December 28, 2011
By Chuck Abrams
OK, things are starting to settle but the game of musical drivers continues into the new year.
First of all, Penske Racing fills the former Kurt Busch seat with AJ Allmendinger. This is a win-win situation for both Penske and AJ.
Penske loses its long time pain in the rear Kurt Busch. That should improve morale at Penske an untold amount. And you would think that losing a former Cup champ would be a serious set back. You would be right to think that. But they have added one of the better drivers in the series who hasn’t won a race.
Roger Penske likes open wheel guys and knows how to handle them. AJ has cut his teeth and no longer deserves the nickname Wallmendinger. He has continued to improve and a top-notch ride like Penske may be what he needs to get a win. Having two young drivers in Allmendinger and Brad Keselowski bodes well for the future of Penske Racing.
Busch himself has landed at James Finch’s racing operation, Phoenix Racing. While Finch has been critical of Busch in the past, he could not pass up the ability to add a top class driver to his operation. It will be interesting to see how long this relationship can last. If Kurt can tame his inner demons, he has a chance to bring wins to Phoenix Racing.
And wins means more money and more money means the ability to attract more sponsors. But that is a lot of ifs for Busch. He will need to do a complete 180 in order to change his perception in the garage and in the eyes of fans.
You have to wonder what Clint Bowyer would have done had the Penske ride been open when he was making his leap to Michael Waltrip Racing. Adding Bowyer was a bigger deal for MWR than for Bowyer. Moving to Penske would have been more of a lateral move, or at least, less of a step down for Clint.
One of the guys sitting on the sidelines now waiting for the music to stop is David Ragan, considering rumors had him seated in the No. 22 by now. He may have the opportunity to land with Petty Motorsports, but they lost sponsor Best Buy to Roush Fenway Racing. For Petty to add another driver, they will need to land another major sponsor.
In addition to Ragan, David Reutimann and Brian Vickers are still without rides for 2012. Both had to be upset at the Phoenix Racing hiring of Busch. Not that Phoenix is a top flight Cup operation, but it was a ride that you could count on for the year. Phoenix got the better of the deal with Busch looking at the rest of the drivers available -- if he can control himself that is.
Reutimann and Vickers are going to be hard pressed to find a full-time ride right now and may have to settle for part-time or
start-and-park operations that might possibly be able to sell an additional race or two with a more competent driver now in the seat. There aren’t many teams with the ability to expand to a full-time second or third car without a sponsor.
Look for Petty Motorsports to be naming a driver soon, even if they are short a sponsor. Without that driver, the sponsor will be sitting on the sidelines. Being a Ford operation, I think Ragan has the inside track on the vacant seat. But, stranger things have happened…..
Happy New Year and keep the shiny side up!
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