Barnwell leaves Tri-Star: TriStar Motorsports General Manager Keith Barnwell is leaving the team effective immediately and has accepted another opportunity within the sport. A successor will be named soon. Barnwell will also spot for the number #56 NAPA Toyota of Martin Truex in the Sprint Cup Series, moving over from EGR and Jamie McMurray after a breakout season that included wins in the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and Charlotte 500 in October.(12-30-2010)
Acredale returning to Jay Robinson: Acredale Vending & Coffee Service will return to Jay Robinson Racing for the 2011 season. Acredale has been a small assoicate sponsor for a number of years now and business owner Scott Abshire will return as a crew member as well.(12-30-2010)
Doug Randolph named crew chief for Wallace: Officials of Rusty Wallace Racing announced that Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series veteran, Doug Randolph, has been named crew chief for driver Steve Wallace and RWR’s #66 5-Hour Energy Toyota, in their charge for the 2011 Nationwide Series Championship. Randolph joins RWR following stints as crew chief at such organizations as Richard Childress Racing, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and Petty Enterprises. In his most recent Nationwide Series crew chief role, Randolph led Childress’s #29 team and driver Clint Bowyer to wins at Daytona and Dover in 2009.(RWR)(12-28-2010)
Gordon to be Keselowski’s crew chief? UPDATE: Looks like Todd Gordon, who spent this season as race-day engineer for Diamond-Waltrip Racing’s Nationwide team, will become the new crew chief for Penske Racing’s #22-Brad Keselowski in the Nationwide Series. Gordon joined Diamond-Waltrip in January. Keselowski is fresh off winning the series championship with help from an astounding 26 top-five finishes in 35 races. His crew chief in the series this season, Paul Wolfe, moves to Keselowski’s Sprint Cup team in 2011.(Charlotte Observer)(12-22-2010) UPDATE: Penske Racing has announced that experienced crew chief Todd Gordon has been named as the crew chief for the defending NASCAR Nationwide Series championship-winning #22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge team for 2011. Gordon, who graduated from Clemson University with a mechanical engineering degree, has served as a crew chief several times throughout his 12-year career in racing. Prior to working with Diamond-Waltrip Racing, he was crew chief at Baker Curb Racing in the Nationwide Series and he also helped build the CJM Racing Nationwide Series program from the ground up, serving as both team manager and crew chief. This will also mark Gordon’s second stint as crew chief of the #22 NNS car as he actually led the “double deuce” team when it was part of PPC Racing in 2006.(Penske Racing PR)(12-27-2010)
Mike Wallace will return to #01 team: Mike Wallace and team owner Johnny Davis have already agreed upon one thing as they ready for the 2011 Nationwide Series season – they have what it takes to be successful. They have the equipment, crew, intelligence, talent and tenacity on the team. Davis, sole owner of the team, isn’t your typical NASCAR owner. You will hardly ever find him standing around the hauler on race weekends. The only thing they are lacking is the proper funding and marketing partners to make it happen.(JD Motorsports)(12-24-2010)
Frank Wilson to run some Nationwide races: ARCA veteran Frank Wilson, Jr, of Belmont, WV will team with Fast Track Racing and championship driver and car owner Andy Hillenburg for the 2011 Nationwide Series season. Wilson is a 3-time winner in ARCA’s Truck Series division along with having two top 20 finishes in a limited schedule in 2010 in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menard’s. Not only will Hillenburg field race cars for Wilson, they have also formed an alliance in the area of driver development. Team Wilson’s driver development can consist of as little as a one-week driving school to a three-to-five year driver development plan ranging from ARCA to NASCAR.(Fast Track Racing)(12-23-2010)
Roush Fenway moving Nationwide teams; needs sponsors: Even while Roush Fenway Racing attempts to find the sponsorship that will enable it to maintain three full-season Nationwide Series programs, Jack Roush’s motorsports conglomerate is moving its second-tier racing operation from a leased property in Mooresville, N.C., to a building within its own complex at the Concord (N.C.) Regional Airport. Roush Fenway will maintain the lease on the Mooresville facility but is moving its three remaining Nationwide teams to Concord in hopes of fostering a more beneficial information exchange, similar to what the RFR Cup teams enjoyed with RPM, as three Roush Fenway’s teams made the 2010 Chase. Former series champion Carl Edwards, who plans to once again run full schedules in both Cup and Nationwide, will continue working with crew chief Mike Beam. However, only about half the 34-race schedule is covered. Fastenal and Copart co-branded the #60 car last season, but only Fastenal remains. The sponsors that covered partial schedules for both the #6 Ford, which was primarily driven by 2010 Nationwide rookie of the year Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and the #16, which was mostly wheeled last year by 2008 Truck rookie of the year Colin Braun but this year will be driven by Trevor Bayne, are gone. Neither car currently has any sponsorship.(NASCAR.com)(12-23-2010)
