Charter or Franchise, It's All Good
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I bid
you welcome gentle readers, and of course that welcome is extended to our
assigned reader for today, wherever he or she might be found. Before we get to
the meat of today’s article, I’ve one small thought I’d like to share. In our
headlong rush to become as much of an NFL clone as possible, we now have
adopted “Overtime” as the term of choice, replacing the time-honored racing
term of “Green-white-checkers.” Well, OK Brian, but here’s a word of warning.
“Sudden Death” is not a term well received in racing circles.
Now,
back to our regular column, already in progress. What will we be discussing
today? Why, that elephant that’s been sitting in the living room for several
months, that’s what. Call it a Charter system (Brian does) or a Franchise
system, which I prefer, but in the end, it’s all the same thing. Still, with
all the talk and opinions swirling about with unbridled abandon, it’s more of
the same old, same old with a whole lot of race fans. Complain, complain,
complain, from break of dawn ‘til dark of night, and then complain some more in
your dreams.
Please,
hear me out. Do you realize how long team owners and drivers have dreamed of
and prayed for this day? Did anyone hear Richard Petty, even before the
official announcement was made, say that this was the second best thing that
ever happened in NASCAR racing? The first best thing, gentle readers, would be
the birth of the sanctioning body, which occurred in a room at the Streamline
Hotel in Daytona Beach on December 14, 1947. The next best thing has been one
helluva long time coming!
For
weeks on end, as the off-season plodded along, we heard report after report
that the two sides were “close to an agreement” and were just ironing out the
fine details of a major shift in policy and structure after 60-plus years of
doing it “the way we’ve always done it.” That phrase has been used and overused
until you can read through it, as the sworn to policy of NASCAR. Nothing
changes under our rule! NASCAR is supreme and rules supremely! Well something
did change last week, and it changed infinitely for the better.
Yes,
I’ve heard a lot of the “old guard” among NASCAR fandom expressing their total
displeasure that things will never be the same as when “they” were young. Well,
let me tell you, I was there; I’m about as old as it gets and still on the
green side of the grass, and I remember how it was. It wasn’t all that sweet
and rose-scented. Just for some quick examples, I’ve watched teams with great
longevity fold, and the owners walk away with nothing but whatever they could
sell hardware for at auction.
Junie
Donlavey and Bud Moore are at the top of the list. Each owned a team and
competed in NASCAR for 50 years or more, yet left the sport to retire with
nothing of value but their memories. That just isn’t right! That doesn’t happen
in any of those stick and ball sports we’re supposed to pattern racing after
these days. The New York Yankees, the Denver Broncos, the L.A. Clippers… go
ahead, pick your sport… those teams are Franchised. When the sport grows, so
too does the net worth of their teams. Why ever should that not be the case in
NASCAR? It’s not Brian France that fans come to see; it’s the skill and talent
of the drivers, each of which owes his spot in the sport to the man (or woman)
that spends all the money… the team owner.
In
other articles, I’ve taken time to explain to you that in the end, the ONLY
people that have money on the line in our sport are those owners. NASCAR never
spends a plug nickel, and drivers and crews are on a payroll system. Oh yes, in
many cases it’s a very high pay scale, but it’s still a payroll. All of the
funding comes from the owners. What’s that you say? What about sponsors?
Sponsorship is a payment made for a service rendered. Advertising in NASCAR has
always been viewed as a good investment, with much of the credit for that going
to the most brand-loyal fans in sports. Most sponsors get back what they pay
for and more. Until last week, the only folks in the entire system that
actually spent money, with no guarantee whatsoever of a return, were the team
owners.
This
idea of Franchising teams is far from new. Heck, it’s almost as old as I am.
Unfortunately, back in the “good ol’ days” that so many pine for, Big Bill,
despite anything you might hear from Brian, would have pulled a gun and shot
the man that pushed the proposal we saw culminate into a binding agreement last
week. Benevolent dictator was the term most often associated with Bill. I’ve no
doubt he loved the sport, but remember, he started it in an effort to do away
with most or all of the smarmy characters that filled the early days of racing.
He felt that if you win a race, there should be money at the pay window for
you, and you shouldn’t find out that the promoter had pocketed the gate money
and bolted out of town for parts unknown. Yes, he loved the sport and wanted
the best for it, but at the same time, he wasn’t about to part with two-cents
that he didn’t have to.
It was
pretty much a ditto under the regime of Bill Jr., who might never have owned a
gun, but still reigned supreme, accompanied almost all of the way by R.J.
