((HT: ESPN))
When NAPA pulled out of sponsoring the 55-car after the Did-Bowyer-Spin-On-Purpose situation, the writing on the wall was there for Michael Waltrip Racing...
The benefactor of the conspiracy, Martin Truex, Junior is now a free agent...
Truex, crew chief Chad Johnston and 15 percent of the workforce were told they can go and get other jobs outside Waltrip's shop. Team co-owner Rob Kauffman said the cuts were across the organization and not limited to Truex's team.
Truex's car goes into the shop for research and development. It will be trotted out for Waltrip to use his sponsor's exemptions to try and get a third car into select races- much like it was before he went after a third car in the shop in the first place.
This is what got MWR in hot water in the first place...
((HT: NASCAR))
Paired with this... Brian Vickers questioning... really questioning... coming to the pits...
NASCAR fined MWR $300,000 for the alleged stunt, suspended GM Ty Norris indefinitely and replaced Truex in the Chase field with Ryan Newman. And then they went ahead and added Jeff Gordon, too, since Bowyer wasn't punished...
Truex has been talking to Furniture Row about the soon-to-be vacant #78 ever since all these questions came up...
Here's MWR talking about MWR...
Showing posts with label Michael Waltrip Racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Waltrip Racing. Show all posts
Monday, October 14, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
DEVELOPING: NAPA Leaving MWR
And that's not a good thing for Michael Waltrip Racing...
After the fallout of the Bowyer, Vickers, Truex cover-up NAPA believes in fair play and wants nothing to do with the team that they re-upped with through the 2015 season...
To recap:
((HT: ESPN))
"NAPA believes in fair play and does not condone actions such as those that led to the penalties assessed by NASCAR," NAPA said in a statement. "We remain supportive of the millions of NASCAR fans and will evaluate our future position in motorsports."
Michael Waltrip Racing returned fire:
"There is no doubt, the story of Michael Waltrip Racing begins with NAPA Auto Parts, but there are many more chapters yet to be written," the statement said. "MWR has the infrastructure and support of Toyota for three teams plus three Chase-caliber, race-winning drivers. With the support of our corporate partners, we are preparing to field three teams in 2014. MWR is a resilient organization capable of winning races and competing for the championship, and that remains our sole focus."
According to Jenna Fryer, this really sucks for MWR:
It will be a tremendous challenge to quickly replace the money, estimated to be at least $15 million a year, because NAPA is a rare sponsor that covers the entire 36-race Sprint Cup schedule.
Should MWR not secure sponsorship to replace NAPA, it could lead to layoffs of close to 100 employees and the possible shuttering of Truex's team. Truex could be out of job as well.
And Fryer surmises that Truex could end up with Furniture Row Racing if Waltrip can't afford a third team...
After the fallout of the Bowyer, Vickers, Truex cover-up NAPA believes in fair play and wants nothing to do with the team that they re-upped with through the 2015 season...
To recap:
((HT: ESPN))
"NAPA believes in fair play and does not condone actions such as those that led to the penalties assessed by NASCAR," NAPA said in a statement. "We remain supportive of the millions of NASCAR fans and will evaluate our future position in motorsports."
Michael Waltrip Racing returned fire:
"There is no doubt, the story of Michael Waltrip Racing begins with NAPA Auto Parts, but there are many more chapters yet to be written," the statement said. "MWR has the infrastructure and support of Toyota for three teams plus three Chase-caliber, race-winning drivers. With the support of our corporate partners, we are preparing to field three teams in 2014. MWR is a resilient organization capable of winning races and competing for the championship, and that remains our sole focus."
According to Jenna Fryer, this really sucks for MWR:
It will be a tremendous challenge to quickly replace the money, estimated to be at least $15 million a year, because NAPA is a rare sponsor that covers the entire 36-race Sprint Cup schedule.
Should MWR not secure sponsorship to replace NAPA, it could lead to layoffs of close to 100 employees and the possible shuttering of Truex's team. Truex could be out of job as well.
And Fryer surmises that Truex could end up with Furniture Row Racing if Waltrip can't afford a third team...
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Bowyer Does The Carwash, Denies Spin Intentional
((HT: ESPN))
First, let's look at the nine minutes that Clint Bowyer spent with Jade McCarthy and Ricky Craven...
It's both uncomfortable and intense...
NASCAR couldn't prove that the spin by the 15 was intentional...
They went by the radio traffic (the somewhat confused radio traffic) between Brian Vickers and his crew chief over "needing" to pit to give Joey Logano a point...
Michael Waltrip stands by his team, his drivers, and the sport...
And "the itch" in question...???
Bowyer admits that he was treating poison oak under his suit...
MWR addresses the penalties in an interview with Bob Dillman in a friendly fire situation this evening on FoxSports1...
First, let's look at the nine minutes that Clint Bowyer spent with Jade McCarthy and Ricky Craven...
It's both uncomfortable and intense...
NASCAR couldn't prove that the spin by the 15 was intentional...
They went by the radio traffic (the somewhat confused radio traffic) between Brian Vickers and his crew chief over "needing" to pit to give Joey Logano a point...
Michael Waltrip stands by his team, his drivers, and the sport...
And "the itch" in question...???
Bowyer admits that he was treating poison oak under his suit...
MWR addresses the penalties in an interview with Bob Dillman in a friendly fire situation this evening on FoxSports1...
