Full Throttle

Flash in the Pan: 1. A Project, person etc that enjoys only short lived success.
2. Something which disappoints by failing to deliver anything of value, despite a showy beginning.

The above phrase came to mind when first reading SI’s report of Barack Obama’s plans to sponsor the #49 at Pocono in August. My second was fat chance of the car making the filed as a go or go homer but that goes without saying.

Obviously a team in the position Bam Racing finds itself can’t be very picky about who or what pays to wrap your race car, on the other hand just what is the Obama campaign thinking?

Other than the current media being enamored with the story and quick to point out this the first time a presidential candidate has sponsored a car I fail to see any long-term gain.

Come Pocono, assuming the story is true or he doesn’t back out of the sponsorship, the campaign will gain a little air-time on Speed if they broadcast Cup practice and also a bit more as Schrader makes his two lap qualifying run and returns to the garage to load-up and go home.

It all ends up being the consummate flash in the pan.

And then there is the fallout that has started even before the story is confirmed and the final digital bits of it squeak through your modem.

As seen here, and here the followers of Obama aren’t exactly, shall we say warming to the idea. (WARNING, both threads are filled with the “normal” auto racing/NASCAR hating lunatics)

It also gives the late night comics fresh fodder (as if they need it during a presidential campaign) this from Conan O’Brien: “Barack Obama is campaigning very hard, going everywhere these days to get the vote out. Barack Obama’s staff recently announced that Barack is planning to hold a campaign event at a NASCAR race. Yeah. The event will be called ‘Meet your first black guy.’”

I hope Obama enjoys his current flash in the pan because come Pocono that flash may turn out to be Fool’s Gold.

UPDATE: CNN reports Democratic presidential candidate Bob Graham sponsored a team in the NCTS in 2003.

I was also reminded a Canadian member of Parliament Jim Flaherty and their Conservative Party “sponsored” Whitlock Motor Sports in the NASCAR Canadian Tire NASCAR Series last year. That effort didn’t exactly go over very well.

UPDATE II: Obama equals no pan… no flash: “The Obama campaign will not be sponsoring a car in the Sprint Cup series, though we will continue to look for ways to reach out to voters and convey Senator Obama’s message of change.” Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman”.

Technorati Tags: Obama, NASCAR, BAM Racing

So, today’s the day.

Supposedly Tony Stewart will make it official in a ChicagoLand presser of his future plans after negotiating his contract release for Joe Gibbs Racing.

It’s expected Tony will announce the purchase of at least a 50% stake in Haas Racing, that he will pilot one of the cars, and fellow Indiana native Ryan Newman will take the second seat although Newman has been silent on his future plans at this point.

Assuming Newman is slated for the new team that leaves Scott Riggs out in the cold, one of many dominoes that will fall within the next couple months.

Also actually on, or rumored to be on “the outs” are Mayfield, Truex Jr, David Stremme, Casey Mears, Paul Menard, David Reutimann, Michael McDowell and a cast of thousands I’ve probably forgotten.

Which brings me to the NASCAR question of the day. All of the above named drivers won’t experience a soft landing into a field of cotton, some will have a very hard landing.

Which ones will end up in a third tier team - as depicted by the “slow moving” vehicle in the image above - for the 2009 season?

While you ruminate about that, let me toss this out:

I’m far from sold on all the air-kisses passed thru the press between Ganassi and Juan “Latino Piloto is Muy Bueno” Montoya. I’m thinkin” Montoya is highly pissed over so many crew chief changes, has had a good look around the NASCAR side of the Ganassi house and is ready to split the blankets for greener pastures.

Latino Piloto has been there long enough to determine what’s what, who’s who, silently exclaimed ¡Qué el infierno del frickin! and will soon say, “Hasta la vista baby!”

To land where? How about this loooog shot, with Stewart. (as he doffs his foil hat)

Formula One Grands Prix generate more revenue per event than any sport in the world?

That’s the claim made by Formula Money and Deloitte Sport Business Group. (The who group?)

Reportedly F1 generates more revenue per event than any other sport in the world. Each of the motor sport’s 17 races produce an average revenue of $229 million per event — nearly ten times that of its closest competitor, the National Football League (NFL), which generates $24 million per game.

Huh?

Something doesn’t smell right because at the bottom of the report is the following: (**Note: The Deloitte studies did not include a full accounting of NASCAR Sprint Cup series data or revenue.)