Go Green Racing locked into first 5 races: Go Green Racing announced they have negotiated an agreement with a top 30 Nationwide Series team to transfer points to the #39 team, locking them into the first 5 races of 2011. The agreement is subject to approval by NASCAR but is expected to be allowed. “Our first plan was to run a limited schedule of one race a month in 2011 until this opportunity arose and we have now upgraded the plan to go as far as we can in 2011.” said Go Green President Archie St. Hilaire. “We will be interviewing qualified drivers in the coming weeks and plan on announcing the driver and sponsor of the team by January 15.”(Go Green Racing)(12-22-2010)
Gordon to be Keselowski’s crew chief? Looks like Todd Gordon, who spent this season as race-day engineer for Diamond-Waltrip Racing’s Nationwide team, will become the new crew chief for Penske Racing’s #22-Brad Keselowski in the Nationwide Series. Gordon joined Diamond-Waltrip in January. Keselowski is fresh off winning the series championship with help from an astounding 26 top-five finishes in 35 races. His crew chief in the series this season, Paul Wolfe, moves to Keselowski’s Sprint Cup team in 2011.(Charlotte Observer)(12-22-2010)
Kenny Wallace to RAB UPDATE:: Kenny Wallace will announce he is driving a full season for the RAB Racing team in the Nationwide Series, a source close to the team told SB Nation. Wallace had pledged to do everything he could to race in 2011, and he appears to have achieved that goal with RAB. Sponsors (including UNOH, Federated Auto Parts and a corn/soy bean farmer coalition) have signed on for 16 races, and RAB owner Robby Benton has committed to run Wallace in the remaining events, the source said. The union between Wallace and RAB stands to be beneficial to both parties. Wallace gets to race for a team seemingly on the rise after last season’s win with Boris Said at Montreal and an offseason switch to Toyota; RAB gets some much-needed familiarity in its seat after piecing together a schedule that included 14 different drivers last season. In addition to Wallace, the team plans to field a second entry for Said in the three road course races (Montreal, Watkins Glen and Road America).(SB Nation)(12-21-2010) UPDATE: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard and veteran driver Kenny Wallace are teaming up to compete full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2011. Wallace, who has over 20 years of experience in stock car racing, will make his debut for RAB Racing driving the #09 Toyota Camry beginning on Saturday, February 19, 2011, in the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Currently, RAB Racing has 16 races with primary sponsorship, beginning with the University of Northwestern Ohio at Daytona International Speedway in February. Additional sponsors include Federated Auto Parts and Family Farmers, a coalition of corn and soybean farmers. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the remaining 18 events.(RAB Racing)(12-21-2010)
Lepage working on 2011 plans: Kevin Lepage, who drove much of the 2010 season for the #56 MacHill Motorsports team, has been meeting with sponsors and teams since the season ended and expects to make an announcement on his plans after the first of the year.(12-18-2010)
MacDonald Motorsports looking for 2011 driver: MacDonald Motorsports is still looking for drivers for the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR K&N East Series. The team also has cars available to buy, rent for a test day, or even rent for a race.(MacDonald Motorsports) Michael McDowell drove for the team in 2010.(12-16-2010)
Congrats: Congratulations to former Nationwide Series driver and current Baker Curb Racing employee Wayne Grubb and his wife Holli on the arrival of their daughter Alivia Grace Grubb. Alivia weighed 9lb 7oz and was 21.5″ long.(12-15-2010)
Pastrana tests at New Smyrna: Travis Pastrana, a fearless athlete known for going fast, began the process of learning how to go fast in a stock car this week. Pastrana turned his first laps in a stock car Monday and Tuesday as he tested a K&N Pro Series East car at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. The supercross, freestyle motocross and Rally star plans to compete in seven Nationwide races in 2011 and hopes to make his NASCAR debut in an East car by qualifying for the Toyota All-Star Showdown next month at Irwindale, Calif. During the test two-day test, Pastrana turned about 350 laps under the guidance of Nationwide Series crew chief Jerry Baxter and driver coach Matt Crafton.(Scene Daily)(12-15-2010)
