From Nascar Roundup Show - Monday Aug 25, 2008
HOF Racing is looking at several options for next season. Those options include a possible merger or a possible acquisition of another team, Hall of Fame Racing co-owner Tom Garfinkel said Saturday at Bristol. “As we look at other teams’ and their situations, some of them would require switching manufacturers and we’re having those conversations as well,” Garfinkel said.
According to previous statements from Joe Gibbs Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing is not ready for a 4th team and is not interested in any type of merger or acquistion anytime soon.
With the Nascar's new testing policy, Hall of Fame Racing is looking at all single car operations first to see if a possible merger would benefit both parties. The Cup series has only a handful of single car opeartions today and Hall of Fame wants a team inside the Top 35. "If we 're gonna work together and help both organizations as a single unit, we need to be with a team that can race. We can't afford to be in a situation where both cars need to qualify on speed every week."
Based on Garfinkel's comments, only two single car teams are inside the Top 35 currently: Bill Davis Racing (Toyota) and Robby Gordon Motorsports (Dodge). Both teams have indicated adding a second team would be a huge benefit. Bill Davis Racing is already with Toyota, making a meger very easy. Robby Gordon Motorsports is currently with Dodge, but Robby Gordon Motorsports already had one partnership earlier in the season with Hall of Fame Racing. When Hall of Fame Racing's #96 Toyota failed to qualify at Infineon, they moved it's sponsor DLP HDTV to Gordon's car.
"We're looking at all of our options right now and having discussions with our sponsors. The people at Texas Instruments have been really great to work with through this process."