This is so much horseshit, how can these two outfits claim F1 is #1 in the world at generating cash flow when they fail to consider NASCAR?

There’s 2 possible reasons; 1) they consider NASCAR to be not “of this world,” and 2) these two groups are so closely tied to F1 they don’t want to admit or publicize the fact NASCAR events on average generate over $100 million per event and in more than a few cases surpass their $229 million figure.

Their effete snobbishness just doesn’t allow them the luxury of facing the reality F1 as currently structured is a monumental cash sucking hole for track owners/operators.

The annual fees demanded by the Formula One group for the right to hold an event are astronomical. This, coupled with the rights that must be signed away, means that in a lot of cases the only source of revenue left to the promoter is the sale of tickets to the general public.

And they’re screwed on that account. The largest track seating wise in the EU is Nurburgring with 150,000 seats. Hockenheim boasts 120,000 and Silverstone, currently under threat to its very existence by Bernie Ecclestone, only seats 60,000.

Jesus H. on a pogo stick, Daytona generated $155.4 million in taxes for the state of Florida in 2007 and billions in wages were paid to in state residents!

Hell Kentucky’s NNS event this weekend will draw 60K and I’d be willing to bet generate well over $60 million for the local economy, and that’s being very conservative.

This “study,” and a five dollar bill will get a a gallon of gas at the going rate.

On second thought, and in light of all the hot air this “study” spews forth, if one had a Stanley Steamer you could in all likelihood have enough steam to circumnavigate the globe once or twice.

So it is worth something, but how many Stanley Steamers are still on the road.

Remind me to call Jay Leno.

Technorati Tags: Auto racing, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Motorsport, Sports, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Kyle Busch, F1, Formula One, F1 Rage!, Full Throttle, FIA, Bernie Ecclestone

For the most part those that have a decided dislike - bordering on dementia - for Toyota playing within NASCAR multi-billion dollar playground have lowered their voices and haven’t appeared with the same regularity as they did during the 2007 season.

I’m thinkin’ if the current and latest mega-billion dollar business merger rumored to be in the works sees fruition it might might refuel them and see a few of them crawl scurry from under the woodwork into the light of the day.

American icon Anheuser-Busch is reported to be the target of an unsolicited (read hostile) takeover bid by Belgian-Brazilian rival InBev.

InBev said the proposal was for $65 per share in cash - a deal that would be worth $46bn. Anheuser said that it would “review the merits” of a possible tie-up that would combine InBev’s brands, including Stella Artois, with Anheuser’s.

Despite InBev’s claims - they’ve “proposed to reflect Anheuser-Busch’s heritage in the new company’s name and has committed itself to keep all of Anheuser’s US breweries open” - you still have to wonder if the iconic Clydesdales will be replaced by Belgian Draft horses and the Bud logo and paint scheme on Kasey Kahne’s #9 Dodge will be replaced by the (foreign?) logo depicted above.

On the other hand, maybe, just maybe I,m thinkin’ too much.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt already has his panties in a bunch and has ordered the state’s Department of Economic Development to find a way to stop the merger. Yeah, whatever guy, as if some local political group has the power to stop international mergers.

Funny what happens when an “iconic” brand comes under the gun of a merger proposal. I don’t recall Miller Brewing becoming SAB Miller, as in South African Brewery/Miller or Coors brewing becoming Molson/Coors eliciting too much political and popular resistance.

I also don’t recall Gov Blunt or his predecessors raising too much of a stink when AB bought 50% stakes in the foriegn brands of Grupo Modelo (Corona, Negra Modelo, Pacifico), Tsingtao, Redhook, and Widmer Brothers to bring them under the AB umbrella.

I guess the outrage only works one way.

Technorati Tags: Anheuser-Busch, Stella Artois, InBev, NASCAR, Kasey Kahne, Sports, Motorsports, Full Throttle

I’ve already noted and commented on my first impressions of the current lawsuit filed on behalf of an allegedly “wrongfully terminated” NASCAR official.

Let me preface this by saying I have little doubt within NASCAR there are a few knuckle-dragging Neanderthals inhabiting the place that could stoop as low as the lawsuit claims. Anything is possible, and likely.