Memphis track sold: After being vacant for more than a year, Memphis Motorsports Park sold at a live auction Tuesday morning for slightly less than $1.9 million. Independent investor Joe Lubeck placed the highest bid for the tract – $1.875 million – after the bidding opened at $3 million. Lubeck is managing partner of Jupiter, Fla.-based Palm Beach International Raceway, formerly Moroso Motorsports Park. Jason Rittenburry, Lubeck’s partner, ran the track for 11 years. The bidding took place onsite at one of the facility’s parcels, 5500 Victory Lane, near Millington. The property’s two tracts were sold as a whole after Morris Auction Group LLC had publicized it could be sold as separate tracts or together. The multi-track complex includes a 0.75-mile asphalt oval, a 0.25-mile championship drag strip and a 1.77-mile road course. The auction drew a big crowd but only a few serious bidders. After no bids at the opening price, Morris Auction Group quickly dropped the price to $2 million and then $1.5 million. In April, Andy Cates and Preston Thomas of Colliers International listed Memphis Motorsports Park for $6 million, a price “substantially below value,” according to the website created by the commercial real estate firm to sell the property. A 10 percent buyer’s premium was added to Lubeck’s bid, bringing the total to $2,062,500. The closing will be within the next 30 days at the law offices of Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC. The real estate sold within less than 10 minutes of the auction’s open. The personal property was then sold individually, including everything from tractors to kitchen equipment. In all likelihood, the property will remain a motorsports park. Tuesday’s auction comes after the NASCAR and NHRA 2011 schedules have been released. While the NHRA has 140 tracks, Memphis was one of only 23 to host a national event and was sanctioned in 1988 as the host site of the Mid-South Nationals. “I can only imagine that it would be challenging to try to be added to their schedule at this point,” [Gary Camp, director of communications at Dover] said. “But the facility is in great shape, and with some minor work, both the NHRA and the Motorsports oval could be race ready.”(Memphis Daily News)(12-15-2010)
BRANDT will sponsor Allgaier: Turner Motorsports announced that BRANDT will serve as primary sponsor of the #31 Chevy, driven by Justin Allgaier during the 2011 racing season. Allgaier, who finished the 2010 season fourth in the NNS championship points standings, joins Turner Motorsports in 2011 for his third full season of Nationwide Series competition. BRANDT, located near Allgaier’s hometown in Illinois, was founded in 1953 to help Illinois farmers adopt new technologies for their operations. Today, the Springfield, Ill.-based company is a global enterprise consisting of three operating divisions: Specialty Formulations, Retail Agronomy and Dealer Support. This will mark BRANDT’s first endeavor as a primary sponsor with a NASCAR team.(Turner Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #31 2011 paint scheme page.(12-13-2010)
2nd Chance Motorsports returning in 2011: The #79 2nd Chance Motorsports team, after having success in the latter part of 2010, has purchased a new Ford Mustang from Roush Fenway. The team plans to run as many races as possible starting at Daytona in Feb.(2nd Chance PR)(12-10-2010)
Gibbs announce 2011 driver/crew chief combos: Joe Gibbs Racing announces that its newest entry into the Nationwide Series which will be driven by Brian Scott, will carry the familiar #11 and have Kevin Kidd as its crew chief. In addition, Adam Stevens, who had previously served as the engineer for JGR’s Sprint Cup Series #20 Home Depot Toyota, will assume the crew chief duties on the team’s Nationwide Series #20 Toyota entry. Joe Gibbs Racing announced in November that it would field a third Nationwide Series team to be driven by Brian Scott, but was still in the process of finalizing the details to obtain the #11 for the Camry. Kidd, who joined JGR as crew chief on the #20 Nationwide Series team will move over along with his crew to work with Brian and compete for the 2011 Championship. Meanwhile Stevens will move over to the Nationwide Series program after serving as the engineer for JGR’s #20 Home Depot Toyota team for the past six years. Joey Logano is expected to run the majority of races in the #20 Camry once again in 2011 representing GameStop and Sport Clips. Pizza Ranch and Interstate Batteries will also return in 2011 and Denny Hamlin is expected to be behind the wheel for several races as the complete schedule for the team is still being finalized. Jason Ratcliff will return as crew chief on JGR’s #18 Nationwide Series Toyota as the team seeks to defend its 2010 Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship. Kyle Busch, who shattered the Series record with 13 victories in 2010, will once again pilot the car in the majority of races with Z-Line Designs and NOS providing sponsorship. (JGR)(12-9-2010)
