2012 Nascar Silly Season

[MJ_N_09]

Looks like Josh Wise is going for 2012 ROTY after all in the 3rd Front Row Motorsports car (26). Robby Gordon and Joe Nemechek also plan to run their teams full time. I am very concerned because these 3 teams could all end up starting and parking, especially the latter 2 again.

Full time team count is now at 43. I'm waiting on the #33 because who knows? Maybe Childress will find more funding to run this additional car past the 5th race.

[Clive Brown]

It looks like Richard Childress has stomped all over Elliott Sadler's program to run 5 Sprint Cup events in the #55 MWR Toyota. Allegedly, this is nothing to do with the possible conflict between makes, but to allow Sadler to concentrate on his RCR Chevrolet drive in the Nationwide series, which Sadler currently leads by 10 points from Austin Dillon, his teammate at RCR, and entirely coincidentally, Childress's grandson.

It's curious that this was not a concern for Childress when he put Sadler in his #33 car for the Daytona Cup race....

Meanwhile, this leaves MWR with a seat still to fill. The obvious candidate would be Brian Vickers, who is a proven Cup winner, and has Toyota credentials to boot.

[kurski]

Former A1GP driver Salvador Duran returns to NASCAR Toyota Series, Telmex team.

[MJ_N_09]

I must say, I am very proud of the #30, 49, and 98 (Cup) for doing their best to run the races instead of S&Ping everytime. Hopefully they can keep it up.

[MJ_N_09]

Josh Wise has won ROTY by default. Timmy Hill and RWR go back to the Nationwide Series after DNQing all but 1 race this year with the Cup program.

[kurski]

Jacques Villeneuve returns to the No. 22 Dodge for Penske Racing in the NNS races at Road America (June 23) and Montreal (August 18).

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by kurski

Jacques Villeneuve returns to the No. 22 Dodge for Penske Racing in the NNS races at Road America (June 23) and Montreal (August 18).

Sweet! Wonder how many others will receive a chrome horn from Jackie V.

[The Original Instag8or]

^ Drivers like JV are great for the economy. Bodymen, sheet metal fabricators, welders, wheel mfgs and Goodyear all made some extra cash after his NASCAR races last year. A few more of him could end the recession.

[kurski]

Mika Salo interviewed (Finland MTV3 channel) Jacques Villeneuve, Canadian driver said that he has the intention to establish its own NASCAR team. Villeneuve also said that his odjective is to run the NASCAR series in full season, not just 2-3 rounds per year.

[Axeman444]

here we go again. Didn't he have the opportunity to do this 12 months ago and didn't?

[kurski]

Markus Niemelä be on Friday, first contact with the American NASCAR series, when he tests the Bill Mcanally Racing team cars in California Roseville. BMR is one of the main series of the most successful teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup executable under the K & N Pro class.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by kurski

Mika Salo interviewed (Finland MTV3 channel) Jacques Villeneuve, Canadian driver said that he has the intention to establish its own NASCAR team. Villeneuve also said that his odjective is to run the NASCAR series in full season, not just 2-3 rounds per year.

Meantime he is said to be talking to Kelly Racing to run a Nismo V8Supercar here next season... or not Who knows...

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Meantime he is said to be talking to Kelly Racing to run a Nismo V8Supercar here next season... or not Who knows...

Wait, don't tell me that Nissan wants to race at NASCAR other than V8 Supercars?

[fieldodreams79]

After nine years together, Carl Edwards and crew chief Bob Osborne go separate ways....

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...t-last-forever

Jayski taking the week off too?

[HJJ]

Statement from AJ Allmendinger:

"Effective today, I have been released from Penske Racing as driver of the No. 22 Dodge Charger. I wish to thank Mr. Penske, Penske Racing, their sponsors, and especially all the of the No. 22 team for the opportunity they provided me and for their support in this difficult time. I also, again, would like to thank all the fans that really have been awesome through this.

“I apologize for the distraction, embarrassment, and difficulties that my current suspension from NASCAR has provided. As I stated last week, I have begun NASCAR's Road to Recovery program and look forward to using those resources and its completion to compete again in NASCAR in the near future.”

.

