Richard Childress is mad as hell....about something
Richard Childress: his teams better start producing results, and quickly (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
Richard Childress is hot. Very hot.
Make that extremely hot.
Make that mad as hell.
About what, well, that's a question.
What's going on at Richard Childress Racing?
Well, out on the track, nothing much to write home about, that's for sure.
His four teams are suddenly really struggling.
And team chemistry? Whew! A lot of angry crew guys too.
We've tried to ask Childress what's the deal, but he's so angry about things he says he doesn't want to talk.
Piecing together what we can, this looks like the situation:
Two weeks ago at Sonoma, Childress, despite General Motors' cutbacks, was cool as a cucumber about things.
Suddenly last week at Loudon, N.H., things were quite different. Childress was hopping mad.
What happened between Sonoma and Loudon?
Nobody seems to know, and Childress isn't saying much himself.
This looks like the picture:
– Kevin Harvick is upset with General Motors' cutbacks, which seriously affect his Kernersville, N.C., Truck and Nationwide operation. Very upset. Where that leads, well, speculation is rampant. Harvick has a major Truck-Nationwide operation, and it's very successful. In fact there has been talk about Harvick moving that operation up to Cup level, since he's considered one of the top businessmen in the sport.
-- Harvick has another year on his contract with Childress, but that hasn't stopped the rumors of something big going on behind the scenes. Just what, nobody is saying.
-- Shell too has another year on its contract with Childress and Harvick, a one-year renewal signed just a few months ago. However that contract is contingent on Harvick continuing to drive for Childress. From that point, things are very murky.
-- On the plus side, Childress is reportedly very close to signing a sponsorship deal with Bass Pro Shops – assuming Tony Stewart doesn't sneak off with that deal. If Childress does indeed sign Bass Pro Shops, then he would likely – according to team sources – pair that sponsorship with the Jack Daniels sponsorship on Casey Mears' car, a dual sponsorship.
That's the best we can wrangle out of the people involved right now.
What happens next, well, stay tuned.
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Here's my official wild
Here's my official wild guess: Shell and Harvick are going to be the third team with Stewart-Haas next year.
Interesting comment about Harvick being one of the top businessmen in the sport. How much of that credit goes to Delana? I've heard she is the brains behind KHI.
There sure is some smoke
There sure is some smoke rising from Kevin Harvick. And speaking about smoke, I think Kevin is going to leave RCR and join his racing buddy, Tony Stewart. Dennis Murray, St.Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
I fully expect Kevin Harvick
I fully expect Kevin Harvick to the go the road of Waltrip and Stewart and become a cup owner. Everything seems to point to this.
Somewhere along the line between 08 and 09 RCR put themselves behind the eight ball. Burton was doing well till circumstances beyond his control took him out of the last two races. He can thank Busch and Logano for this. It look mdoubtful he'll make the chase now. This one hurts. I'm a long time Burton fan.
Reqarding the GM cutbacks,
Reqarding the GM cutbacks, and Richard Childeress filing suit with GM for payment of over 2, million, this I think normal when a company such as GM is in Bankrumctcy!
Has Rick Hendrick, or Nascar had to do that? It looks to me like they should have filed a motion for payments like Childress!
I think it is public record, is Childress being treated the same by GM as Hendrick? There should be some source to see how much Hendrick or Nascar who I am sure get payed some by all the manufacterers to race on the circuit are owed because of the GM bankrumptcy!
RC didn't file suit with GM;
RC didn't file suit with GM; he, along with thousands of other 'vendors,' just filed with the court an apparent bill, which is pretty standard in situations like this. Toyota's TRD is even listed in some of those GM docs as being owed money. Exactly how this GM bankruptcy thing is playing out is very confusing, of course, and reading the documents involved doesnt do much to clarify things. We're all waiting to see the GM list of 'critical vendors,' who would be first in line to get paid. that list should be coming out soon. and where nascar fits into all this, i have no idea.
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Mike What I mean is Hendrick
Mike
What I mean is Hendrick is a GM team owner like Richard Childress, if GM owes RCR, there should be records of owing other teams like Hendrick!
Keep us posted on critcal vendors list this could be interesting!
I mean if Childress is owed money from GM and the other teams are paid up, this could be a issue! Nascars I am sure is getting money from GM and all the manufacterers! It would be public record!
Thanks for the good reporting!
and thank you....after all
and thank you....after all the yelling and screaming some of my latest reports have generated....
yes, i agree the GM lists is very important...and i've been pouring over every document i can find. GM officials, high or low, or inbetween, are all zip-lipped over everything, of course, worried about keeping their jobs. but GM's handling of this whole thing has not impressed me one bit --
The federal government has
The federal government has invested so much in GM that all records should be public information.
yes, it should be...but
yes, it should be...but apparently executives are doing their best to keep some of the stuff secret....