tier drivers.
 
Ever since the first 2 cars raced someone has had something better than the other person. Racing is all about money. I know guys on the local circuits who spend $20,000 on just the engine to go race for $500 to win.
 
The kid paints with a very broad brush. He's frustrated and that's understandable.
 
BobbyFord said:
He's run 25 races in Trucks and Xfin over a three year period, and 2 ARCA races.

http://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Tommy_Joe_Martins

This is NASCAR. Not local short track. It takes money to run here. I hear what he's saying but it doesn't seem like he's done a lot racing. Good drivers have always been scouted by top teams. Nobody in NASCAR is looking to hire a relatively unknown 29 year old racecar driver.
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My reaction to the article was exactly same as yours, Bobby. He's out of his league. Except for the whining part, he has that down like a 15-20 year veteran of the Cup series.:D

Tommy Joe Martins has as much or more family money than Erik Jones. As much or more than Daniel Suarez. Or Kyle Larson or Brad Keselowski...
 
LewTheShoe said:
My reaction to the article was exactly same as yours, Bobby. He's out of his league. Except for the whining part, he has that down like a 15-20 year veteran of the Cup series.

Tommy Joe Martins has as much or more family money than Erik Jones. As much or more than Daniel Suarez. Or Kyle Larson or Brad Keselowski...
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Brad had nothing to bring to the series except himself. Junior wanted a driver and tried his brother first and then Brad. I suspect this was because Junior wanted to help the family who were going bankrupt in trucks. Sure paid off for Junior.
 
BobbyFord said:
Look how much good young talent there is in the Truck Series.
Somebody scouted them.
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In many of those cases, they were scouted by daddy's checkbook. Even some of the good ones have had to buy rides.

Toyota Racing Development is probably the only organization actively scouting and recruiting drivers. There's a reason they are DOMINATING NASCAR right now and will continue to do so for years and years to come.
 
I don't know that I'm a fan of how he goes about his writing. He has a very woe is me approach, sounds bitter, and almost seems like he's wanting someone out there to feel sorry for him to the point of throwing him a bone in the form of dollars.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
In many of those cases, they were scouted by daddy's checkbook. Even some of the good ones have had to buy rides.

Toyota Racing Development is probably the only organization actively scouting and recruiting drivers. There's a reason they are DOMINATING NASCAR right now and will continue to do so for years and years to come.
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So you agree with me :)
 
BobbyFord said:
So you agree with me :)
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Agree and disagree at the same time. Plenty of talented drivers have had to write checks to get NASCAR rides.

Anyone who believes drivers get into NASCAR on talent alone is insane.

The costs are astronomical right now, and continue to skyrocket year by year. At the same time, TV ratings are down, advertising is down, attendance is down and sponsors are leaving or cutting back sponsorship.

The sport is in bad shape right now. Even big teams need checks from a rich kid's dad to stay afloat. And honestly, this is only going to keep getting worse.

NASCAR already tried cutting costs and it didn't work because the Cup superteams spent and spent until other teams were absorbed or dissolved. Now, the very same Cup superteams are victims of their own mentality.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Agree and disagree at the same time. Plenty of talented drivers have had to write checks to get NASCAR rides.

Anyone who believes drivers get into NASCAR on talent alone is insane.

The costs are astronomical right now, and continue to skyrocket year by year. At the same time, TV ratings are down, advertising is down, attendance is down and sponsors are leaving or cutting back sponsorship.

The sport is in bad shape right now. Even big teams need checks from a rich kid's dad to stay afloat. And honestly, this is only going to keep getting worse.

NASCAR already tried cutting costs and it didn't work because the Cup superteams spent and spent until other teams were absorbed or dissolved. Now, the very same Cup superteams are victims of their own mentality.
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Nobody said they had to get in on talent alone.
If you have zero talent, all the money in the world isn't going to make you a winner.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
I don't know that I'm a fan of how he goes about his writing. He has a very woe is me approach, sounds bitter, and almost seems like he's wanting someone out there to feel sorry for him to the point of throwing him a bone in the form of dollars.
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I like it when people wear their emotions on their sleeve, right or wrong. I would encourage that rather than criticize it.
 
BobbyFord said:
One win doesn't count.
Even Michael Waltrip has one Truck Series win.
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Another load of the same old "Time Machine Traveler Manifesto." There are some on here who will like Tommy Joe Martins' whining I am sure.
 
Stewart Fan said:
Ever since the first 2 cars raced someone has had something better than the other person. Racing is all about money. I know guys on the local circuits who spend $20,000 on just the engine to go race for $500 to win.
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Amateur Road Race guys, will spend $60,000 on the chassis (which will quickly go obsolete) to race for a chrome ash tray. (well probably a beer mug).
And then have a professional shop prepare and house the car.
 
To put it in perspective, if this were Tony Stewart saying these things, forum members wold be peeing their pants with excitement on here.

When I read what is being said, it seems to agree with most of what is posted on this board.
 
Acs said:
Which really just proves one of his points.
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What has he done to earn sponsorship, compared to those who started with as little but have proven their mettle and worth on the track?
 
The guy is completely telling it like it is. It's not being a downer, it's just being a realist. And it isn't just NASCAR, it's the entire motorsports world, and it's been this way for a long time now. Kids don't just magically get pulled from their local short track late models and placed into a top three seat and given a sponsor package. Doesn't work that way.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
To put it in perspective, if this were Tony Stewart saying these things, forum members wold be peeing their pants with excitement on here.

When I read what is being said, it seems to agree with most of what is posted on this board.
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Both started out driving carts.
Pull up both drivers on Wikipedia and click on "Racing career."
You will see why Tony has a sponsor and why Tommy doesn't.
Doesn't seem that Tommy put much time or effort into racing.
JMO.
 
BobbyFord said:
Both started out driving carts.
Pull up both drivers on Wikipedia and click on "Racing career."
You will see why Tony has a sponsor and why Tommy doesn't.
Doesn't seem that Tommy put much time or effort into racing.
JMO.
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Frankly, I don't even care that he's a driver nor do I follow him. I'm simply saying that he's saying what most everyone on here is. I think it's cool to have a driver speak out on the same issues. Is it smart? Hell no. Refreshing, hell yes. JMO
 
I agree with him.

It's not whining IMHO, it's just him telling the truth. One major accident from being out of business, completely. I would be on edge as well, but as much as I like JWT you have to think this man has a multi-million dollar company behind him.

He wrecks so many trucks sometimes that it's shocking to see how Athenian stays in business. It adds up and could you imagine having to front true bill constantly to rebuild the trucks?

Look at Klingerman, he's talented with a small team and one wreck put them out of business the #92 truck has not been seen since. Its sad, but without funding you will not go far.

Tommy Joe has said he has been on and off because he does not have the money, I could imagine how frustrating it is.
 
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