Did anyone read this ESPN post? Dodge should rally the little guys.

Dodge shouldn't be taking phone calls. It should be making them, and not to the NASCAR juggernauts.

No, Dodge should be rounding up the little guys. The brand should embrace its thrust-upon-it role as the ultimate motorsports underdog. It should assemble the single-car, cash-strapped teams from the far end of the Cup garage and go racing.

I'm not talking about start-and-parkers. I'm talking about shoestring-budget outfits that are working toward actually building something. I'm talking about teams like Gordon's, such as Tommy Baldwin Racing, Phoenix Racing, JTG Daugherty, Front Row and Furniture Row. The ones that have to buy used parts at auction, fly coach, don't own their own wind tunnels and stay at the Holiday Inn Express because it comes with free breakfast.
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Ray Evernham left Hendrick in 1999 to start his own team. He only entered 3 races in 2000 with Casey Atwood and partial sponsorship from Motorola driving Fords Evernham picked up from Robert Yates. Evernham was chosen to lead the Dodge comeback in NASCAR in 2001 with a two-car team with Atwood and Bill Elliott and backing from nearly some 3,000 Dodge dealers and Dodge.

A few salient points that may provide a ray of optimism;

  • Prior to 2000, Ray Evernham had NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE as a car owner in any of NASCAR's top three series. Yet, with the support of Dodge he would field entries for Cup, Busch, Craftsman Truck, ARCA, and Dodge Weekly Series.
  • Evernham Dodge made their debut at Daytona in 2001 with the #9 and #19 OUTSIDE THE TOP 35 IN OWNER POINTS. (Casey Atwood DNQ'd for the Atlanta spring race.)
  • When Dodge teamed with Everham in 2001, Ray DID NOT have a in-house engine program much less full capabilities or personel to build their own race cars.
  • Did I mention Bill Elliott put the #9 Dodge on the pole for the 2001 Daytona 500?

Dodge chose a single-car team, outside the top 35, a car owner with no previous experience with little infrastructure in place.

And the critics say Robby Gordon Motorsports has no shot?

I love that!! Thanks...ray of hope...NICE

Dodge funded the project, which is not going to happen today.

There was no Top 35 rule in 2001.

ok

Elliot was a champion.

With Penske gone, Dodge will have to fund most if not all of the project. Any team that has race sponsorship is just that; race sponsorship. The notion that you can go back to a race sponsor and ask for what amounts to a blank check because Dodge fell asleep at the wheel and now needs help to reestablish their NASCAR presence is wishful thinking.

True, there wasn't a top 35 rule in 2001. However, NASCAR still had a owner points system at that time and the #9 and #19 were 40th and 48th in Owner Points going into the 2001 season.

Bill Elliott never used his Past Champion Provisional during the time he drove for Evernham.

LEts hope youre right

I think Phoenix Racing is pretty content to be a part of the 8-car (5, 10, 14, 24, 39, 48, 51, 88) Hendrick Racing family.

yup

All the teams above lack one thing ! A kasey kahne type person. someone they can slap a face picture on the window and sell their cars.

I'm not saying it... I saw this as a comment after the article....

"I know from sources that Dodge's flagship team next year will be the Busch brothers, with Dodge starting it's own engine program. It's signed sealed and delivered. The only thing left to decide is whether Phoenix Racing wants to be part of it, and what other teams to let in. The sponsors and everything are all set".

L O L

I guess anything is possible but think about this. How does this person writing a comment about an article written by a pro with ESPN know so much and know that Dodge is starting their own engine program? Yet the professional media who are paid to get this sort of info have not found this out yet? I would assume since RG is currently with Dodge he would know that Dodge is going to be starting their own engine program.

I would think Kyle would have to already have the OK from JGR to be released of his 2013 contract before he could be putting a 2013 Cup program together. I would assume he would be in some sort of breach of contract if he was doing all this without an agreement of release from JGR. If Kyle was released of his current contract so he can pursue his own Cup venture for 2013, how is it this has yet to leak out? This would be huge and I would think we would be hearing rumors. I would be surprised if JGR will let him out of his contract so easy considering all they have invested in him in the past year. Look at how long they waited until letting Greg Zippadelli out of his contract so he could leave and go to SHR.

Also with Kyle being very open about sponsorship for his truck and NW series and claiming he still does not have all the dates covered for those two series, how could they possibly have a 1 or 2 car cup team sponsorship covered for 2013 as early as March of 2012? Both Roush and RCR had to cut back as they could not find sponsorship this year, yet the Busch bros have a signed manufacture deal and signed sponsorship deals for 2 Cup teams? From what I know the only sponsor Kyle Busch currently has that is not tied to JGR is Monster. Dollar General was part of the JGR package.

If this was true it would be the boost Dodge would is looking for as far as high profile drivers are concerned, but I would consider the source.

Bottom line is NOTHING INVOLVING NASCAR MAKES SENSE lol . It all boils down to 1 thing $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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