AJ Allmendinger got some very good news on Wednesday, but Aric Almirola got the other kind of phone call earlier this week.
Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Hunt Brothers Pizza will sponsor Allmendinger’s No. 44 Dodges in six points races as well as the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge events. That means the team is now set to run through the Sept. 12 race at Richmond.
That means Allmendinger will at least get the full 26-race regular season as he tries to pull a surprise and make the Chase for the Nextel Cup. He’s 20th through seven races.
The sponsorship is for the April race at Talladega, the all-star event and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May, Chicagoland in July, Bristol in August and Atlanta and Richmond in September.
“My focus has been on the track trying to get the car to perform its best,” Allmendinger said in an interview on ESPN2’s “NASCAR Now.” “I always figured if we went out there and did our job in the race car everything else would take care of itself.”
Almirola, on the other hand, said he was told in a telephone call Monday night from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing officials that his No. 8 Chevrolet team had suspended operations.
“We knew it was coming,” Almirola said on “NASCAR Now.” “On the Monday after the Texas race I knew I was going to get a phone call and it was going to be good or bad. And it wasn’t good.”
The team, lacking sponsorship to continue, has suspended operations. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing officials say a search for sponsorship will continue, but published reports have said up to 50 employees could lose their jobs.
As for Almirola, he said he doesn’t know what the setback will mean for his career.
“Every day that goes by and I am not in a race car I feel I am slipping further and further behind in my learning process,” he said.
Almirola said he is trying to stay positive.
“I am disappointed for sure,” he said. “But I don’t think the end is here. It’s bad but I don’t think it’s the end of the world by any means. …It’s humbling experience but at the same time it’s a part of life. Not all of life is going to be hunky-dory.”
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Good news, bad news in Cup
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
It's even more sad now to see the final outcome of DEI not being able to work it out with Junior. Which team is in better shape with a better outlook - DEI or Stewart Haas with a top owner/driver?
DEI would be a much different place had that deal that Junior wanted happened. It's sad for the people losing their jobs and sad for Earnhardt Sr. that the people left to run his team were so short sighted.
Hmm....
What did Tony say would happen without Jr.?
Hey....maybe DEI can sign Danica!
Anonymous #1 - don't be so rosy about Stewart-Haas' outlook - they've run super so far, but the idea that they won't be crushed by the multiple hats of owning and driving is ludicrous.
DEI would not be different if the Junior deal had happened - Junior can't even run his own BGN team that well.
Hi! Very glad to be able to see your post, you said well, I agree, thank you, hope to see more of your articles, continue!
Post a Comment