However, unless there’s some Utopian Universe I’m not aware of where it doesn’t happen these backward Ape-like creatures are in every part of Earth’s social and economic fabric and to deny it is insulting everyone’s intellect.

That said, I’ve since had opportunity to read the actual court papers as filed Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The damn thing reads like an indictment of the KKK not NASCAR. Again, it’s possible, but it just smells of a grand pile-on of epic proportions.

The first 19 items listed are the run-of-the-mill things seen in most law papers but the choice of venue caught me eye. NY was chosen because NASCAR sanctions events at Watkins Glen so legally speaking it gives that court jurisdiction. But for those wary of the tricks shysters play I’m also thinking NY was at the top of their preferred places to find an anti-NASCAR jury. Know what I mean Eugene?!

Now on to some of the meat and potatoes and items 22-23 contained in the suit:

22. Throughout her employment at Defendant NASCAR, Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT was treated differently than Whites and men similarly employed by Defendant NASCAR because she is Black and a woman.

23. This disparate treatment included Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT’s subjection to virulently racist harassment, a racially hostile work environment, and insidious and pervasive race discrimination reflective of a former, uglier era in our nation’s history when Blacks were denied the most fundamental civil rights, including equal protection under the law. Such conduct should have been eradicated from the workplace long ago. Instead, the directors, officers, supervisors, managers, officials, employees and/or agents of Defendant NASCAR perpetuated, condoned and actively participated in calculated acts of ugly racist bigotry designed to humiliate and degrade its lone Black female Official.

She, or rather her shysters claim she was treated differently yet later the claim is made her job performance - and quoting court papers - “was rated by NASCAR Busch Series Director Joe Balash a 3.5 out of 5 (5 being the highest score), or “above average.” (None of the Officials received a “5.”)”

Again quoting the filing: “Plaintiff was one of the few female Officials who was Pit-Road Certified (i.e., qualified to go over the wall into the pit and monitor the racing crews to ensure that during the course of the approximately 14-second pit stops, their race cars and crews complied with all of the NASCAR rules.)”

On the face of it that doesn’t appear to be discriminatory, in fact she’s been rated only one half of one point below her peers AND given a job few others of her gender has ever be handed.

But lets continue with items 25 and 26 where names are named:

25. From approximately January 2005 through her unlawful termination on or about October 27, 2007, Jim Cassidy, Joe Balash, Scott French, Mike Dolan, Star George, Jay Altizer, Craig Anderson, Jason Brownlow, Jason Covel, Jonathon Dickerson, Dennis Dillon, David Duke, Mike Dumas, Dan Fenwrick, Shaun Johnson, Tim Knox, Rick Noble, Alan Shepard, Walt Sova, Mike Weddle, Bill Whelan, Dennis Wodzewoda, Mike Wilford and/or other NASCAR Directors, Supervisors, Managers and Officials subjected Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT to an ongoing pattern of racial and sexual harassment and discrimination because she is a Black woman.

26. This disparate treatment further included different standards of conduct, unequal work assignments, unequal opportunities, unequal promotion, and unequal disciplinary measures directed toward Plaintiff and other African-American and/or female employees as opposed to Caucasian and/or male employees similarly employed by and situated at Defendant NASCAR. This disparate treatment culminated in Plaintiff’s wrongful termination.

“Disparate treatment” except for the indisputable fact she was rated at or just a tick under her peers in job performance.

That’s some list of names isn’t it? As I said it reads like an indictment of the KKK or some other white supremest group than an organization that has been making every attempt at courting and promoting minorities.

I find it very hard, bordering on impossible, to believe all the people named are remotely culpable in this indictment. One or two maybe, I’ll even concede a half a dozen or so but not a laundry list of 24 plus other unnamed “other NASCAR Directors, Supervisors, Managers and Officials.”

Sorry, it doesn’t just smell of BS, it smells of BS wrapped in a fine patina of horse dung and tossed into the court system by the plaintiff’s co-conspirators shysters hoping something sticks.

Will something stick?

Probably, NASCAR doesn’t operate within the aforementioned Utopian Universe and there has to a knuckle dragger or two within its employ but to think all those named not only actively participated but looked the other way when one or more complaints were made is absurd.

And finally I’d be remiss in not noting the quotes issued by the one individual named in the suit that has spoken out.

