Penske

[Clive Brown]

Guys, I just can't understand Penske. An organisation with a great history in virtually every form of motor sport in which they've competed, and yet in NASCAR.... Sure, they do achieve the odd success, but I would have expected them to have been at least at the level of a Roush, if not even HMS.

Kurt Busch is a potential winner on a good day for the organisation, and Hornish looks solid on those good days- but those good days seem to be far too few and far between for such a well-resourced and experienced organisation. Stremme gets his marching orders after a single year, despite the fact that they knew what they were getting because he was their test driver in 2008, so Brad Keselowski gets his (well-deserved) shot at a full-time Sprint Cup ride. I wonder whether he might yet live to regret leaving Hendrick, though.

Any thoughts?

[johntt]

I think Keselowski will provide them with a young talented driver to compliment Kurt Busch's experience, and Sam Hornish Jr's marketing potential (as a multiple Indy 500 winner).

They really need to get a better car than a Dodge though, i'm surpirsed that we haven't heard rumours of them switching to another bradn, unless RP plans to use the Saturn brand for his Nascar team in the near future, Penske has the capability to build Nascar engines, or buy out a company that does in order to do this.

[Clive Brown]

Hmm.... not convinced that the Dodge element is the problem. If the MOPAR unit really was no good, then neither the #2 or the #9 would be capable of running competitively anywhere. forget the chassis or the body; with the CoT, that doesn't matter, as they are common.

The Penske iteration can certainly run well on plate tracks (although regular readers of these threads will know just how much I hate plate racing), and it was interesting that Kasey Kahne said that RPM team mates had been running upgrades of the new Dodge motor so that the #9 could run them in the 'Chase.

Very sensible, except the #9 blew up in New Hampshire. Oh poo.... back to the drawing board!

[slick42]

Dodge maybe the problem, JPM has frequently said the Chevy has far more power, but he never ran the new Dodge motor...

[JHamilton]

It's all about that chemistry! I don't know, Nascar is weird. Ganassi has one everything he has raced too and is just now starting to see some success.

[Clive Brown]

Such a good point, JHamilton.... To be frank, I thought that CGR last year was like the Muppet Show, DEI was heading south fast, and that accordingly, JPM would struggle this year. I thought he should have put his commendable loyalty to Chip Ganassi to one side, and got into HMS, JGR, or Roush Fenway. Not RCR, though; at least I called that one right!

To me, only the #42 team and the Stewart-Hass organisation have really impressed this year; the others have at best been static, or like Roush Fenway, RCR and JGR, have gone backwards.

[fieldodreams79]

is kind of a head scratcher, the fact that the Captian has had two former Cup series champs in the 2 car and no Championship. not saying that Penske South ain't up to the challenge, but maybe sportscars and OW cars are more their thing.

i think it's more along the lines of the chemistry arguement; hasn't had that "magic" combination of driver and crew (chief).

[mountainstar]

Penske's deal with Saturn just unraveled today so you wont be seeing that brand in Nascar.

[MJ_N_09]

Beat me to it.

Penske deal for Saturn from GM is off: General Motors Co. said Wednesday it would shut down its Saturn brand after an agreement with Penske Automotive Group Inc. to acquire it fell apart. Penske, citing concerns of whether it could continue to supply vehicles after a manufacturing contract with GM ran out, ended talks with GM Wednesday to acquire the brand. GM CEO Fritz Henderson said in statement that Saturn and its dealership network will be phased out. In a statement, the Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based auto retailer says an agreement with another manufacturer to continue producing Saturn vehicles after GM stopped making them fell through, leading Penske to terminate talks with GM. Penske said it negotiated terms and conditions to make Saturn cars with another manufacturer, but that company's board of directors rejected the agreement. Penske spokesman Anthony Pordon would not identify the other manufacturer. In June, GM and Penske agreed to take over the Saturn brand and related dealerships, although GM would produce the vehicles for a limited period of time. GM said Saturn vehicle owners can still go to their Saturn dealer for service and would be able to go to a certified GM dealer for service once Saturn dealerships are closed. It was expected that GM would announce the completion of Saturn's sale to Penske in the coming days.