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ESPN: Robby Gordon faces 8-race season
Uh-oh. From ESPN.com
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Robby Gordon, who has run a full Sprint Cup schedule as a driver/owner since 2006, says he has enough sponsorship for only eight races in 2010.
"I'm looking at a lot of weekends off,'' a frustrated Gordon told ESPN.com on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.
Gordon said he has two four-race commitments from sponsors for next season. One of his major sponsors, Jim Beam, announced earlier in the year that it would not return to the sport.
"Nobody is spending money,'' Gordon said. "Everybody is cutting the fat out of everything. To be in racing you have to be a pretty big company.''
Gordon said many of the larger teams are making deals for well less than the market value because they can afford to, but that runs teams like his out of business.
"It's sponsorship suicide,'' said Gordon, who is 34th in points.
Gordon said NASCAR needs to create a unified marketing plan so every team is on a level playing field. He said there are so many different plans now that sponsors are confused.
He expects to see more start-and-park teams next season than ever, adding he doesn't plan to be one.
"I don't know what we're going to do,'' Gordon said. "We're going to continue to work hard to sell races through March of next year. After that I'm looking at a lot of weekends off.''
David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Robby Gordon, who has run a full Sprint Cup schedule as a driver/owner since 2006, says he has enough sponsorship for only eight races in 2010.
"I'm looking at a lot of weekends off,'' a frustrated Gordon told ESPN.com on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.
Gordon said he has two four-race commitments from sponsors for next season. One of his major sponsors, Jim Beam, announced earlier in the year that it would not return to the sport.
"Nobody is spending money,'' Gordon said. "Everybody is cutting the fat out of everything. To be in racing you have to be a pretty big company.''
Gordon said many of the larger teams are making deals for well less than the market value because they can afford to, but that runs teams like his out of business.
"It's sponsorship suicide,'' said Gordon, who is 34th in points.
Gordon said NASCAR needs to create a unified marketing plan so every team is on a level playing field. He said there are so many different plans now that sponsors are confused.
He expects to see more start-and-park teams next season than ever, adding he doesn't plan to be one.
"I don't know what we're going to do,'' Gordon said. "We're going to continue to work hard to sell races through March of next year. After that I'm looking at a lot of weekends off.''
David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chris Jamieson on
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The only problem is that Robby wouldn't make money if he only ran the Dakar and the rest of his off-road schedule. Profits from his NASCAR team is what helps him fund his off-road team. Sponsorship alone in off-road doesn't foot the entire bill for the events, at least when it comes to the amount of $$ Robby puts into his equipment. Robby would have to S&P if he couldn't find sponsorship and wasn't going to drive for someone else in cup.
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Permalink Reply by vak7 on
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You're already looking for someone else to follow? Like we're all moving our loyalty from one driver to another en masse? I think a lot of us will follow Robby, no matter where he is or what he does. If it isn't NASCAR, so be it. But I truly don't believe for a minute that he's ready to give it up. It takes too much sweat and energy to get this far to just say "never mind." Circumstances can force a decision he doesn't want to make, but it won't be made lightly.
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Robby needs NASCAR much more than NASCAR needs Robby. It's an unfortunate truth.
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Permalink Reply by Rob Hoban on
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I don't think that we would collectively cheer on another driver. If Robby is out of a race I find myself pulling for Gilliland or Paul Menard only because of the past connections to Robby and RGM. If Robby is not racing next year, I don't think I will look forward to race weekends the way I do now and ratings will fall. I am going to call Nielson and ask for one of those boxes to monitor my viewing. There will definitely be a trend of higher ratings when Robby is in the race.
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Permalink Reply by Karen on
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This is very sad, and I lay a lot of the blame on the network coverage of the races. Today's Phoenix race was a fine example where we got treated to seeing the 48 car go round and round. zzzzzzz They should be required to show equity for all the sponsors of the cars. It is very expensive to sponsor one and I don't blame a company for pulling out if they rarely see their rolling 'ad' on TV. It would be less expensive for them to place ads during the race. There are still several months to go and I know Robby will be busy trying to drum up sponsors so he can continue to race in 2010. He better not change his car number, though!! Too much 7 gear to have to replace ;-)
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Permalink Reply by ALMSNEEDSROBBY on
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If he only has sponsorship for a few races maybe he will have time to run the indy 500... i hope and the 24hrs of lemans.
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Permalink Reply by Nena Patrick on
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Rh will land of his feet. He is too good of a driver not to have some type of ride. As for NASCRAP, I could care less about them. The people running NASCAR now are all idiots who dont get what it is really about. Just look at the crap Brian France is pulling here in Mecklenburg County, NC. He paid big money to get his divorce papers sealed. This almost never happens in Charlotte. There are a lot of high profile people in Charlotte that get divorced and their papers aren't sealed. The word arond town is his ex wife has some really good dirt on him that he knows would not only embarras him but the sport. Humm wonder what it is???
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Permalink Reply by Josh Northcutt on
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I'm sure Robby will have enough sponsors to get going next year, and all he has to do it run well. He's got a great CC, and I can't wait til we get to Daytona just to see what Doug and the crew has got going for 2010
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Lets hope "the great CC" will sign on with an outfit that only has funding for 8 races.
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Permalink Reply by Thomas on
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Well, after reading this I to will have weekends off as well. I only watch to root RGR the best. other than that not a bif fan of NASCAR/Hendricks TV.
I wish RGR the best for their search in finding Sponsers..If I knew the rules I'd go out and help out any way I could, but not being a marketing expert, no can do.Perhaps sugeestions would be to go down the NYSE, and find the bizness that are growing and go after them? IE: Google,Twitter,etc....But I imagine NASCAR has rules on whom can sponser a car.that they dont conflict with Sprint? anyways Robby good luck
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I also wanted to add that yes I agree, It is very expensive to sponser a car, where as the Networks that show races TNT ABC ESPN almost never show the fans their cars...hell sometimes we dont even know their paints schemes. except if their in a wreck or other mishap on the track.
Another thing is the Race for the chase sucks as well...I counted the time times they mentioned Jimmy Johnson, and stopped after 168 times. enough said! the rest just seem to be a gaggle of cars that DONT relly count.
Another thing, Dodge now builds a challenger, GM now produces the new Cameron, For has the Mustang, Well those are stock cars. lets go back in time and start racing "STOCK CARS"
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