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Post by dstanbery on Sept 11, 2009 21:21:59 GMT -5
I want some honest opinions gang. If AJ does not get the nod to drive the 43 and Paul Menard gets the nod to drive the 43,just askin FOLKS do you think it is at the point Richard now has to just go along with where the sponsor money is and do as he is told by the sponsors themselves,example,Menard says I will come to RPM but my son will drive for RPM and HE WILL drive the 43 car or we are out! Do you all think Richard would give into a scenario like this,has it just come to this? I am having blue koolaid right now so forgive me,but you all are smart enough to understand what I am askin! Please Respond and do not mean to piss any of us RPM fans off! Love the RPM Nation!!! By the way,won't there be a lot of jobs lost at RPM from changing from Dodge to Ford? Ouch!
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Post by baddog43 on Sept 11, 2009 22:02:53 GMT -5
I guess to start with the last question first, Yes there will be about 60 jobs lost from shuting down the engine department, (but that is more money for the rest of the teams)
I think AJ will get the nod for the 43 BUT if Paul's daddy demands the 43 for Paul I will be dissapointed but I also know that Richard has watched the Petty Dynasty fall once and I think he will do what ever it takes to keep RPM alive.
I also have been a Petty blue bleeding, kool-aid drinking, die hard Petty follower even through the Rick Wilson and Christian Fittapaldi days so if Paul ends up in the 43 I will still be a Petty fan and a die hard fan of anyone in the 43!!!
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Post by pb1945 on Sept 11, 2009 22:44:02 GMT -5
I wonder if something is in the works. Not a whole lot if anything said yet about who's going in the 43. I may have missed something. I would love to be a fly on the wall and hear just how bad they want the 43 back into victory lane. ;D I don't think Menard is going to do that. AJ is hip and cool and all that but I don't think he's a checkered flag guy in cup. Sadler can lead but I have never seen him hold it with a few exceptions but just a few laps. He has won 3 times though . Man have I ever been the wrong business.  How can you win $41,595,000 with only three wins 19 top 5's and 66 top 10's. Wonder why there is a money shortage somewhere. pb |
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Post by ricklou on Sept 12, 2009 6:36:13 GMT -5
RPM's engine group is pretty strong. It is hard to imagine shutting it down completely.
The engine group should be expanded along with everything else.
AJ will be in the 43 and we should give Menard a chance. He has not been in top notch equipment. Yates Racing in general has not performed well for quite awhile. They are behind the 8 Ball and must have something to offer other than Menard's money for RPM to look at this.
I also just read that the RPM engine shop will be shuddered. There are a lot of good people there, it is ashame.
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Post by songsmith1950 on Sept 12, 2009 11:44:41 GMT -5
I agree with Rick. No way Menard gets the 43. Besides if you read the article where AJ talks about the merger you will see how much he talks about really wanting the 43. I think it is already a done deal that AJ has the King's prize number.
The engine shop at RPM closing down will be a bad thing. That is true. But if the Yates people only focus on Ford engine building we should have engines equal to anyone. Bobby showed a few times this year that his cars had the power to pass nearly anyone at different times in many race. I am excited about having first rate engines in all of our cars.
As for Menard. Yeah, we should give him a chance. Maybe in the 44 or whatever number. Would love to have the 44 back next year but it isn't mandatory.
I am very excited about the change, even though I will always be a Dodge fan. . . I think Ford has and will use the resources and technical abilities they have to help RPM out. I think that Ford, maybe more than anyone, values the heritage and the value RPM can bring to them.
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Post by ricklou on Sept 12, 2009 12:24:21 GMT -5
Tom, It is strange to close an engine shop that wins races ? If all of thiose guys are let go quite a number of them will not be out of work for long.
Maybe some will be part of the buyout. Good engine people do not care what they build. Robert Yates himself has built Ford and Chevy engines over the years before retireing. He built engines for Holman and Moody during the 60's (Fred Lorenzen). He also built the engine that was in Petty's car for his 199th and 200th wins.
It was because of Yates that Nacsar installed compression limits on these engines. Just about everyone was making great power several years ago and they were not blowing up either.
It looks like RPM wanted the Yates engine group, Menard's money, Ford's support and Roush's backdoor.
This also looks like they are serious about gettin it done in a big way and they knowing that Chrysler is crippled made this move a good decision.
Even though Chrysler has emerged from bankruptsy they are still in trouble. GM is not fixed yet either. Chrysler in particular definetely has management issues and their product is still below GM and Ford. Neither of these two can afford to put big money into racing right now. Ford may not be broke but they are not setting the world on fire as no one is.
This reminds me of what happend years ago with the Manufactures backing out of racing when times got tough.
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Post by pb1945 on Sept 12, 2009 12:59:14 GMT -5
Rick you're right times are tough. I have a feeling their engine shop may keep building engines for other divisions though. Maybe not right away.
This really must have been a pretty private decesion amoung a few. I'm sure people saw new faces walking around and outta the norm stuff happening but I have a feeling it came as a pretty big shock to most.
There's some pretty big stuff happened at Petty in the last few years. Moving to Dodge, moving to Charlotte, joining with Gillet, Evernham, now moving to Ford. He;s gone from worrying about two drivers to worring about 4.
I bet Richard sure likes it better when he just climbed in the car and drove.
pb
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Post by pmossberg on Sept 12, 2009 13:34:49 GMT -5
Even better, when they climbed in the car and drove...to the Track.
RP has often told the story of the first time he went to a race with his dad (well before RP started driving). LP drive his race car to the track...and they had to hitch a ride home because LP crashed the car. And they call it the good old days!
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Post by songsmith1950 on Sept 12, 2009 14:06:53 GMT -5
Great story Paul. Too bad the cars are so far removed now. . . Used to be watch them on Sunday and drive them on Monday. Not anymore. . . Sad.
I do believe that RP and Gillett are putting together a team that will be equal to any soon if not next year. I believe Ford will see to that.
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Post by pb1945 on Sept 12, 2009 16:08:33 GMT -5
Uummmm lemme see Petty Mustang does have a little ring to it. ;D
Gotta stay off that though ......uuumm lemme see how bout Petty Fusion. I could deal with it. : ;D ;D
pb
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Post by dstanbery on Sept 12, 2009 16:37:57 GMT -5
Petty Fusion sounds Great....For next year. We have a Red Bud #9 Dodge Hot Rod to get into the chase tonight and then Kick some ass the remaining 10 races!! C'MON KASEY We No You Can Do It Brother!
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Post by pmossberg on Sept 12, 2009 16:57:05 GMT -5
Actually, Petty Fusion sounds like the "up-scale" version of Petty Blue Kool-Aid. My teen daughter drinks some kind of Fusion stuff. Maybe I can get them to intro a new flavor.
Too bad the Mustang is only being introduced to Nationwide. RP and his hats would look right at home next to a 'Stang.
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