RPM /JTG partnership?

[DeeDee]

[ARTICLE=JTG Daugherty ending alliance with MWR? UPDATE:]Michael Waltrip Racing currently fields two teams with #56-Martin Truex Jr. and #00-David Reutimann, and supplies cars for #47-Bobby Labonte and JTG Daugherty Racing out of its Mooresville, N.C., shop. Sources said JTG Daugherty Racing may cut its tie to MWR but remain in the sport with Labonte as its driver in 2012.(ESPN)(9-16-2011)
UPDATE: MWR has paved the way for a third full-time entry [with Clint Bowyer] by ending its affiliation with JTG Daugherty Racing, which had housed its #47 entry at the team's headquarters as part of its alliance. Team owner Brad Daugherty plans to keep his organization on track next season but is currently looking at options to align with another team, with speculation of a partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports. Daugherty's affinity to and admiration of Petty has even included the former college basketball and NBA star wearing the #43 throughout his career. An association as NASCAR business partners would further that connection. RPM was close to launching a third team with Bowyer before contract talks with the driver broke down so the desire to expand is evident.(CBS Sports)(9-22-2011)[/ARTICLE]

[yatesracing]

JMO but this combo doesn't seem like an improvement for RPM.
JTG's driver is Bobby LaBonte. JMO but this should not be the choice they should be looking for.

What they don't need is a lateral move. What they should be looking for is an upswing. RPM is getting better with AJ but they need a winner. To me Marcos won the road race but when it comes to the ovals, he is struggling. JMO

[STLFordFan]

Part of me wonders if this does happen if perhaps Stenhouse gets a crack at the seat. From talks I've had with Mark Garrow online, he seems to keep mentioning Vickers and RPM with Vickers bringing more money than Bowyer. We shall see how it plays out. I agree with you yatesracing, I feel like Ambrose is incrementally getting better at the ovals, but not at the pace they'd prefer. He looked to have a top-10 car at Chicago until bad pit stops, gearbox issue and hitting the wall.

[yatesracing]

I don't know ST I just don't see Vickers in a FORD. Don't ask me why, I just can't vision that. Stenhouse would be good if, and only if Roush prepares his cars. I don't think the RPM group has gotten the knack on how to setup these FORDS. AJ should have won a race by now. These RPM cars are just not being setup right. I don't care who the driver will be, until someone who knows (just a little bit more LOL) gets in there and helps. That car at Daytona was totally setup in the Roush shop, JMO and I believe thats why Trevor did so well at Daytona. That race was extremely important to FORD/Roush/Wood Bros and they knew they had to win it.

[cobra302]

It's been discussed on here before in various forms, but what about the possibility that David Ragan goes to RPM & drives the 47, while Stenhouse, assuming he wins the Nationwide championship, (or even if he doesn't) assumes the #6 vacated by Ragan. The only thing Bobby Labonte brings to the table at this stage of his career is his past champion's provisional. He's not competitive any more.

I'm kind of mystified as to how the whole Bowyer deal with RPM fell apart. I consider RPM to be a lot more competitive than MWR. Would be interested in hearing the details of what derailed all of that.

[yatesracing]

Would be interested in hearing the details of what derailed all of that. >>>>>>I believe FORD/ROUSH have other plans.

We will have to just wait and see but I'm sure they have a plan. Don't know if it will be a good one or one that will backfire. We all know how their plans have worked out in the past so I have fingers and toes crossed LOL.

[TeamBlueOval]

I like some of the plans I'm reading here. We should have:

21-Bayne
6-Stenhouse
47-Ragan
3rd RPM car- Vickers

[yatesracing]

I like that line up. Now for the announcement

[JiggaStyles09]

Sounds good but first they have to get sponsors on the hood, I hope they can get it all lined up

[DeeDee]

[ARTICLE=Talk of JTG Daugherty split from MWR premature] By Sporting News Wire Service
September 22, 2011 8:19 PM, EDT


JTG Daugherty Racing hasn't decided on an affiliation for next season, and retaining its relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing is still an option, team owner Tad Geschickter told Sporting News on Thursday.

"Unless MWR has ended the relationship since I've been up here, there's no truth to it -- I certainly haven't heard about it," Geschickter said in a phone interview during a break in a meeting with one of the team's sponsors.

Geschickter said his phone had been "blowing up" in the wake of a report on CBSsports.com that MWR had terminated its relationship with JTG Daugherty, which fields Toyotas for Bobby Labonte, and speculation in the same story that JTG Daugherty might align itself with Richard Petty Motorsports.

"I haven't talked with Richard Petty Motorsports," Geschickter said. "There's no truth to that at all."

Geschickter said that, to his knowledge, MWR was still exploring its capacity to supply cars to JTG in light of possible expansion. MWR has talked with Clint Bowyer about the possibility of driving a third car for the organization next season, but no deal has been announced.[/ARTICLE]

[yatesracing]

The problem with some of us is the need for FORD having more cars on the track. We are happy with anyone coming into the fold. Well, me too , but I never thought JTG would be the answer. They are less than a mediocre organization and we have one of our own. What we need is another all new Team starting in Nascar who have the kind of help we need. Bring that Cosworth (knows FORD) engineer with them.
Haas/Lanigan were champs many times until they made them switch to Honda's. Can't understand why they are still in that series. Come on over to NASCAR. We almost had them before we switch to Roush. How different things might have been today had the deal been completed.

Championships Won: 8 ['84, '91, '93, '02, '04, ‘05, ’06, '07]
Races Won: 107 [80 Street Races, 27 Ovals]
Pole Positions Won: 109 [90 Street Races, 19 Ovals]

I didn't want to ruffle any ones feather but David and Travis would be doing a whole lot better if Front Row had a little bit more help from FORD and had the cars that these two driver were able to race.

[cobra302]

I like some of the plans I'm reading here. We should have:

21-Bayne
6-Stenhouse
47-Ragan
3rd RPM car- Vickers

Did you mean to say 4th RPM car? The 3rd one would be the 47. Like Yates, I just don't see Vickers signing with RPM or any Ford team. As for Ford support of teams, it'd be interesting to see a comparison of Nascar budgets of the 4 manufacturers involved. I'm guessing Dodge would be on the bottom, Ford next, then Toyota, and GM spending the most. And in each case, no more than a couple teams get the lion's share of the manufacturer support.

[TeamBlueOval]

No, the 47 is still a JTG car, just with RPM support.

[STLFordFan]

I am also interested in hearing why the Bowyer/RPM deal fell apart. To be honest, I've heard, read, etc anywhere from Bowyer turning down RPM to Bowyer and RPM perhaps not seeing eye to eye on how much he should get paid and that RPM was willing to pay him about 85% of what he wanted. Also, that Vickers could bring more $$$$ along. Or and this is a big if of my opinion, but what if Roush needs RPM to stand pat so Bayne and/or Stenhouse have a landing spot? I'm still not sure why MWR is so highly thought of by Bowyer, yes they have a really nice shop, but what results have they produced? There is serious pressure on that organization to perform, let's see if they do it. I had my hopes for Bowyer to come to the Ford camp but alas he looks to be heading to that organization.

As far Ford expanding the disappointing part is last year Ford was probably going to land EGR but the E part of the organization, Teresa Earnhardt wanted to stay with GM instead of taking Ford's large check. I just hope Ford is at more than 6 full-time teams but we shall see.