Is RG's NASCAR days almost over?

[NIKAL]

Robby went on Clair B Lang's Sirius show this evening. He basically said 4 Mclaren engineers worked with his guys through the whole practice to figure out why the car would not fire. They never figured it out and per NASCAR's rules if you dont turn a practice lap, you are not allowed to qualify. So because the Mclaren guys could not figure out why their own system failed RGM had to withdraw from the event.

Later in the show a caller called in and asked Clair what she thought NASCAR would do if this had happened to Dale Jr or NASCAR's new queen Danica? Would NASCAR send those teams home if the new EFI failed them? Or would they blame the EFI company and make an exception and allow them to start 43rd? Clair said that was a good question and she would have to ask NASCAR.


Then Mike Mulhern reported:

Gordon -- the man who, with Roger Penske's pending defection to Ford, is the only man still on the Dodge roster for 2013 – failed to make the field after his engine failed to fire for practice.

That would normally not be a major story here; however the situation surrounding Gordon's problems made it one.

"Robby was out there on the line ready for practice, and then the car just wouldn't fire," crewman Randy Rodriguez said. "Four McLaren engineers came running over there to help, and they spent 1-1/2 hours with it, but couldn't figure it out.

"So we have to go home. No practice, you can't qualify."

NASCAR officials, asked about the situation, referred reporters to McLaren engineers, who could not be found.

Dodge execs, likewise, could not be found for comment.

 

[freddy]

McLaren continuing the long tradition of good electrical components from England, remember Lucas who invented darkness with their positive ground. LOL

 

[DailyPedal]

Prerace show this morning said the team had start problems as reported and ran the battery low. Team then hooked up a 2nd battery and fried the ECM...the McLaren unit is a well proven system in several racing series so it only makes sense that RG would have an issue. With his luck and budget right now, most of his issues are self inflicted...and Stewart's issue was a resettable circuit breaker that tripped...but was installed out of his reach and had nothing to do with the ECM...

 

[Tristar Racing]

Robby is trying to get Ralph Gilles to notice his team and lend more support, yet he doesn't even have an extra ECM to get a car on the track? I have read comments on other sites questioning what if this had happened to a more popular driver, the simple answer is almost no other team would be that unprepared. This is a team that attempted to run an engine in the Daytona 500 (biggest race of the year) they used in the 150 qualifier and almost blew it up then, on top of the fact its just warmed over GEM/Evernham stock that was left over to begin with. (Oh yea, with zero miles of EFI testing too)

If Robby can weather this storm, good for him. But not even being able to get in the show to start and park is not going to attract more dollars from Dodge, sponsors, or investors.

 

[NicksTrix]

i would have to think dodge isn't too concerned with his program at this point. what do they get from him being there? not much other than for a couple races a year if even really.
when you are showing up just to take some start and park money you would have to believe nascar isn't too concerned for you either.

i thought they (nascar) where going to crack down on that whole s&p thing. i wish they would. either you can afford to play the game or you don't. just shorten the field up to 36 and be done with it...

 

[NIKAL]

i would have to think dodge isn't too concerned with his program at this point. what do they get from him being there? not much other than for a couple races a year if even really. when you are showing up just to take some start and park money you would have to believe nascar isn't too concerned for you either. i thought they (nascar) where going to crack down on that whole s&p thing. i wish they would. either you can afford to play the game or you don't. just shorten the field up to 36 and be done with it...

I wondered about reducing the fields myself. This subject was discussed on Sirius radio several months ago and Dave Moody had the best answer to why we will always see 43 starters and why S&P teams will always exist. One fact is the economy will insure teams will show up to collect 40th-43rd place money. It is what keeps the lights on at many shops in this economy. As Dave said, If the economy was not a factor do you think mega teams like Roush and RCR would have cut a team? If those teams cant find the budget it's no wonder why the smaller teams cant. And NASCAR will always look a blind eye to start and park teams as they need 43 cars to start each race.

And as far as the 43 starter thing. Prior to the modern era of NASCAR they had different numbers of starters at different tracks. When Winston came in to be the big time title sponsor of the series NASCAR need to make some things consistent and the starting field was one of those things. In the modern era it used to be 42 starters and then Richard Petty missed a race and NASCAR established the Championship provisional in 1989 and guaranteed that 43 starters would be at each race. The reason NASCAR still uses 43 and does not reduce the fields is because of contracts that NASCAR has with the Tracks, Radio and TV. One of the NASCAR marketing people said on Dave's show that it would be very tough to change that number as each track, radio and TV contract was signed or renewed at different times, and they all dont come due at the same time. So you could not agree with one entity to reduce the field and then not be able to deliver the original qty with another entity.

