Potential for a second team?

Haven't heard anything about this in a long time. Maybe someone in the know can shed some light on the subject. Is there any potential at all for a second team? There are some good young drivers that would be a good fit with Robby (McDowell, Allmendinger Regan Smith) and Jacques Villeneuve was thought to be trying hard with Robby to start a second team. This year would be the perfect time to go to 2 teams, with the likelihood that the #01, #15, #22, and #00 will not be around next year. Any new news?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lance on October 16, 2008 at 9:24am

Great point.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by gorobbygo7 on October 16, 2008 at 11:20am

Sponsorship has to be the issue, RG has always said he would love to add a 2nd car, but the driver had to bring sponsors....and how does that happen giving the current economic situation?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by brian campbell on October 16, 2008 at 11:34am

no 2nd car team next year RGM is having trouble with 1 team and finding sponsors.paul manards was the only shot at a 2 car team know that he has made his move we are to fight the big teams all alone.IMO

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beagle7 on October 16, 2008 at 1:32pm

....the problem is the whole chicken and the egg situation. What comes first? So we jsut have to keep dotting our "i"s and crossing our "t"s and hope everything works itself out. This is the most competitve form of motorsports racing in the world. On any weekend there are 25 cars that can win. Our goal is to run up front, be competitive and one of those 25 and the wins will come our way....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JoCo on October 16, 2008 at 4:05pm

Looking just at the logistics I would think Paul Menard coming over and running more or less a Menards team would've been the best bet for a two-car team. BUT Robby has always been very resourceful and able to pull rabbits out of his hat so maybe he's worked an angle already for something else and the papers were signed awhile ago and he's just playing his cards close to his chest.

Even if we stay a one-car operation, these new Penske engines seem to be worlds better than the GEM ones so if we can continue leasing those it should be alright

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lance on October 16, 2008 at 4:31pm

One last point about multi-car teams. From everything I've heard and read, the multi car team is the only way you make money in auto racing. One car teams lose money. Two car teams draw even. When you hit 3 and 4 car teams it suddenly becomes very lucrative to have a Nascar team. I think a second operation would greatly help the finances, assuming Robby can land a big time sponsor.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on October 16, 2008 at 4:40pm

Robby has been quoted as saying he's making money on his operation. Don't know how much, but it's profitable.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by FlyHiFlyLo on October 16, 2008 at 5:47pm

A second team is like starting a second resturant. You must first open the doors before anyone comes in to eat. Unless you are a superteam with more drivers and sponsors than you know what to do with. For RG he should make the small investment to add a second JimBeam,Monster,Menard, RG Wheels or Mac Tools car to the track for the first 6 races.

Hell he should get Valliarta Supermarket for the Cali Race. He can always set up a contingent sponsor plan. 35-40K to get the car to the track and if they qualify he will add another race for free because the purse winnings will pay to get it to the next track. Kind of a cheap whore but who cares.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lance on October 16, 2008 at 6:11pm

what about the huge amount of less than stellar drivers that bring sponsorship with them? Mike Wallace could bring on Geico for some races. Scott Riggs has State Water Heaters. We know Kyle Petty brings Wells Fargo. I say bite the bullet, go for that and then see what develops.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by WJM on October 16, 2008 at 6:33pm

Not only do you must first open the doors on a second restaurant before anyone comes in to eat, but the first location must be doing well enough to stand on its own before opening a second. Two mediocre operations don't equal one good one.

I like your line of thinking regarding adding a second car for the first 6 races. There are a lot of drivers out there that would jump at a chance to get their face in the Cup garage. Along with a contingency sponsor plan, a similar plan could work with drivers. If they qualify, they get another race.

Just as RGM needs 'Imagineers' (you should trademark that) in the shop, RGM also needs Imagineers in the front office.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott C on October 16, 2008 at 7:05pm

I believe the term was borrowed .....

Walt Disney Imagineering was formed by entertainment mogul Walt Disney on December 16, 1952 as WED Enterprises (WED: Walter Elias Disney) to develop plans for a theme park and to manage Disney's personal assets. It was an independent, private company, owned by Walt Disney himself, but on February 3, 1965, was merged into Walt Disney Productions. It is known as Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), Disney Imagineering, or simply Imagineering