Penske Racing announced today that AJ Allmendinger has been released as driver of the #22 Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Cup Series. Allmendinger was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR last week for a positive drug test. "Penske Racing fully supports NASCAR's substance abuse policy and we are disappointed with AJ's positive drug test results," said Roger Penske. "AJ is a terrific driver, a good person and it is very unfortunate that we have to separate at this time. We have invested greatly in AJ and we were confident in his success with our team. The decision to dismiss him is consistent with how we would treat any other Penske Racing team member under similar circumstances. As AJ begins NASCAR's 'Road to Recovery' program, we wish him the best and look forward to seeing him compete again in NASCAR." Sam Hornish Jr., will drive the #22 Dodge at Pocono this weekend and for the foreseeable future. Penske Racing will evaluate its options for a driver of the #22 car for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.(Penske Racing)(8-1-2012)

[gomick]

What the feck was AJ thinking...

[GTRMagic]

Bye Bye Dodge

Originally Posted by Jayski's Article

UPDATE: SRT Motorsports announced that Dodge will withdraw from NASCAR competition at the conclusion of the 2012 season. Ralph Gilles, President and CEO  Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC, made the announcement during a media teleconference call. The decision affects current involvement in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series. Penske Racing currently fields two Dodge Charger cars in the Sprint Cup Series and two Dodge Challenger cars in the Nationwide Series. Penske Racing announced in February that it would end its partnership with Dodge, which started in 2003, at the end of the 2012 season.
"We've spent an intense five months working to identify and evaluate all options for our future involvement in NASCAR," Gilles said. "A number of opportunities emerged, and our team worked diligently to put a structure together to fit our overall business and competitive objectives. While we have been pleased and enthused with the amount of interest from teams and sponsors over that time, in the end, we simply couldn't develop the right structure."
Dodge has recorded 215 wins in the Sprint Cup Series, including 55 since 2001, and has been represented in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup seven of the eight seasons. In 2010, Brad Keselowski captured the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driving a Dodge from Penske Racing.
"It's an extremely difficult decision to know that we won't be there for our fans next season," Gilles added. "It's important to note that we have not lost focus on 2012 or the commitment to our partnership with Penske Racing in both the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series this season." Keselowski currently is seventh in the Sprint Cup Series standings and has three wins in his quest to make the 12-driver Chase field for the second consecutive year. In Nationwide Series competition, Sam Hornish Jr. is locked in a four-way battle for the season championship.(SRT Motorsports)(8-7-2012)

[aneesh99]

At least we finally know what AJ was busted for...

[gomick]

Spewing that dodge is leaving - will they be back?

How many times would AJ have been tested in the last 2/3 years in cup? If they are tested all the time, surely NASCAR would know that he is not an abuser & that this is a one off (his story could be true) - Which means the roads to recovery program is a load of ****. Stop messing with the man's livelihood unless he really is a drug cheat!

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by aneesh99

At least we finally know what AJ was busted for...

Thanks for the link.

No matter what the sport, when one of these guys gets caught you can almost predict what the response will be. There must be a standard script where you state that "someone just handed me a pill" and "I didn't know what it was" and "I only took it once."

Please. If you know you are going to be subject to random testing, why would you just take a pill that someone at a gym hands you? Why would you not ask what it was or where it came from or could I please see the bottle it came out of? Are these guys really that brainless or do they think that we are?

[FIRE]

Cup:
Kenseth to JGR.
Logano to Penske.

Nationwide:
Sadler leaving RCR, probably moving to JGR.


Will be strange to see Kenseth in something different than a Ford.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Will be strange to see Kenseth in something different than a Ford.

To say the least!

As for Logano I have a feeling he'll be the Felipe Massa of Penske Racing. Then again the Captain has worked wonders with Brad "not-so-bad-anymore" Keselowski, so who knows how Logano will do.

[Paradise City]

I think Logano will be a bit of damp squib at Penske methinks. Seems like a decision dictated by the desperation to finally have a whiter-than-whiter driver than any outstanding driving quality inherent in Logano. Maybe he'll make a good sidekick to Brad K.

[gomick]

Does Hornish stay in Nationwide then - he has been good in the #22...

[Paradise City]

Hornish has a Penske Nationwide drive for 2013.

For Cup, it's the same old, same old. A third Penske entry dependent on scarce sponsorship monies.

He may not be quite the dazzler Penske wants for the 22 but he's efficient enough to deserve a third entry.