Regan Smith will replace Sterling Marlin in the No. 14 car next week at Indianapolis, and Joe Nemechek has been released from his duties in the No. 13 car as Ginn Racing continues its ongoing restructuring.
"We are starting our future now," said Jay Frye, Ginn Racing's CEO and general manager. "A lot has been said about our program recently and this shows we've been working hard to solidify our future."
Marlin said he was shocked by the news.
"You know, it kind of caught me by surprise," the driver said Wednesday [ Wednesday? That would be hard to do since it is only Tuesday] evening on Sirius Satellite Radio. "I guess they've got to do things to reorganize and do what they gotta do. And, you know, I do have a valid contract with them and they gotta do what they say they're gonna do and everything will be fine."
Marlin said he would have liked the situation to be a little more classier.
"Well, you know, the classiest thing to me would have been to finish the year out," Marlin said. "I didn't make it any secret that I was planning on cutting back next year, running 15-20 races. But to do something in mid-year, just totally unexpected -- you know, Joe [Nemechek] had the same thing happen to him -- and, you know, it's sponsor-driven. "... I can get up and look in the mirror and know I've done everything right. I don't think that's the case on the other side so I'll just leave it at that."
I just don't understand Sterling. I call it and he is shocked? What world is he living in? The imaginary world of the old elementary school library book "Fair Play?" He is (was) my favorite race car driver. But his ignorance of the business of NASCAR just blows my mind.
Or is it just a good ole boy act that fakes out his less than average educated fan base but has grown weary on my ears? If he was so shocked, how come many of us knew he and Joe were scheduled to be on that Sirius broadcast this afternoon?
I don't know what to think really. But barring a sponsor riding to the rescue, putting him in a Furniture Row car, and some kind of bizarre victory at Bristol or another short track this year, I probably won't be worrying about it much longer.
How about that Jamie McMurray and that win at Daytona? Huh? Huh? Nudge, nudge. Say no more, say no more.
Regan Smith will replace Sterling Marlin in the No. 14 Chevrolet at Ginn Racing, starting with the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis on July 29, sources confirmed Tuesday. And Joe Nemechek could be out of a ride in the No. 13 Chevy for Bobby Ginn's team due to a lack of sponsorship. The team doesn't plan to run the car at Indianapolis unless a sponsor is found. Because the Allstate 400 is one of the biggest Nextel Cup events of the season, it's possible to get a one-off sponsor deal just for that race. If that happens, Ginn officials would race Nemechek in the No. 13 Monte Carlo.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Ginn Racing are working on a merger agreement that, if finalized, would meld the two NASCAR organizations into a single company, multiple sources close to negotiations told ESPN.com on Monday. The deal is not done, but a decision will be made soon. Both organizations hope, sources said, to firm up outstanding details and announce a partnership immediately. This deal is an elaborate proposition that entails several obstacles, including how best to reduce from six Nextel Cup teams to the maximum four. The obvious answer, sources said, would be to eliminate Ginn's financially-strapped Nos. 13 and 14 teams.
I really don't know what to think about this report. I thought the merger was probably dead. Apparently something has sparked it again since the sources ESPN is using spoke today about the matter. Is there a way to sort out the issues?
Well to start with Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek can be let go at the end of the year because their contracts expire. ESPN is also reporting that Aric Almirola has been tabbed to share the 01 ride with Mark Martin next year. Therefore, Martin and Almirola could share the 01 Army car for DEI next year. That leaves Regan Smith who has been promised the 14 by Ginn. Put him in the 8 instead and "Bob's Your Uncle" you've got it. WOW!
“We have inquired about the possibility of acquiring an existing team,” DEI Vice President John Story said Monday.
Story said the move could come as early as this season and the purchase of a team already in the top 35 of car owner points would be used to shore up DEI’s No. 15 team driven by Paul Menard. Menard is 39th in owner points and has failed to qualify for six races this season. Story declined to name the teams with which DEI has talked about the possibility of purchasing, but multiple sources Monday confirmed Ginn Racing’s No. 13 Chevrolet team driven by Joe Nemechek is DEI’s prime target.
I'll put my money on Jim Utter over Lee Spencer. Look for DEI to acquire the 13 from Ginn next week. Immediately Menard will find himself in the 13 and Nemechek in the 15 working for DEI as the driver of their fourth car. Hell, in reality only the names may switch places. The drivers might actually stay in the same shops as merger talks continue.
That will leave Sterling Marlin in the 14 for now. However, that may not last long. Given the discontinuance of Ginn's No. 4 Busch team, Sterling could find himself out of work next week as well if Regan Smith is immediately put in the 14 to gain experience for next year. Experience tells me Bobby Ginn does not mess around. It appears that when he wants something to change, it happens, and it happens sooner rather than later.
I guess the phones didn't ring after the unsponsored cars at New Hampshire. I don't know why Ginn thought they might.
Sources indicate that Ginn Racing may already have been removed from Kyle Busch's short list of potential employers for 2008 and beyond. If so, that would be disappointing for Jay Frye, CEO and general manager of Ginn Racing.
"We would certainly be interested in speaking with Kyle, yes," Frye said prior to last Sunday's Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway. "All this just happened last week. I think the dust needs to settle, and hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll be able to get with his group and see where we're at."
Explaining why he would like to add Busch to the Ginn stable of Cup drivers that currently includes part-timers Mark Martin and Regan Smith, and veteran full-timers Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin, Frye added: "He's 22 years old and he's already been out here a couple of years. He's one of the best Cup drivers out here today. So he's a phenomenal talent. We think he's a great kid. So the upside is huge. The potential is huge. And when you speak of potential that means what is yet to come and he's really, really good right now."
Of course when someone is available and teams are pursuing him, you hear all kinds of stuff floating around the garage. One of the rumors making the rounds in Michigan was that Ginn Racing already had offered Busch a job. Frye said that wasn't true, although he added that he would like to make it happen.
He said the plan for next year is to again pair Martin with another young driver in one car, while Smith, Martin's part-time partner this year, moves up full time from the Busch Series to the Cup Series. Future plans for Nemechek and Marlin are still being formulated, Frye added, although he did say Marlin wants to cut back to a part-time ride next season as well and the team is still discussing "how it would work, if he could or not, and that's still kind of up in the air."
Most of Frye's recent focus has been on trying to catch Busch's attention -- sort of like the young up-and-coming sophomore at the high-school prom trying to land at least one dance with the most popular senior, where he can pitch the seemingly outrageous idea of beginning a long-term romance.
"There is no truth to the rumor that we've offered him a job. We certainly want to offer him one, yes. We certainly want to talk with them," Frye said of Busch. "We think between him and Regan, if we could match them up as two young 22-, 23-year-old guys that would definitely set the program up for a long time. Mark would be a phenomenal mentor for those two as we go forward. It could be a very exciting prospect."
Frye said Ginn Racing is poised to go to a four-car Cup operation next year whether Busch comes aboard or not.
"We've been preparing for the Busch team, along with Regan, to graduate into the Cup Series," Frye said. "It would just be a Cup team vs. a Busch team. We're already a four-car team. It just happens that one of the teams is a Busch team right now."
Personally I think Kyle wants to go to DEI, run Childress power with sponsorship from Bud and shove it in Hendrick's and Jr.'s faces!
This does not sound good for my man Marlin. If Martin is paired with a young driver it will be Karl Kinser. Then you would have Nemechek and Smith. Signing Busch or any other full time driver would leave Marlin out of a ride. However, realistically speaking, being forced to retire might be best for Marlin.
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