Cha-cha-changes ahead for NASCAR drivers, teams, sponsors
As is the case every year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the end of the season brings with it the end of a number of long-term relationships after the running of Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Here are some of the more significant transitions:
CARL EDWARDS LEAVING ROUSH FENWAY RACING — Talk about a long-term breakup, Edwards made his first Sprint Cup in August 2004 at Michigan International Speedway. All 372 of Edwards’ career Cup starts have been driving Jack Roush’s Fords. Three years ago, Edwards tied Tony Stewart for the series championship but lost it on a tiebreaker. Citing a need to see how other teams operate before he retires, Edwards will move to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, where he’ll be reunited with his former Roush teammate, Matt Kenseth, who’s been very successful in his new location.
STEVE LETARTE LEAVING HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS — After starting his career cutting the grass at Ray Evernham’s house, Letarte has been a crew chief at Hendrick since the final 10 races of 2005, when he took over the job with Jeff Gordon. Since 2011, he’s been Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief. And while the relationship with Earnhardt took some time to click, it produced four victories this season, the most for Letarte since Gordon won six races in 2007. Next year, Letarte moves to the television booth as an analyst.
TREVOR BAYNE LEAVING WOOD BROTHERS RACING — People forget, but Bayne’s victory in the 2011 Daytona 500 wasn’t just one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history, it was one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Bayne won NASCAR’s biggest race in just his second start, which came one day after his 20th birthday. And he did it driving for Wood Brothers Racing, a part-time team that hadn’t won in nearly a decade. There have been ups and downs along the way, including health issues, but Bayne is set to drive full-time for Roush Fenway Racing next year. He’ll be replaced at the Wood Brothers by Ryan Blaney.
CREW CHIEF CHANGES AT JGR — If Denny Hamlin somehow wins the Sprint Cup Series championship on Sunday, Darian Grubb will become what almost surely be the only two-time, lame-duck crew chief in history. In 2011, when he worked at Stewart-Haas Racing, Grubb was told he would not return as Stewart’s crew chief, then Stewart won five of the 10 Chase races, which gave Stewart his third title. Expect Grubb to stay at Joe Gibbs Racing next year, perhaps as crew chief for Carl Edwards and the team’s new fourth car. Kyle Busch’s crew chief, Dave Rogers, is likely to move into management, with Adam Stevens moving up from JGR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series operation to take over Busch’s car.
MARCOS AMBROSE RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA — One of the most likable drivers on the circuit, Ambrose has two Sprint Cup victories and five more in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. A two-time champion in the road-racing based Australian V-8 Supercar Series, Ambrose was never able to land a ride with a championship-caliber team here. That won’t be a problem next year, when he’ll pilot a Roger Penske-owned V-8 Supercar.
ELLIOTT SADLER LEAVING JGR — For the past two seasons, Sadler has enjoyed success — although not championships — campaigning Toyotas for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series. Next year, he and sponsor One Main Financial move to Roush Fenway Racing in a homecoming of sorts. Sadler used to drive for the powerhouse Robert Yates Ford team, and has remained friends with Yates’ son, Doug, who runs the Ford engine operation.
JIMMY FENNIG RETIRING — For the past 29 years, Fennig has been one of the stalwarts of the Sprint Cup ranks. Fennig won the 1988 Daytona 500 as Bobby Allison’s crew chief, and the 2004 championship working with Kurt Busch. Fennig is a classic, old-school racer who successfully survived the transition from seat-of-the-pants management to the more engineering-based racing found today.
NATIONWIDE MOVING TO CUP — Since 2008, Nationwide has served as the title sponsor of NASCAR’s No. 2 stock-car racing series. Next year, it will remain in NASCAR, serving as primary sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets for 21 races in a deal that runs through 2017. Nationwide will replace the National Guard on the No. 88, and Comcast’s Xfinity brand will replace Nationwide as the series sponsor.
ESPN AND TURNER LEAVING NASCAR — After an eight-year relationship, ESPN and Turner Sports decided not to redo their respective deals as NASCAR television partners. Instead, the FOX family of channels will add races next year and beyond, while NBC Sports will pick the bulk of the ESPN/TNT races.