Nationwide teams to get additional practice time at select tracks: NASCAR has informed its Nationwide Series teams that limited testing will return in 2011, a team owner told SB Nation.com on Thursday. In a bulletin to teams, NASCAR said that along with Daytona, the first race weekends at Las Vegas, Bristol, Texas and Iowa will have four hours of additional practice time. The pair of two-hour sessions will occur prior to the start of the regular race weekend schedule. NASCAR met with Nationwide team owners at Phoenix and surveyed them to see which tracks were preferred to get the additional testing time, according to the team owner who spoke with SB Nation. Owners narrowed the choices to Vegas, Bristol, Texas and Iowa (which all were ultimately selected) along with Chicagoland (which didn’t make the final cut). NASCAR is giving Nationwide teams additional test time because the series is adjusting to a new car this year. So far, the car has only been raced at Daytona, Michigan, Richmond and Charlotte. Aside from the announced test dates, teams are still forbidden to test at any NASCAR-sanctioned track.(SB Nation)(12-9-2010)
Baker Curb Racing Making a Push to Bring Back Rick Viers: Baker Curb Racing is in the process of finalizing their plans for the 2011 season and part of those plans include making a strong push to bring back veteran crew chief Rick Viers. The veteran crew chief began the 2010 season with Baker Curb Racing leading the #27 team to three top 5s, including two runner-up finishes, and eight top 10s over the first 14 races. When the new law banning Red Man Moist Snuff from sponsoring the #27 came into effect and the future uncertain for the team, Viers was hired by Roush Fenway Racing to crew chief the struggling #16 Nationwide Series team. In his first 14 races with the team, they registered one top 5 and four top 10s and went from outside the top 20 in owner’s points into the top 15. For the final seven races of the season Viers was paired with newly signed Trevor Bayne. Bayne qualified in the top 10 three times and finished fifth in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Viers, who had been at Roush Fenway for just six months, was one of the cuts when the team announced recently that they are contracting their Nationwide Series program from four to three teams.(Baker Curb Racing)(12-8-2010)
Logano talks about 2011 Nationwide plans: Monday, December 6, on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio hosts Alex Hayden and Buddy Baker spoke with Joey Logano about his NASCAR Nationwide Series plans for the 2011 season. Alex Hayden: “Let’s talk a little bit about what’s going on as far as next year goes. Obviously, the Home Depot Toyota, as far as the Sprint Cup Series, now you’ve got Brian Scott in the mix over there in the Nationwide Series at Joe Gibbs Racing. What about you, as far as running some Nationwide Series events, is that something that’s still on the plan, or what’s going on with that?” Joey Logano: “Yeah I got, shoot, I think 20-something races. I’ve still got some open races we’re trying to sell. We still need a little bit of sponsorship to run some more, but they’re still plugging along with that. I’ve got Adam Stevens as my crew chief so that’s going to be cool. I’m pretty excited about that. I think it’s going to be good. Game Stop is back for a few, Sport Clips is back for a few, and looking forward [to it]. I have fun running the Nationwide car, that’s kind of the thing, you know? It’s a good time. We’ve got the new Nationwide cars coming out full-time next year so they got their hands full over there. They’re building cars like crazy trying to catch up. So I think I’m going to be good over there. I tell you, it’s going be a fun season, I’m looking forward to it.”(Sirius)(12-7-2010)
McClure to Tri-Star?: UPDATES: Official: The Long John Silver’s logos over at Tri-Star Motorsports have been dropped for a reason: former owner Bob Jenkins is no longer involved with the program. A source says the sponsorship money came to an end at Bristol in August, with Mark Smith operating the two-car Nationwide team out of his own pocket ever since. Next season, FRM has no plans to reenter the sport’s second-tier division, leaving Tri-Star working to find backing for its Chevys. #34-Jason Keller and #35-Tony Raines have driven the majority of races this season, but with neither driver bringing funding to the program the future for both is unknown.(Frontstretch Newsletter)(11-20-2010) UPDATE: am told the organization has a driver and sponsor signed for one of their teams in 2011, and a deal pending for the second car.