Mike Wilford, a former NASCAR official who’s named in the suit and has since left NASCAR has spoken to the Associated Press saying he was present for many of the incidents Grant lists in her suit, said she was a willing participant in much of the behavior and had “twisted” the versions to her benefit.

“Graphic and lewd jokes? She participated in them. She laughed, she would never say it was inappropriate,” Wilford said. “She asked to be called the only two names she was ever called. She called herself Mo Money all the time.”

He’s named in Grant’s suit for an incident in March 2006 at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Wilford allegedly showed Grant some loose diamonds and rubies and offered them to Grant if she’d be his mistress.

“That’s just one the many incidents she’s twisted into her favor in the suit,” Wilford said. “Yes, I made the joke, but it was a joke because Mo used to go around telling everyone she wanted to marry a rich man and be a kept woman, and that was all she was after. She told everyone that, and now she’s twisting behavior she both initiated in and participated in.”

How not so shocking and something I’m oh, so… privy to during my time in the Navy and as an official military bailiff in 15-18 such discrimination trials under the UCMJ. In all but 2 cases they were tossed out because of what Wilford is describing or something similar.

Again, let me restate for the record, she may have a case but not as filed where she’s accused the entire Nationwide chain-of-command of active participation or complacency in the matter. That’s just flat-out bullshit.

Technorati Tags: NASCAR, Mauricia Grant, Nationwide Series, Full Throttle

Within the next few hours Petty Enterprises will announce that Boston Ventures, a private equity firm, has acquired controlling interest in the 60-year-old racing operation which has produced 10 NASCAR champions but struggled to remain competitive the last two decades.

NASCAR’s all-time winningest driver and racing patriarch Richard Petty will remain involved at a high level, but David Zucker, 45, will assume the role of CEO according to David Hovis, a spokesman for Petty Enterprises.

You gotta love that “involved at a high level” line. Put another way, and without the PR spin, King Richard has been put into semi-retirement (with his consent of course) in a last ditch effort to save the oldest remaining original team in the sport.

As part of the takover they will announce the resigning of Bobby Labonte to a new multi-year contract. (Hey Bob Margolis! will you retract the un-sourced piece of dung you published 4 months ago?)

At least Boston Ventures is starting out on the right foot be signing Labonte, given skill level and price of contracts of others that may be available at the end of 2008 he’s the best choice for the team.

Now if the new ownership can quietly move aside Kyle Petty as their next move I’ll be impressed.

Technorati Tags: NASCAR, Petty Enterprises, Richard Petty, Bobby Labonte, Robbie Loomis, Motorsports, Full Throttle

Jacques Villeneuve is determined that his future remains in NASCAR, despite losing his ride this season, and is pushing for a full-time drive in the Sprint Cup next year.

The 1997 world champion, who will race for the second time at Le Mans with Peugeot next weekend, is working to raise the necessary budget for 2009.

Haven’t we heard this same song sung to the same tune before?

“Even though my first experience ended suddenly, NASCAR remains my priority,” the Canadian told Italian magazine Autosprint. “It ended after the Daytona 500 because there were no resources to finance what was left in my program.”

Yep, there it is, same song, same tune. It wasn’t Jacques’ fault he was cashiered from the Bill Davis #27 Toyota it was those evil sponsors who he believes did him wrong.

Jacques and his manager at the time Craig “Clown Prince” Pollock will never admit it was they that floated the rumors of buying into Bill Davis racing at the end of 2007 and dragging along mega-bucks sponsors to support his NASCAR efforts.

“I was probably wrong in refusing previous proposals that would have allowed me to race without having to bring money. But my agreement with Barry Green started in January and you can’t find that amount of money in just a few months. We’re working on building a full-time program in 2009.”

Barry Green took over the unenviable task of finding sponsors stupid enough to pay for Jacques’ way back into NASCAR, at any level.

An even more unenviable task awaits in finding a team that has a seat open. Bill Davis after getting burned by the the terrible twosome of Villeneuve and Pollock is out of the question and besides he’s pretty much placed his eggs in Chrissy Wallace’s basket and rightfully so. The future is there, not in a jobless former F1 driver.

Roush Racing is full-up no ride to be had there, same with Hendrick and RCR. Joe Gibbs is a possibility but a very remote one, Gibbs priority is on driver development not driver resurrections.

DEI? Nope, nothing to see there either. GEM, nope the Evernham operation has enough troubles as it is they don’t need to be courting, or listening to Villeneuve’s empty promises.

