His win garnered huge media attention, though. Big story, big exposure for his sponsors. He has a nice following in the States, too, since he's such a cool guy and a hard racer.
I don't think they really had the expectation of making the Chase when the team is undergoing rebuilding and hasn't been competitive in years. He's put up the best numbers of his career, too, so if they hired him on his past ones, he's exceeded that and he still has ten races to score a couple more top fives and tens at tracks like Dover, Texas, and Charlotte where he already has good results this year.
I think they're satisfied, or should be.
One place there isn't much talk: JTG-Daugherty. Their contract with MWR is up, so they could switch suppliers and link up with another team if they want to. Bobby Labonte also has a one-year deal, so he could be a free agent. Labonte did say he will race Nationwide or Truck before start-and-park in Cup, and personally, I think he's at the right age to go do Trucks and try to beat Biffle to the triple crown. He could be competitive there; hell, it would be awesome if Mark Martin goes to drive for Steve Turner full-time in CWTS and battles Labonte and the regulars for a title.
I assume JTG-Daugherty would want to head in a new direction. This year has been their worst. Bobby's past it in Cup, as much as he's my favorite driver, and the MWR equipment...well, if the real cars are so ****, how bad are the hand-me-downs? MWR's also in flux losing personnel and potentially losing NAPA after 2012, so I don't think they're in much of a position to supply further. A lot of JTG-Daugherty's reasoning for being with MWR was that they would get Bayne in 2012, and Truex later, to groom them. Neither driver is with MWR anymore.
So you have to wonder that if they want development guys, do they link up with a Roush and get Stenhouse part-time and split the ride between him and Labonte or someone else, or perhaps try to get a Hendrick tie-in and give Landon Cassill a go, etc?
Having said all that, they'll probably re-up with MWR and Labonte and keep the silly season vaguely dull.
