THANK YOU ROBBY AND THE WHOLE RGM CREW

Thanks Robby and the whole RGM crew and staff for giving us a great 2008 season even if it had its ups and downs. Lets get em next year. GAS ON in 09!

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Permalink Reply by Partman on November 18, 2008 at 10:16am

Yeah, great point Antimatter, great point. That's where the focus should be, on the Chase. WC77, I agree with where your going with it too but I still hate to settle for just "okay" when the "best you can do" is available.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on November 18, 2008 at 1:03pm

Agreed,& I think it could happen. Check out Fly's post on the last page. While we don't always agree on everything either,I think he's dead on this time. You put those things into play, IMO with the Penske engines,& we SHOULD see some upward turn for '09. That is if Robby's patient enough to see it thru. Thats Robby's biggest flaw as an owner IMO. He's got some great ideas, but he's too impatient to see them thru. Also, when someone has good input for building, don't dump them cause they don't agree with the boss, hear them out.

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Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on November 23, 2008 at 2:24am

Since I don't want to be accused of being a negative jackass, but....serious quesiton.

Why do people think that Penske Cup engines are so good?

Even Kurt (hate him all you want people, he's a fantastic Cup driver and a Cup Champion) looked like crap 90% of the year. He did come on with some decent runs late in the year, but thats about it.

Sam Hornish doesn't have a clue how to drive a race car other than to close his eyes and push his foot through the floorboard. Thats how he won every race he did in IndyCar. If Penske engines were all that, wouldn't he have looked better at the cookie-cutters? He should have taken to those like a fish to water.

GEM won just as many races as Penske in 2008. GEM had a driver higher in the points than Penske.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on November 23, 2008 at 6:13am

After the merger deal fell thru, GEM had no incentive to give RGM good motors or support. IMO RG has a better relationship with the Captain. We have seen better overall performance out of the motor in the last few races as well as better fuel milage. With Kurt Busch running the new Dodge motor in the last couple of races, Penske has a leg up on the other Dodge teams in using the new package. Heck, Penske even let RG use the #77's pit crew in the last race. What Penske's motivation is to help out RGM is beyond me, but they did more for RG's program in a few weeks than GEM did all year. That I think is an upside.

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Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on November 23, 2008 at 10:01am

Well there was some argument/discussion here that the reason for the improved performance towards the end of the season were the new chassis. Maybe it was a combination.

Like I said, Kurt was running better at the end of the year.

I am cynical enough to believe that Roger Penske doesn't do things that aren't self serving. Why he did that with the crew? I can't rightfully answer.

Whereever RGM gets motors from next year, I hope is an improvement over 2008. But I'm certainly not just shrugging and thinking he'll have deal with Penske, and then all engine issues are solved, in the bag.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on November 23, 2008 at 5:33pm

No i agree that any time that you are in an engine lease argeement with a competing team that you put yourself in a position to get a less than quality motor. Hopefully, Penske has plans for RG and it's in his best interest to keep RGM afloat. It would be nice to see RG in a Penske owned Indy car as some people have speculated... at least for the Indy 500. But for whatever reason Roger helps out RGM I hope he continues to do so.

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Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on November 23, 2008 at 6:16pm

Maybe he can co-drive with Kurt in the 24 Hours of Daytona!

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Permalink Reply by soylent_green on November 18, 2008 at 2:27pm

No fines this year.
No probation this year.
Bunch of loyal fans, even with mediocre standings.
And still master of his own destiny.

1 car team with a driver / owner trying to compete with mega operations with mega budgets. Sounds like a Disney movie. If only we can see some stability in crew chief in 09.