 

[randy s]

happy days. at least as far as i'm concerned. rg told clair b lange that he's not bringing the 7 to anymore nascar races this year due to lack of sponsorship. he did say he'd still race sonoma and said something that had to do with the woods brothers but didn't elaborate on that. so i guess he'll head back west and maybe he'll spend more time refining his dakar effort and doing what he's best at instead of running like a chump in the only venue he's not competitive in in spite of his talent. i mean it got really hard to watch with this single car mistake fest going nowhere if not backwards. he also mentioned something about getting his life back too...welcome home robby and gas the f u c k on lad.

 

[randy s]

there's something appealing to me about rg racing a woods brothers ford at sonoma if that were to be the case. wow. talent plus ford backing and horsepower and unlimited resources with rg's input on set up.. not to mention a team mate. yeah baby. it would be both party's best chance ever to win a road course race...

 

[NicksTrix]

the woods bros referance was more about showing up for select events and coming well prepared for that race.

 

[randy s]

the woods bros referance was more about showing up for select events and coming well prepared for that race.

i see. darn it. oh well. sounded like a good idea though a ja ja. i don't think he'll be competitive at sonoma with out more horsepower. the rest of the field have made too many gains in their road racing programs for him to show up and win on talent alone. if he got a top 10 there that would be huge using that boat anchor engine package. that is if he can get it started by then...

 

[NicksTrix]

randy,then you have to think about what he'll be putting together for a hit and miss pit crew. i would have to think there are some lay offs taking place in chlt if it's skin of the teeth right now. with summer coming in already you don't need a bunch of extra people standing around to warm the building...

 

[Tristar Racing]

My only hope is Robby can strike a deal with Childress to run the 33 at the road courses with the r&d team. RGM is almost history, bummer...

 

[Tristar Racing]

DNQ, even harder to swallow considering two brand new teams (19, 74) managed to out-qualify them. Brand new, like since Daytona brand new. That's pretty terrible. Maybe he should take a page out of the offroad book and try someone else's equipment...

 

[Mary Kay]

http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm
Robby Gordon scaling back: #7-Robby Gordon said he likely will not race at Martinsville Speedway next week after failing to qualify for the previous three Cup races. Gordon said he planned to race at Martinsville if he qualified Friday in California, but even if he had made the races at California and Martinsville, it was unlikely he would go to the next Cup race at Texas. Gordon said he will concentrate on marketing his Speed Energy drink as well as competing in off-road and monster truck events. He said the next Cup race for his team could be in June at the road course in Sonoma, CA. Gordon eventually hopes that sales of his energy drink can support a Cup racing program.(SceneDaily)(3-24-2012)

 

[michael_loomis]

As well as everyone has stepped up their game, they will be a non factor at the road courses too, unfortunately.

 

[Captain Racer]

To many irons in the fire. The only way he can be successful in NASCAR is to put his focus entirely on that series. Stop racing off-road, DAKAR, and monster trucks and get serious about trying to win cup races. Which I doubt he is willing to do.

 

[RGFan]

To many irons in the fire. The only way he can be successful in NASCAR is to put his focus entirely on that series. Stop racing off-road, DAKAR, and monster trucks and get serious about trying to win cup races. Which I doubt he is willing to do.

Not about to many irons IMO at all.....Problem is about $$$$ and his lack of marketing equity. RG had some marketing equity built up when he left RCR on 04 to start his own team because he was competetive and winning races, which is why he was able to garner sponsorship for his team. He is now known as a non-competetive S&P, nobody wants to sponsor. Even if he had sponsorship for 1 team, he has no alliances with anybody. All of the top 20 cars are with multi-car teams and/or have aliances with other multi-car teams.

If RG wants to keep racing in Nascrap IMO, he needs to take a break, cool his jets and show up out of nowhere with a competetive team who has a seat open for a road course race, much like he did after the MM#4 debacle in 2001. If he wants Speed on the car, fine, save his pennies and put Speed on the car. And then work, maybe it is only a few races this year, but be competetive and catch peoples eye again. Sponsors are going to be more compelled to sponsor a good driver with a good team than a good driver on a bad team.