(11-21-2010) UPDATE 2: hearing that Eric McClure will take the Hefy sponsorship to Tri-Star. An announcement could be made within a couple weeks when all details are worked out.(11-29-2010) UPDATE 3: After a two-year partnership, Eric McClure and his Hefty sponsorship will not be returning to Team Rensi Motorsports for the 2011 Nationwide Series season. Speaking to Frontstretch, McClure noted that economic realities and differences in priorities ultimately led the two parties to a crossroads during the summer, where the Rensi camp informed McClure that he would not be retained by the team for the 2011 season. Said McClure, “They [Rensi] said from an economic standpoint, our sponsorship parameters did not meet what they felt they needed to run a program with me.” McClure and his marketing team have been shopping the Hefty sponsorship since being informed by Rensi that they would not be returning, and have had interest from a number of teams in the Nationwide Series garage. The team will be making an official announcement in the coming weeks.(Frontstretch)(11-30-2010) UPDATE 4: Eric McClure confirmed to Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he will move from Team Rensi Racing to Tri-Star Motorsports for the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series, with sponsorship from Hefty. “It does look like that’s where we’re going to go,” said McClure. “We are going to move over to TriStar Motorsports. Things have kind of skyrocketed in the last 24 hours, and it looks like we’re going to be able to get the deal done.” He said conversations are underway with 2010 Tri-Star drivers Jason Keller and Tony Raines about ways for them to remain involved, adding, “It’s a great opportunity for me to go over there and learn from two veterans.”(Sirius Speedway)(11-30-2010) UPDATE 5: TriStar Motorsports owner Mark Smith announced the addition of Eric McClure to the organization’s driver line up for 2011, further extending the team’s presence in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Beginning with the Drive 4 COPD 300 in Daytona, McClure returns to the Chevrolet family and will pilot TriStar Impalas for a full Nationwide Series season. The Hefty brand, one of the longest-running partners in the Nationwide Series, will continue its relationship with McClure for a sixth consecutive season by serving as primary sponsor in all 34 scheduled events. The team’s car number, as well as other program details will be announced at a later date.(TMI PR)(12-7-2010)
Keselowski visiting Nationwide headquarters: Brad Keselowski, the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver champion, officially will conclude the festivities surrounding his first NASCAR national series title Monday in Columbus, Ohio. He and his #22 Penske Racing team will take part in a full day – and evening – of activities hosted by series sponsor Nationwide Insurance’s hometown. This is the third consecutive year the driver champion has visited Columbus, and the first time that his entire team has been included. Additionally, Joe Balash, the director of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will be in attendance. The day starts with a luncheon for the champion driver and his team at the Fawcett Center on the campus of The Ohio State University. After lunch, the group will receive a tour of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, where they’ll see the trophy room (Ohio State has had seven Heisman Trophy winners) and the meeting and weight rooms of the co-Big Ten champion and Sugar Bowl-bound Buckeyes football team. They’ll also tour 102,000-seat Ohio Stadium. Later in the afternoon, Keselowski, Trent Cherry (the pit crew coach of the #22 team), Balash, Dennis Bickmeyer (Senior Vice President, Michigan International Speedway) and John Aman (Associate Vice President, Strategic Sponsorships for Nationwide Insurance) will serve on an internal panel discussion on “Building a Winning Team” for Nationwide Insurance associates. After an exclusive autograph session, Keselowski will join his teammates at Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, for their 7 p.m. ET matchup with the Dallas Stars. The NASCAR Nationwide Series championship team will be recognized throughout the game, including on-ice promotions and interviews with the Blue Jackets’ television and radio partners. (NASCAR)(12-6-2010)
Tax Slayer images: added images of the #5, #7, and #88 Tax Slayer Chevy to the 2011 Nationwide Series paint schemes. Dale Earnhardt, Jr will drive 1 race, Aric Almirola will drive 2 and Josh Wise will drive 6.(12-4-2010)