Reynolds, which had a marketing expertise second to none. NASCAR continued to
grow under Billy in almost exponential numbers. Then, with the new millennium,
the wheels fell off the bandwagon, and there was a huge downhill slide
following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., the departure of R.J. Reynolds and
the death of Bill Jr.
We are
constantly told that Brian Z. France is an astute businessman, and he may be,
but he is not infallible. Remember when he slapped a limit on the number of
cars a team could field? Team owners saw something not quite “kosher” in that,
and teams began to amalgamate, merge and consolidate, working through
“alliances” between big and small teams, which essentially just bypassed that
“limit” and the big teams grew bigger… and bigger. Somewhere, a few years ago,
I began to caution that if a small handful… perhaps 5 or 6 of the major team
owners ever decided to unite and mean it, they now held the power to wrest
NASCAR away from the France family, should they ever decide to do so.
Enter
Rob Kauffman… a self-made $billionaire so I’m told. I know he deals with
numbers in which I can’t count the zeros. He picked up a part of Michael
Waltrip Racing, which at the time kept that entity from folding. When he left,
it did fold, and he took everything he could with him. Last year, we heard
about the RTA (Race Team Alliance) being formed and that the head of the
Alliance was Rob Kauffman. Then, we heard nothing, and more nothing, and still more
nothing. Folks began to laugh and scoff that this Alliance would be just a
newer version of the PDA (Professional Drivers Assn.) of Richard Petty’s day.
Does anyone recall my warning? “Do not underestimate this group or the man in
charge!”
The
nuts and bolts of the Charter System have been all over the news and printed on
every site worth being called a racing site, so I don’t think you need to read
them over again here. I will include the list of those issued the initial
Charters, just for your convenience.
NASCAR
CHARTER TEAMS |
||
2015
CAR # |
2016
CAR # |
ORGANIZATION |
43 |
43 |
Richard
Petty Motorsports |
9 |
44 |
Richard
Petty Motorsports |
3 |
3 |
Richard
Childress Racing |
27 |
27 |
Richard
Childress Racing |
31 |
31 |
Richard
Childress Racing |
2 |
2 |
Team
Penske |
22 |
22 |
Team
Penske |
5 |
5 |
Hendrick
Motorsports |
24 |
24 |
Hendrick
Motorsports |
48 |
48 |
Hendrick
Motorsports |
88 |
88 |
Hendrick
Motorsports |
6 |
6 |
Roush
Fenway Racing |
16 |
16 |
Roush
Fenway Racing |
17 |
17 |
Roush
Fenway Racing |
1 |
1 |
Chip
Ganassi Racing |
42 |
42 |
Chip
Ganassi Racing |
11 |
11 |
Joe
Gibbs Racing |
18 |
18 |
Joe
Gibbs Racing |
20 |
20 |
Joe
Gibbs Racing |
15 |
TBD |
Michael
Waltrip Racing |
55 |
TBD |
Michael
Waltrip Racing |
4 |
4 |
Stewart-Haas
Racing |
10 |
10 |
Stewart-Haas
Racing |
14 |
14 |
Stewart-Haas
Racing |
78 |
78 |
Furniture
Row Racing |
35 |
34 |
Front
Row Motorsports |
38 |
38 |
Front
Row Motorsports |
47 |
47 |
JTG
Daugherty Racing |
7 |
7 |
Tommy
Baldwin Racing |
13 |
13 |
Germain
Racing |
32 |
32 |
Go
Fas Racing |
23 |
23 |
BK
Racing |
83 |
83 |
BK
Racing |
62 |
62 |
Premium
Motorsports |
33 |
95 |
Circle
Sport Racing |
51 |
15 |
HScott
Motorsports |
Yes, I
know there are names missing from that list. Please understand that the
criteria for a charter had to come from somewhere. I wish I could have been
that fly on the wall for the entire proceedings, but they had a large can of
Raid and I didn’t like my odds of survival. The model on which all parties
agreed was to award the charters on a performance basis, which equates here to
participation. Teams were judged on participation over the past 3 years, 2013,
2014, 2015. Notably missing the cut were #41 – SHR, #19 – JGR (Both teams were
created within the timeframe) #46 – HSR and #21 – Wood Bros. Racing. (Neither
of the latter two teams raced a full schedule)
By far
the biggest gripe I’ve heard is that the Wood Brothers were left without a
charter. I understand the sentiment, but I also understand the criteria for
earning a charter, and the Woods haven’t fielded a full-time team in several
years. Yes, I would have been for a “grandfather” charter for that team, but if
one exception is made, it’s almost impossible to keep that genie in the bottle.
