There have been three Sprint Cup races so far in 2008. These races have shown Ford Motor Company’s potential for success and disaster in NASCAR’s top series. Ford drivers have the potential to win any race. They showed that at the end of 2007 when Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle combined to capture four victories in the final 13 races. However, the problem with the three top Ford drivers is that there are only three of them. Ford has found itself in a position of being out gunned every time the green flag drops.
By Richard Allen
Roush Fenway Racing maintains five Sprint Cup teams, a number that will soon have to be reduced to four. Of those five teams only the three of Kenseth, Edwards and Biffle appear to have the ability to contend on a weekly basis. David Ragan has never seemed comfortable in the Sprint Cup series. Jamie McMurray has shown flashes of brilliance, like his win last July in Daytona, but has been far from a model of consistency.
Once powerful Yates Racing, which has brought Ford a championship and numerous victories, is currently campaigning two cars, one of which is partially sponsored and the other is not sponsored at all. The organization’s last win was in 2005 at Talladega when Dale Jarrett was ruled to be in the lead after a late race caution fell.
Another former powerhouse for the blue oval brand, Wood Brothers Racing, has brought itself to the brink of extinction by holding on to its glorious past for too long. The company remained in its Stuart, Virginia shop long after all other competitive teams had based themselves in the Charlotte area. Also, the Woods have stuck to the single car approach rather than go the multi car route with virtually everyone else.
Jamie McMurray turned his debut in the No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion into a weekend to remember after fighting rainy skies and an exhausting double-header to finish 6th in Monday’s Stater Brothers 300 at California Speedway. The wait was well worth it as McMurray held the CitiFinancial Ford Fusion in the top-10 for the majority of the day and went on to finish 6th for his first top-10 of 2008.
When the green flag dropped, McMurray fought hard to keep the CitiFinancial Ford Fusion close to the top-10. After a strong pit stop, McMurray restarted the race 5th on lap 52.
“It’s pretty good, I just need it to run green,” said McMurray.
The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was 3rd on lap 80 when McMurray started reporting on loose conditions. The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was fighting traffic around 15th place when the next caution came out on lap 106. With only eight laps on the current set oftires, crew chief Drew Blickensderfer decided not to make a pit stop, a call that led to McMurray restarting the race in the lead with 40 laps remaining. He fought hard to remain in the top-10 and when the checkered flag flew McMurray crossed the line 6th for his first top-10 of the season.
“The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was really good for most of the day,” said McMurray.
The No. 4 Open Joist Dodge truck should have a familiar ring to it. The Grand Rapids-based Universal Forest Products, Inc., has renewed its marketing alliance with Bobby Hamilton Racing (BHR) this season, and it will be promoting its Open Joist product on the truck. Open Joist is a versatile, open-web, all-wood floor truss. Universal broke into Craftsman Trucks last year with BHR, which lost its founder, Bobby Hamilton Sr., in January of 2007 to cancer. The team drove on despite losing Hamilton, who won the 2004 championship. Last year proved to be a transitional season in which a handful of drivers took turns racing the Open Joist truck, but things are looking up in 2008.
Stacy Compton has been hired to race the Open Joist Dodge full-time, and after clocking in fifth fastest last weekend in a Daytona test session, he said he is confident 2008 will be a competitive one for him and his team.
Universal was founded in 1955 and now has over 100 facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be investing in other racing marketing opportunities, too.
"The exposure we have received for the Open Joist brand with this investment is something we would never get in other mediums if we spent the same amount of money," said Larry Kroh, the Open Joist sales manager. "Renewel is the key to keeping this credibility going. We have the opportunity to build brand recognition even more."
"I am really looking forward to going back to Belle Isle. I have driven on the course they are going to use for the race. It is a difficult course and it is going to be very important to stay out of trouble. Since this is an event that Roger Penske has been involved with, you know it is going to be a good event because of his attention to detail."
· This is the inaugural event at The Raceway at Belle Isle for the IndyCar Series and the first open wheel race since 2001. · Franchitti has four top-five finishes in five starts at Belle Isle including a win in 1999. · Franchitti led 62 laps on his way to his 12th top-five finish of the season at Infineon Raceway where he also captured his third pole of the season. · He is one of two IndyCar Series drivers to finish 14 of 15 races in the top 10 this season and has led more laps than any other driver.
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