RG needs to be a driver only in the big leagues. If he can land another full time ride in the future and stay competetive, as he builds some marketing equity again perhaps he can go race some NW races out of his shop if he wants to be an owner again. While the purse is a lot less, so is the cost of being competetive. You can still be a competetive single car effort in the NW series with an aliance. Put Speed on the car down there and get lots of coverage on Saturdays. Have Speed as an associate on Sundays (or not) and drive for somebody else. Competetive teams are farming out rides this year.....RC has been farming out the 33 to drivers part time, POS has been farming out the 55 as well, as has Roush with the 6. Until he comes to this reality, it will be more of the same IMO.

Robby Gordon and the past 7 years in Nascrap: One of the biggest wastes of pure driving talent in the history of motorsports.

 

[RGFan]

Let me add that I envy a guy who has the balls to do things his way and on his own terms. But a driver of his talent does not come around every day much less every decade. As a fan it just sucks watching him be non-competetive after seeing the incredible things this guy can do in so many disciplines of racing. While on one hand, you hate to see a guy of his driving talents get kicked in the nuts and have to close a chapter on a dream, but on the other hand you hope for a new beginning and a chance to see him be competetive in what ever venue he chooses to race in. And I would personally love to see him show up all of the naysayers in Nascrap just one more time in victory lane, telling Mike Helton and all the others "To kiss his ass".

 

[AZracefan]

To many irons in the fire. The only way he can be successful in NASCAR is to put his focus entirely on that series. Stop racing off-road, DAKAR, and monster trucks and get serious about trying to win cup races. Which I doubt he is willing to do.

I do somewhat agree.. RG has alot going on other than Nascar weither its racing;TT in SCORE/BITD, Pro2 TORC/LUCAS, DAKAR and his new Monster Truck project. All those named take time and $$$$ away from RG's NASCAR efforts. Ive heard of some numbers on what it cost RG to race DAKAR and let me just say I was surprised! A couple years ago, RG's only off-road race was the 1000 and if lucky the 500 and Parker. Today and lately its been full seasons(TT) and some extras here and there. Me personally, I love watching RG in the dirt! but talking business and exposure, why not try and focus with his Nascar team. Lets say RG wins Parker and San Felipe with Speed stickers on it, what is that exposure compared to RG getting a top 10, top 5 at Daytona or Talladega??(pushin it here) better yet a win.(lol) Nascar is the most watched Motorsport there is in the United States and gets all the attention. Off-road is primarily a west coast show. as far as it concerns RG. When Nascar and off-road races are the same weekend, RG elects to put someone else in the 7, or do the practice runs or he just dosen't race Nascar that weekend. How does that help him financially and gain his efforts in Nascar???


Before all the Big Team, Big Money defenses hit let me admit Jimmie Johnson, Brendan Gaughn, Brian Ickler are or were(Ickler) with top teams, top equipment and great sponsors. What Im trying to say, Is some of these guys proven off-roaders have put off-road back a little(gaughn) or simply put it in there past. There number one goal and what there focused on is Nascar. I remeber an interview with JJ when asked about off-road, he simply said he don't have time for it with testing, sponosor deals etc etc... he did mention the biggest reason was Lowe's wouldn't allow him to, but if they did, he more than likely wouldn't even consider tho. RG name was mentioned, but said RG gonna race what he wants. he has different priorities. We do see Gaughn here and there in the desert, but no full seasons or anything. Im sure he's more concerned on keeping RCR happy than racing a desert race back home. I remember Ickler kickn butt in score lite and class 1, soon as his Nascar ride came along, he was gone!! just like that!


I know RG ain't gonna one day commit 100% to Nascar and drop off-road, but I think he should, if he wants to be somewhat competitive in stock cars, get serious and make some changes, serious changes! it has to start somewhere, sometime! We can almost ALL ADMIT Robby Gordon is one BAMF in any off road car in the desert!! He dosen't have to try and prove it, its proven!!! He now has to get with the program and play with the big boys who drive in circles! Still gets recongnition for being an open wheeler in the past or road racer in the past, he needs to bring it back!! Where RG is in Nascar today sucks!! but I wish him the best! I probably won't watch another Nascar race til RG shows up on the grid! it is what it is!!! weither top 10 top 35, I'll cheer for RG in Nascar!!!!

 

[wheeli]

RG needs to focus on signing distribution deals with the big dogs and get speed all over the map,that in turn will give him the loot to kick some a$$ anywhere he wants. I still cant buy speed anywhere within 200 miles of here.