“But NASCAR remains my priority for the future, because I like the format, I enjoy the series, and I think I can be competitive.”

Lot’sa luck Jacques, you’ll need it. That and a whole wad of cash.

Here’s an idea Jacques, why don’t you sell that mega-million dollar chateau in Villars, Switzerland. That should bring enough cash flow to finance an entire years worth of Cup racing. You could even say it was “sponsored” by wife Johanna and include a very large image of her on the deck-lid.

Of course that would require to bid her bon-par, as his french sweetheart Johanna would rather be caught dead than live in the oh so provincial North America.

Technorati Tags: Jacques Villeneuve, NASCAR, Joe Gibbs, Roush Fenway Racing, Sprint Cup, Sports, Auto Racing, Full Throttle, F1, Formula One

Just what NASCAR needs - as if there’s not enough politics involved with the sport - Gov. Steve Beshear says he’s still hoping the state lands a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway in time for next year, despite NASCAR’s indications to the contrary.

Beshear returned this evening (Sunday night) from a meeting in North Carolina with Bruton Smith, who announced last week he was buying the race track located halfway between Cincinnati and Louisville. Smith has said he’s looking to host a Sprint Cup date there next year.

And I’d bet Smith filled him with so much hope (more commonly known as bullshit) he didn’t fly back to Kentucky he skipped all the way like junior high school girl after being invited to her first prom.

Governor, “excuse me while I whip this out.” Opps! Sorry wrong phrase at the wrong time.

I hope the Governor won’t mind if I unsheathe my cluebat:

Listen up Gov. Bluegrass State, it ain’t happin’ for the simple reason at the earliest Smith won’t own the speedway until at minimum three months from last Wednesday when the official closing on the property occurs.

In addition Smith failed to broker this deal in time. NASCAR had already started the sanction approval process last week and will make the final announcement of who gets what in late August or early September as they do every year.

In short Gov., your butt is sucking Mint Julips. Start dreaming about 2010. Maybe.

And BTW, Kasey Kahne doubled up and won the 600.

More on that later…

Technorati Tags: Kentucky Speedway, Bruton Smith, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Dale Earnhardt

NASCAR’s decision Friday to not have a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway in 2009, despite a change in ownership to Bruton Smith, has left the track’s founder livid.

“This is what bullies do and it’s been going on too long,” Carroll said. “They’ve showed their hand again. If they want to break us and want to run us out of business, get more creative.”

Well D’OH! Just what did this dim bulb expect?

That NASCAR would suddenly change direction because O. Bruton Smith has entered the Kentucky picture. Sorry Carroll, setting aside for a moment Smith is ISC’s chief rival when it comes to track ownership, There is a little matter that has been the problem since you and your team of “financial experts” sunk 150 million large into Sparta’s economy.

It’s called market saturation. With Bristol, Michigan, Indianapolis and Chicagoland all within easy drive time of each other the market is flooded and the sales depts of all concerned would do nothing but poach each other’s potential customers.

The winner winds up with a full house that generates less revenue because of lower ticket prices and other enticements.

The loser well gee, let me think. The loser in this potential game has a less than full house and loses more cash than the others playing it.

Toss in the current price of gas, that isn’t going down anytime soon despite what the nutcakes on Capital Hill attempt to do about it, there’s serious potential for all tracks to lose buckets of cash.

According to the AP report Carroll is playing the sympathy card by suggesting ticket sales have gone “through the roof” since the Smith sale was announced. If true that only shows common sense isn’t common.

It’s also a reason to raise the BS flag on Carroll, how do you sell tickets for an event that doesn’t exist? What does the ticket stub say, “at a date to be determined?”

It’s not unlike Carroll to make pie-in-the-sky pronouncements.

The entire Sparta project was hatched on a hope and a dream and when it didn’t come to fruition he ran to the courts to file a phony unwinnable anti-trust suit that has lost at every turn with the exception of a venue change request by ISC.

For the foreseeable future Kentucky will be out in the cold, Smith isn’t going to abandon the northeast market and move a New Hampshire date it makes little marketing sense for SMI or NASCAR.

Winds of change are in the air, there’s talk this week of Atlanta, Fontana and Talladega making a swap of dates for 2009 but Kentucky?