Monday, September 9, 2013
DEVELOPING: Newman In, Truex Out Of Chase, MWR Gets Fines & Suspensions
As part of the punishments handed down by NASCAR in the "Did Clint Bowyer Spin On Purpose Or Not?" Sweepstakes, Ryan Newman is back in the sprint to the cup and Martin Truex, Junior is out...
Also, NASCAR has levied a $300,000 fine against Michael Waltrip Racing, all 3 MWR drivers have been docked 50 points, and MWR General Manager Ty Norris is suspended indefinitely.
To refresh your memory, here's the incident...
((HT: NASCAR.com/ESPN))
And here's your postgame from Bowyer...
To say this is heavy-handed is a bit of an understatement...
But, hey, they do it all the time in Formula 1... and this is the largest fines that the sport has levied...
Has to be...
Marty Smith discusses in depth with Lindsay Czarniak...
((HT: ESPN))
"We penalize to not have this happen again," NASCAR president Mike Helton said. "It's a message from the league saying, 'You can't do this.'"
"I am proud that NASCAR took a stand with respect to what went on Saturday night at Richmond," Newman said in a statement. "I know it was a tough decision to make. With that being said, myself, [crew chief] Matt Borland and this entire No. 39 team are looking forward to competing for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship."
Also, NASCAR has levied a $300,000 fine against Michael Waltrip Racing, all 3 MWR drivers have been docked 50 points, and MWR General Manager Ty Norris is suspended indefinitely.
To refresh your memory, here's the incident...
((HT: NASCAR.com/ESPN))
And here's your postgame from Bowyer...
To say this is heavy-handed is a bit of an understatement...
But, hey, they do it all the time in Formula 1... and this is the largest fines that the sport has levied...
Has to be...
Marty Smith discusses in depth with Lindsay Czarniak...
((HT: ESPN))
"We penalize to not have this happen again," NASCAR president Mike Helton said. "It's a message from the league saying, 'You can't do this.'"
"I am proud that NASCAR took a stand with respect to what went on Saturday night at Richmond," Newman said in a statement. "I know it was a tough decision to make. With that being said, myself, [crew chief] Matt Borland and this entire No. 39 team are looking forward to competing for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship."
Sunday, September 8, 2013
NASCAR at Richmond: Carl Edwards Wins But Conspiracy Theories Abound
((sports.yahoo.com))
For those of you not glued to College Football games Saturday night, there was a NASCAR Sprint Cup race that took place at the Richmond International Speedway.
And that race, the last before the Race for the Chase ends and the Top 12 drivers go after the Sprint Cup title, was won by Carl Edwards, but ended with what many believe could be a conspiracy.
That conspiracy appears to have been triggered by Clint Bowyer.
With 6 laps left, Ryan Newman was leading and appeared headed for the win. A victory would have gotten him into the Race for the Chase. The win would bump Bowyer's Michael Waltrip racing teammate Martin Truex Jr out of said Chase.
That's when things got crazy.
A radio conversation between Bowyer and his spotters was over-heard. The conversation apparently was apparently to let Bowyer know Newman was in the lead. He was then asked how his arm was feeling.
Shortly thereafter, Bowyer, unprompted, spun out causing a caution flag to be raised.
The ensuing pit stop was bumbled by Newman's pit crew, he didn't win and Truex held on to the final spot in the Chase.
Read the entire story by Yahoo Sports RIGHT HERE
If this is true, and it will be tough to prove, someone should be penalized. Heavily.
Sure, Bowyer may have been taking one for his team...which is great. But it's also really poor sportsmanship.
Yeah, you could argue Newman's pit crew cost him his chance at winning, and you may or may not have been wrong. But that situation would have been avoided if Bowyer and his team played honest and let the chips fall where they may.
We will see if NASCAR takes a closer look at this and actually finds anything (we be they will and won't find a thing)
Here's video of Bowyer's in car camera--with Radio Conversation and ESPN reporter Jamie Little cut straight to the question at hand:
For those of you not glued to College Football games Saturday night, there was a NASCAR Sprint Cup race that took place at the Richmond International Speedway.
And that race, the last before the Race for the Chase ends and the Top 12 drivers go after the Sprint Cup title, was won by Carl Edwards, but ended with what many believe could be a conspiracy.
That conspiracy appears to have been triggered by Clint Bowyer.
With 6 laps left, Ryan Newman was leading and appeared headed for the win. A victory would have gotten him into the Race for the Chase. The win would bump Bowyer's Michael Waltrip racing teammate Martin Truex Jr out of said Chase.
That's when things got crazy.
A radio conversation between Bowyer and his spotters was over-heard. The conversation apparently was apparently to let Bowyer know Newman was in the lead. He was then asked how his arm was feeling.
Shortly thereafter, Bowyer, unprompted, spun out causing a caution flag to be raised.
The ensuing pit stop was bumbled by Newman's pit crew, he didn't win and Truex held on to the final spot in the Chase.
Read the entire story by Yahoo Sports RIGHT HERE
If this is true, and it will be tough to prove, someone should be penalized. Heavily.
Sure, Bowyer may have been taking one for his team...which is great. But it's also really poor sportsmanship.
Yeah, you could argue Newman's pit crew cost him his chance at winning, and you may or may not have been wrong. But that situation would have been avoided if Bowyer and his team played honest and let the chips fall where they may.
We will see if NASCAR takes a closer look at this and actually finds anything (we be they will and won't find a thing)
Here's video of Bowyer's in car camera--with Radio Conversation and ESPN reporter Jamie Little cut straight to the question at hand:
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