As the 2009 campaign reaches the homestretch with just five races left, many drivers find themselves in a race to secure the funding to return to their team or move to a new one.
[Timothy] Peters, who moved from Premier Racing to Red Horse earlier this year, is one of those looking for a commitment. His agreement with Red Horse is only through the end of 2009 and he says he hasn’t even discussed whether sponsor Strutmasters.com might return or go with him elsewhere. Peters’ situation is no more stable than that of many of his competitors, including teammate T.J. Bell.
The longer a driver goes without firming up plans for the coming season, the harder it can be to find a ride. Just ask Terry Cook. “The end of 2006 was the first year that I really had to start looking for opportunities to race the next year and unfortunately every year thereafter I’ve done that,” said the HT Motorsports driver, noting that his Martinsville-based organization is expected to evaluate his future in the offseason. “And that’s the frustrating part of this business – the unknowns.
It takes about $3 million annually to fully fund a Truck team, according to Wyler Racing driver Stacy Compton. Compton says he’s about 95 percent sure he’ll return to his seat in a full-time role next season but that the team needs an additional sponsor to chip in about $500,000. Compton isn’t ready to completely rule out the possibility of a part-time schedule.
More certainty exists among drivers at or near the top of this year’s points standings. Team owner Kevin Harvick said on Friday that points leader and three-time champion Ron Hornaday will return to the #33 Chevrolet full-time and that Harvick and Ryan Newman will share time in the second Kevin Harvick Inc. truck.
ThorSport Racing teammates Matt Crafton (second in points) and Johnny Sauter (fifth) are also set to rejoin their respective organizations. That also appears to be the case for Randy Moss Motorsports’ Mike Skinner (3rd), HT Motorsports’ David Starr (10th) and GunBroker.com Racing’s Jason White (14th).
Starr is also entertaining the possibility of a part-time Nationwide schedule with a team that he would not disclose yet. Possibly joining him in the Nationwide ranks will be Circle Bar Racing rookie James Buescher, who says he expects an announcement regarding his future in the next two weeks.(SceneDaily.com)(10-24-2009)
