WHAT IS NAPA AUTO PARTS GOING TO DO?
For many years now the pairing of Michael Waltrip and Napa Auto Parts has been a marketing marriage made in heaven. This pairing had led to the creation of some of the better commercials seen during a NASCAR television broadcast.
Napa’s contract with MWR ends this year and it remains to be seen if Waltrip’s retirement as a driver will impact the renewal of that liason. A MWR spokesman said that negotiations with NAPA are ongoing and they expect to have a very positive announcement later in the season.
That’s likely going to be true. It very possible that Truex in the #55 NAPA car could provide the company the performance excitement they would like to see. Also don’t forget that the very personable Waltrip will still be available to participate in some more of those clever commercials.
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WILL MONTOYA MAKE THE CHASE?
Without question Juan Pablo Montoya is the lone bright spot in EGR’s Sprint Cup effort. He left New Hampshire last Sunday 12th in the series’s championship standings. If he can maintain, and possibly elevate, that position then he will be part of the elite 12 who has the right to compete for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Chase For The Championship.
Montoya is one of the few success stories from the original group of open wheel drivers who migrated to NASCAR over the past couple of years. But that transition took approximately two and a half years. The big difference seems to be the abandonment of that bull in a china shop style of driving. Now we’re seeing a considerably more patient and smarter driver. That has led to a string of consistent finishes. If he can maintain those levels over the next nine races he does indeed have an opportunity to put EGR into the Chase. The other good news here is the fact that Montoya is under contract with EGR through 2011 with an renewal option.
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BUT WHAT WILL MONTOYA BE DRIVING NEXT YEAR?
As we all know General Motors, in the midst of harsh economic conditions, recently made the decision to file bankruptcy. One of the cutbacks that came from that is the auto maker’s financial support of NASCAR race teams. While the show will of course go on that loss of revenue, alleged to be as high as $10 million per season, was a huge hit to team owners that has them examining other options.
Recent garage rumors state that EGR has been reportedly talking to Joe Gibbs Racing-JGR regarding the possibility of an alliance that will have Montoya driving a Toyota next season prepared by JGR. Montoya will remain under contract with his present team but would be driving the JGR Toyota instead of an EGR Chevrolet.
J D Gibbs, President of JGR, has made very quick work of denying this rumor. EGR officials have no comment what so ever. Always remember that stories like this is why they call it “silly season.”
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IS THERE A FUTURE FOR EGR’s #8 ?
It appears that the answer is no at this point in time and that’s also due to economics. At the beginning of the season EGR put young development driver Aric Almirola behind the wheel of their #8 Chevrolet. At the time there was a limited sponsorship program in place and EGR was hoping that the on track performance of the team would help strengthen the sponsorship situation.
Unfortunately that never happened. Almirola made seven starts in the car but the numbers were dismal. There were no top five or top ten finishes. The young driver had an average start ratio of 29th, an average finish ratio of 32.857 and was ranked 44th in the championship points.
Meanwhile EGR’s Chip Ganassi made it crystal clear that he was not interested in running any of the team’s cars unsponsored. When the team’s limited sponsorship program ran out, EGR issued a statement that said “the #8, with driver Aric Almirola, is temporarily parked until sponsors can be secured.”
That’s exactly where it stands at the moment and it doesn’t look like there’s a bright future for this team. Almirola has been doing some occasional fill in work in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series while waiting for some good news from EGR.
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