Conway's job in danger?

[JiggaStyles09]

Kevin Conway's days might be numbered at Front Row Motorsports. It sounds like the team has grown tired of Conway's poor performance, and this group will struggle mightily to make races if the #34 falls out of the top 35 in owners points. They are currently 35th in the standings, only 182 points ahead of 36th. A few more bad finishes, and Conway will be on the outside looking in. To this point in the season, Conway has had a guaranteed starting position in every race, due to some fancy number wrangling by owner Bob Jenkins. With one team already outside the top 35 however, thanks to the tire debacle at Pocono earlier in the year, Jenkins can't afford to have another team fall out. Word is that Extenze would continue sponsoring the team, but another yet-to-be-named driver would be brought in.

~Jayski

doesn't surprise me at all, they're waisting their time with Conway imo. he seems like a likeable nice guy but they need to just have him in a NW car give the cup rides to Travis & David & cut down to two teams. jmo.

[TeamBlueOval]

If Extenze will stay regardless, then get rid of Conway... sounds good to me.

[yatesracing]

I think so too. Nice guy but bad Cup Driver. OK here we go who should replace Conway if he is let go????

[JiggaStyles09]

the team just isn't in the position to be developing drivers when they can barely make races. they're already spread thin with 3 teams, i think 2 is enough & just focus on staying in the top 35 for next season.

[eehwkram]

I'm not sure why they single him out when all three cars are consistently at the bottom of the speed charts and if you go race by race, they are more often than not 2-3-5 spots of each other in the finishing order.

Basically, all three are terrible.

[eehwkram]

Here are the results from the last five races that all three have attempted. Is the rookie (who at least has some potential for upside) really doing that much more terrible than the two veterans?

They are all equally terrible. That isn't an opinion, that's what the results say:

Watkins Glen:
27 43 38 David Gilliland Ford Taco Bell 82/0 90 Running
30 41 37 Travis Kvapil Ford Long John Silver's 73/0 90 Running
31 42 34 Kevin Conway * Ford Extenze 70/0 90 Running

Pocono:
29 32 38 Travis Kvapil Ford Long John Silver's 76/0 199 Running 86,285
30 37 37 David Gilliland Ford Gander Mountain 73/0 198 Running 82,948
31 41 34 Kevin Conway * Ford Extenze 70/0 198 Running 66,725

Indianapolis:
24 38 37 Travis Kvapil Ford Long John Silver's 91/0 160 Running 164,396
34 42 34 Kevin Conway * Ford Extenze 66/5 124 Engine 138,050
*Gilliland didn't qualify

Chicago:
31 43 38 Travis Kvapil Ford Long John Silver's 70/0 261 Running 104,185
32 40 37 David Gilliland Ford Taco Bell 67/0 261 Running 95,798
33 42 34 Kevin Conway * Ford Extenze 64/0 256 Running 83,975

Loundon:
32 41 34 Kevin Conway * Ford Extenze 67/0 292 Running 72,650
35 39 37 David Gilliland Ford Taco Bell 58/0 268 Running 82,123
44 - 38 Travis Kvapil Ford Long John Silver's PE 0 No Value 0

[JiggaStyles09]

travis and/or david are sacrificing their spot in the top 35 to keep kevin from having to qualify on time. i believe they would be running a little better if Kevin went back to NW. i know they've had to switch OPs around a couple times.

you're right about all 3 of them not running well though, but that's why i think they need to go with two teams & concentrate on giving their 2 more experienced drivers some cushion & more help. i guess the sponsorship thing would be the question.

[ShoreLodgeRacing11]

All I'm gonna say is if the sponsor is staying regardless then why keep him, he's proven to be good at finding sponsors he brought Z-Line to JGR if I am correct and while this may not be the easiest time to be without a sponsor I believe he will find his way back into NASCAR whether it's in nationwide or somewhere else.

[JiggaStyles09]

UPDATE: Comments from ExtenZe Racing regarding recent Internet rumors about Kevin Conway:"Contrary to some Internet reports out there that recently surfaced after the NASCAR race weekend concluded at Watkins Glen, ExtenZe and Alteril are 100% committed to Kevin Conway and the sport of NASCAR," said Robert Wilhovsky, Director of Motorsports Marketing. "While we are currently evaluating our options for 2011, Kevin Conway has been and will continue to be the foundation of our NASCAR program in the years ahead.(ExtenZe PR)(8-9-2010)

~Jayski

[Dog]

thats the most disappointing news I've heard

[eehwkram]

Reading what is on Jayski, I don't think the sponsor would stay regardless. They've built their racing team around Conway.

[RacingDude]

I would have never even hired Conway to begin with. He had less than 20 NW starts going into the season, so he needs at least a full season of that series before he does ANY Cup racing, IMO.

[JiggaStyles09]

I would have never even hired Conway to begin with. He had less than 20 NW starts going into the season, so he needs at least a full season of that series before he does ANY Cup racing, IMO.

+1

[TeamBlueOval]

It's all about those sponsor dollars. I'm not sure why, but Extenze seems to want him in their car.

[roosterrage]

I don't understand Extenze's fascination with Conway at all. I don't even see how they got interested in the first place- he had only run minimal NW races before getting in the car this year. He is the slowest car every week, and has made many races only because of the number and points swapping with Gilliland and Kvapil. I don't get it. At least he gets out of the way and doesn't cause any problems.