Forgetaboutit, if Smith moves any date it will land at his showplace of the west Las Vegas, not Kentucky!

Before I wrap this up, let me toss this spanner in the works.

Added to the Kentucky, Michigan, Bristol and Indianapolis mix is the Dale Earnhardt Jr “signature” track Alabama Motorsports Park located near Mobile, Alabama.

What happens when that track comes online? Although plans call for a 2.6 mile road course the important feature and the reason Junior’s name is on it (and Kelley, Kerry and Dale Jr’s. cash) is the 7/10th’s mile oval that will sport the hot ticket in track design at the moment, progressive banking.

To say nothing of planned space for 100 haulers. Other than the sports car series’ and NASCAR no one needs that much space for car haulers and makes it pretty clear where developers Gulf Coast Entertainment (GCE) have their eyes set on.

Lets face it, setting aside the Kentucky fans that would support a Cup event there, who among NASCAR Nation’s fan base wants or needs another 1 1/2 mile track on the Cup schedule? I suspect not many.

It would set-up an interesting conundrum if and when GCE, and trading on the Earnhardt name, requests a Sprint Cup (or whatever the hell the series is by then) race date.

Nascar gives them a date and adds to the plethora of tracks all within 600 miles or turns them down risking the considerable wrath of Junior Nation.

Frankly it’s a scenario I look forward to if for no other reason it would provide blog fodder for weeks, if not months.

>Technorati Tags: Kentucky Speedway, Bruton Smith, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Sprint Cup, Jerry Carroll, Dale Earnhardt jr., Alabama Motorsports Park

From the Microsoft Press release:

Today, we are announcing an expansion of the Microsoft Small Business sponsorship in NASCAR with Michael Waltrip Racing, continuing on our commitment to connect the Microsoft Small Business Specialist Community (SBSC) with the more than 21 million small and home-based businesses in the U.S.. This new sponsorship with Michael Waltrip Racing is designed to help the participants reach out to the 75 million fan base of NASCAR (that is 1/3 of the population in the U.S.!) along with Microsoft in a way not seen as financially available to many before.

Microsoft is an associate sponsor on Michael Waltrip Racing’s #00 NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota Camry entry, driven by rookie sensation Michael McDowell. This started at the Aaron’s 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway with the placement of the Microsoft SBSC ‘Blue badge’ on the side of the Team #00 car and is continuing for the remainder of the 2008 season. Michael Waltrip is considered to be an icon in the NASCAR world by many and his role as a brand ambassador is well known. Through this sponsorship, participating partners will be able to be associated with the Michael Waltrip brand as a sponsor and use this to help promote and grow their own company’s brand awareness.

To kick off this exciting new opportunity, the Michael Waltrip Racing #00 car will feature a full car Microsoft Small Business and SBSC primary sponsorship design for the June 1st race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, DE. In addition, the Microsoft Across America Mobile Event Experience Truck will be in the newly designed “Fan Zone” at Dover International Speedway throughout the race weekend where fans can come to view and learn more about Small Business offerings from Microsoft and this sponsorship.

Etcetera…

My two or three sheckles: Note the PR “brain” that wrote this release needs to issue a “service pack,” for the release. 75 million - a nebulous number no matter who spins it - is not one third of the current U.S. population that has gone over the 300 million mark.

Anyway, math skills of PR nitwits aside, what does this mean for Bam Racing?

Sadly the presser provides why the #00 gets this cash outlay and not the much more in need Bam Racing: “All three of Michael Waltrip Racing’s (MWR) cars (#00, #44, #55) are in the top 35 in owner’s points, which means they are guaranteed to be on the track for the upcoming races of the 2008 NASCAR season.”

Beth Ann Morgenthau has struggled there’s little doubt about that, and at the time she announced a two race suspension of operations that has stretched into who knows what the #49 sat 42nd in the point standings.

From a pure business outlook I understand what Microsoft is doing, from a fans perspective I think its a bit two-faced after promising to support Bam then apparently switching allegiances to MWR.

I also find it more than a little ironic a division of Microsoft formed to support “small business” put the screws to the the much smaller Bam Racing to align themselves with MWR.

On the other hand Microsoft hasn’t been known as the most ethical business enterprise on the planet.

Technorati Tags: Michael Waltrip Racing, Michael Waltrip, Michael McDowell, Dover International Speedway, Bam Racing, Full Throttle