Fourth Driver at RCR Likely Next Year says Burton

[ThePenguin]

RCR driver Jeff Burton says that a fourth driver is likely for next year. This could be the place that Junior is headed. Here is the link from NASCAR's site.

http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/head.../headlines/cup

[Jacko44]

Doesn't seem like any of the Busch / Truck drivers in RCR would be ready for Cup (except maybe Wimmer) so Junior may go there. But would he want to now that DEI and RCR will be working on engines together next year?

[kingfloopy]

Looks like Jr. may end up at Hendrick. If that's the case I'm not sure who would drive for RCR in a fourth team beyond Wimmer. Maybe we'll see Jarrett jump from the sinking MWR/Toyota ship (it's been floating around as a rumour).

J.D.

[muggle not]

It appears like Biffle and Kyle will be available for new rides. There really aren't too many good drivers available these days.

[Fish_Flake]

With the top-35 qualifying rule, RCR would probably better off investing in a younger driver for the long-term than sign the best driver available. A brand-new team is going to miss a few races in today's NASCAR, no matter what. The wiser option is to pick up a rookie and use the first season as a learning experience.

[HCForums]

Originally Posted by muggle not

It appears like Biffle and Kyle will be available for new rides. There really aren't too many good drivers available these days.

I think there´s a lot of talent around. Just think of all the Busch drivers from a couple of years ago, before the Busch Series became a second Cup Series. Just to name some: Mike Bliss, Ashton Lewis Jr, Casey Atwood, Jason Keller, Kerry Earnhardt. Also some young guns who´ve had trouble breaking through in ARCA, Truck and Busch deserve a chance in a Cup team. For example Joey Miller. He had a great season in ARCA but then failed to get his career started in the CTS, which had nothing to do with his driving talent but more with sponsorship.

[Fish_Flake]

Originally Posted by HCForums

I think there´s a lot of talent around. Just think of all the Busch drivers from a couple of years ago, before the Busch Series became a second Cup Series. Just to name some: Mike Bliss, Ashton Lewis Jr, Casey Atwood, Jason Keller, Kerry Earnhardt. Also some young guns who´ve had trouble breaking through in ARCA, Truck and Busch deserve a chance in a Cup team. For example Joey Miller. He had a great season in ARCA but then failed to get his career started in the CTS, which had nothing to do with his driving talent but more with sponsorship.

Are you the creator of "Hi and Lois"? Because you are making me laugh...

Mike Bliss is already in NEXTEL Cup; you just haven't noticed because he never qualifies. Atwood and Keller have had their chances; Atwood deserved another, but that's a different story. Lewis and Earnhardt never did jack squat in the Busch Series. Joey Miller's a hard-luck story, but he's only 21 and isn't quite ready for the big time anyway.

[R59]

It's not me. Richard hasn't phoned (yet).

[HCForums]

I indeed hadn't noticed Bliss, I remember him doing a Cup race in 2004 but that's about it.

The point I was trying to make (and failing miserably) was that there are enough experienced drivers around who deserve a shot. Nowadays every big team signs their development drivers when they're still doing midgets. Yeah, you can put this 18 year old in the car but there is also this mid 30-er who has won in Busch and has lot of experience.

I do have respect for Lewis, how he managed to survive driving that almost blank car for years.

[muggle not]

Originally Posted by Fish_Flake

Are you the creator of "Hi and Lois"? Because you are making me laugh...

Mike Bliss is already in NEXTEL Cup; you just haven't noticed because he never qualifies. Atwood and Keller have had their chances; Atwood deserved another, but that's a different story. Lewis and Earnhardt never did jack squat in the Busch Series. Joey Miller's a hard-luck story, but he's only 21 and isn't quite ready for the big time anyway.

Amen!!! biffle has gone through 3 sponsors already and may find it hard to get a quality ride. Kyle should be able to pick up a sponsor as they show his car on TV a lot since he is always hitting the wall.

[Fish_Flake]

Originally Posted by muggle not

Amen!!! biffle has gone through 3 sponsors already and may find it hard to get a quality ride. Kyle should be able to pick up a sponsor as they show his car on TV a lot since he is always hitting the wall.

Now, I wouldn't speak too soon about that. Since it can be assumed that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is bringing his own sponsors (namely Budweiser) to Hendrick Motorsports with him, that means one of Hendrick's primary sponsors is going to be left behind, depending on which car he drives next year. If he drives the #5, Tony the Tiger is obviously off the car, since Dale can't possibly be a spokesman for beer and children's cereal at the same time. Kyle Busch might be in the position to take Kellogg's sponsorship with him to another team next year if that's the case. On the other hand, if it is decided that Casey Mears switches to the #5 and Junior moves to the #25, that means that the U.S. National Guard is in a tough situation. With such a high-profile personality as Dale Jr. on the team, the National Guard may very well stay on as an associate sponsor and have its name next to Bud on the hood for several races. If the case is that they'd rather be a primary sponsor, remember that they sponsored Greg Biffle up to this season.

[kingfloopy]

I can't see Kellogg's leaving Hendrick as long as they've been a sponsor. I also can't see the National Guard co-sponsoring with a beer company either. The military groups (National Guard, Army, etc.) negotiate on a year to year basis, which is why they move around so much. I can see the National Guard easily leaving to go to DEI or another team at the end of the season. As much history as Hendrick has with the number 25 I can still see them exchanging it for the #8 if Junior wants it bad enough.

As for drivers like Mike Bliss, Ashton Lewis Jr, Casey Atwood, Jason Keller, and Kerry Earnhardt they don't stand a chance for a decent Cup ride. Bliss and Keller are too old for any team to be interested, talented or not their best chances are for a CTS ride now. Atwood has talent, but with his on-track performance the last few places he drove he's a non-issue now. It'd be cool to see Ashton Lewis get a ride, but again he's getting too old also. And Kerry Earnhardt has done nothing throughout his career to deserve a Cup ride, he has continually been an underperformer.

My guess is Wimmer may get the ride for a year while a RCR or KHI development driver gets a season in Busch and then in 2009 inherits the ride.

J.D.

[ThePenguin]

This could be the place that Kyle Busch is going next year, but he is going to be a hotly contested driver to get and several smaller teams have been saying that they can add another driver to their team for next year.

http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/head...ure/index.html

[Jacko44]

Also rumours going round that Elliot Sadler isn't happy at EMS so he may be another candidate???

[ThePenguin]

From Jayski

Toyota's David Reutimann is the latest driver being mentioned for Richard Childress' planned fourth Cup team next season. Childress is reported to be buying back shares of his own company from investment partner Chartwell.

So now it looks like David Reutimann is one of the drivers that could appear there next season. So far with so many drivers looking to have that spot, it looks like the only thing that is for sure is that there will be another team at RCR next year.