One would create a landslide of exceptions and the whole thing would have gone
to Hell in a hand-basket.
Having
said that, those charters can be leased or sold outright. It was pretty much an
accepted fact that the two held by Rob Kauffman would be sold to Stewart-Haas
Racing for the #41 of Kurt Busch and to Joe Gibbs Racing for the #19 of Carl
Edwards, and since I started constructing this article, that has happened. The
only unknown there is the price, and they have promised “transparency”, so this
will be the first test of just how transparent things might actually be.
Harry
Scott found himself with only one charter for two cars, really through no fault
of his own. He is baby-sitting Clint Bowyer until Tony Stewart retires at the
end of this season and Clint can move over to SHR and take over driver duties
in the #14. I’ve no clue who approached whom, but he has now “leased” a charter
from Premium Motorsports for the 2016 season. (#98, Jay Robinson) The rumored price
on that was thought to be circa $1.6 million, but that is not confirmed. With
that said, there probably are others that would lease or sell a charter if the
price is right. (Are you listening Wood Brothers? Team Penske? Surely you don’t
plan on making that talented young rookie fear rain on race day forever, do
you?)
The
fans have come out very vocally and very loudly in favor of the Wood Brothers,
but then, it’s not their money they’re spending. The Woods issued a statement
of thanks to their fans a few day back:
"We
can't express enough how proud and thankful we are for the overwhelming
expression of support for our team. NASCAR has pressed the reset button on the
ownership structure and we hope it takes the sport in a positive direction. We
have endured challenges throughout our 66 years and will undoubtedly face more
in the future, but that's what makes our team unique. We take great pride in
our organization's reputation and our loyal fans are nothing short of amazing.
The main focus right now is to be the best team we can possibly be. Motorcraft
and Ford Performance have put tremendous faith in us and our objective is to
make the most of this 2016 season and beyond. We know there are numerous
questions and as a result, Eddie, Len and Jon Wood will be addressing any
available media at the speedway on Friday, February 12, at 1:00 pm/ET behind
their hauler in the Sprint Cup garage.
I
wasn’t there for the Q & A session, but I have been told since that the
team has withdrawn from membership in the RTA. Given the climate of the moment,
I don’t think I would have done that, but that’s just the thought process of
one old lady.
I know
this article hasn’t answered all of your questions, but at some point I have to
stop writing so that it can be published. This is a huge subject, but keep in
mind… not all change is bad. This change, achievement of which has been sought
for decades, bodes very well for the sport, and especially for the team owners
that now can retire holding something of value for their years of service. Happy
owners tend to cooperate more willingly with the sanctioning body, and also
feel freer to set a better pay scale for folks such as drivers, crews,
engineers, janitors… well, you get it. When the boss is happy, everybody’s
happy.
We’re
going to close this for today, but I’ll do more if requested, and I’m always
here to answer any questions that I can. However… if you feel like writing just
to tell me that I’m all wrong and don’t know my backside from a chipmunk’s hole
in the ground, save your fingers the trouble. I do, and on this one, I am
right. I am in full agreement with King Richard Petty. This is at
least the second best thing ever to happen in NASCAR. It might even be
the best overall!
Time
now for our Classic Country Closeout, and we have a request from last week for
a few numbers from Hank Williams Sr., in his sadder and sager persona, Luke the
Drifter. I’ve always loved this particular collection of Hank’s songs, as he
wrote many of them himself and gave us a sort of living presence of Hank that
still lingers today though he’s been gone over 60 years. If you listen, you’ll
find some sage advice scattered among the songs that follow.
First
up is one called “Be Careful of Stones that You Throw.”
The
next one hits one right in the heart. Hank always wrote a message into his
songs, but this one carries several, all at once. Please enjoy Hank as he sings
“Pictures
from Life’s Other Side.”
This
song holds a message that still rings so true today. Please think about that as
you hear Hank aka Luke offer up the prayers of a small child in “Help
Me Understand.” (As noted, this Demo version has an added verse that
did not appear on the final recorded version. I think it’s the best verse.)
Ah, but
neither Hank no Luke were sad all the time. Here’s one in a more upbeat mood,
and one of so many of my Hank favorites. Please enjoy “Everything’s OK.”
This
last offering for today pretty much describes life as many of us know it. If
you listen, you’ll hear the wisdom of Hank Williams in “Just Waitin’.”
Be well
gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
~PattyKay