News
Friday, July 20, 2007

The First Domino Falling
By Walt Newcomb

Ginn Racing, the former MB2 and MBV team, had the look of prosperity at the beginning of this season. Mark Martin piloted their flagship entry to a runner-up finish at the Daytona 500. Driver development deals seemed to be popping up everywhere for this “little team that could”. Perhaps what this team “could” do was deplete its’ owners’ personal bankroll.

There’s an old racing cliché that asks, “Do you know how to make a small fortune in auto racing" the answer is; “Start with a big one (fortune).” I once heard at a seminar the following financial advice; “If your income isn’t as big as your outgo; your upkeep will be your downfall.” The axe fell last week at Ginn as this team that has struggled to secure adequate sponsorship for their operation.

Rumors circulated that a number of people had been terminated at the Ginn Racing shop. This week, Bobby Ginn and Jay Frye announced that drivers Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin had been given their releases so they could pursue other options. These are two drivers that had been told by this organization that they were “family”.

Let’s cut to the chase. Regan Smith, the rookie driver who has had limited success in his five races sharing the #01 car with Mark Martin will replace Marlin the #14 car. Mark Martin, will now share the #01 with Aric Almirola. Almirola is the Joe Gibbs’ developmental driver who was spurned at Milwaukee a couple weeks back. Aric received his release from JGR this week, although he will run five Busch Series races for JGR to fulfill his contractual obligations.

That leaves us with the #13 team. It has been said that thirteen is an unlucky number. Ted Christopher won a bunch of Modified races with that car number but the Ginn team hasn’t been able to secure sponsorship for the #13.

How well was the #13 team doing? Let’s just say that the average NASCAR fan would have a better idea of what the paint scheme was on Reese Bobby’s Chevelle from Talladega Nights than the livery of the Ginn racecar. So now they will “re-evaluate” this team. I’d say its worth about $500,000 per race as long as they can keep it in the top thirty-five in owner points.

I’m not close to the situation. I have to ask, how bad could things be there? All three of the Ginn teams are in the top thirty-five in the Nextel Cup owner point standings. It’s pretty odd that a team would announce that they would not campaign a car that has a guaranteed starting position at the Brickyard 400, one of the season’s best paying events.

Unfortunately, market value of television exposure doesn’t pay bills. Sponsors do. I’d like to think that Jay Frye will find a way to enter the #13 car and put a suitable driver behind the wheel if only to collect the money at Indy. Rumors have swirled about a merger between Ginn and DEI, but that remains to be seen.

That brings us to what it next. Maybe it should be; who’s next? Which Nextel Cup team will be the next to knuckle under due to inadequate funding? Some of the teams that are on the outside of the top thirty-five in owner points could be in jeopardy, despite the illusion of solid financial backing. We will know more when the next domino falls.

That’s how I see it. Opinions vary.