Stremme starting own team? David Stremme told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he is working hard to assemble a NASCAR Nationwide Series team for 2011. “I’ve got my own shop — right next door to Rusty Wallace Racing — and we’ve got enough room to run a good Nationwide team there. I purchased some Nationwide cars and have all the equipment I need to run them, but it’s all about the funding. I might own some of the operation, or maybe someone else will own part of it.” Stremme said he has already made a substantial investment in the operation, purchasing cars from “a very good Sprint Cup team. We’re changing them all over to Nationwide specs, and we’re working hard to make sure we do everything right. I don’t want to just be out there, I want to be competitive. And to do that, we need a sponsor. I’m working hard on it, and we’ve got lots of things working, but nothing’s done yet.”(Sirius Speedway)(12-3-2010)
One Nationwide team for Penske? Penske Racing is planning to run three NASCAR Sprint Cup and one Nationwide series team full time in 2011, though the entry for Sam Hornish Jr. is dependent on sponsorship. In 2010, Penske fielded three Sprint Cup teams (with drivers Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Hornish) and two Nationwide teams (with drivers Justin Allgaier and Keselowski). Keselowski won the Nationwide Series title, the first NASCAR championship for team owner Roger Penske. Approximately 50 people were laid off from the organization this week, with more cuts expected to come Friday.(Fox Sports)(12-3-2010)
Nationwide Insurance Honored With 2010 NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Nationwide Insurance, the official insurance provider of NASCAR and title partner of the sport’s #2 national series, was honored with the 2010 NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards held at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. Following the design and implementation of an integrated advertising campaign and a new model to measure its effectiveness, Nationwide has seen significant increases in brand awareness, purchase consideration, lead generation, and policies sold – directly through its NASCAR sponsorship. Nationwide proudly used the NASCAR bar mark or series mark in all aspects of its 2010 program, including:
· Multi-year agreement with Turner to develop www.nascarnationwideseries.com on NASCAR.COM, which provides fans with content dedicated to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, including promotions such as the Code Spotter Sweepstakes to help build the series as well as fan affinity to drivers and teams.
· In cooperation with industry partners, created the Nationwide Insurance “Dash 4 Cash” and “Driver of the Week” programs to lift awareness of Nationwide Insurance, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and its drivers.
· Television and print ads featuring NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers and two-time NASCAR Nationwide champion and team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
· A mobile marketing strategy focused solely on the company’s relationship with NASCAR, encompassing an at-track display and a show car program with over 400 event dates a year throughout the country.
· A comprehensive hospitality program encouraging agents and producers to be advocates of the company’s sponsorship program and NASCAR.
· Support of NASCAR’s exclusive Fuel for Business Council and this B2B Council’s annual Human Resources Summit for official NASCAR partners.(NASCAR)(12-2-2010)
Roush expects to have 3 full time Nationwide teams: UPDATE: Braun released: As for his organization’s Nationwide Series program, Jack Roush said he hopes to field three teams in 2011 – for Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne. “Right now, we’re still lacking sponsorship for two of our, hopefully, three programs next year,” he said. “I am committed to start the year with Ricky and Trevor, assuming that we are going to be able to find the support, generate the interest in their future to make it a financially solvent program for both of them going forward. “And if it’s not, I’m prepared to make an investment myself. So we’ll see how far we get.”(Scene Daily)(11-27-2010) UPDATE: After spending the last three seasons at Roush Fenway Racing, Colin Braun is looking for his next opportunity. Braun has been released from Roush Fenway, which is focusing on finding sponsorship for Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne for the Nationwide Series next season. The 22-year-old Braun won a Truck Series race at Michigan on his way to a fifth-place finish in the series standings in 2009 but then had a rough year in the Nationwide Series in 2010. He made 24 starts with five top-10s but seven races which he didn’t finish. “Roush Fenway has been looking, trying to put a program together but … couldn’t find a sponsor and allowed me to go look elsewhere and try to put together a program somewhere else,” Braun said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I had a really good time over there at Roush Fenway. I enjoyed working with them. It’s a sad day for sure, but hopefully we can work some other deal out here.”(Scene Daily)(12-1-2010)
