Kauffman: Car count for CGR and MWR in future isn’t finalized
Michael Waltrip Racing co-owner Rob Kauffman spoke publicly Saturday for the first time since his purchase of part of Chip Ganassi Racing was announced earlier in the week. After saying that he and Waltrip were close friends and business partners, Kauffman said his purchase was an “integration” rather than a step away from MWR.
“… So any idea that like I’m leaving or taking anything is misplaced,” Kauffman said. “What we’re actually doing is integrating the businesses, trying to get the most competitive product on track, the best for all of our partners and that’s really our focus.”
“It’s a competitive business, as everybody knows. It’s competitive on track as well as off track. The focus we’re really trying to get to get this news out was to get it out of the way because rumors were bubbling and try and be as clear as we can and refocus everybody on 2015 and hopefully getting one or two cars in the Chase and doing a great job with our partners.”
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If MWR and Ganassi Racing were to merge, a manufacturer switch for one of the teams would have to happen. MWR currently fields Toyotas and Ganassi fields Chevys. MWR is the logical candidate to switch because its contract with Toyota is up at the end of the year.
When word of Kauffman’s purchase of a stake in Ganassi broke. Clint Bowyer was mentioned as a likely third driver for Ganassi Racing. Felix Sabates, minority owner in Ganassi, also mentioned that the plan was for a three-car team in the future. Ganassi currently fields two cars with Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson. MWR also has two cars; Bowyer and the No. 55 of David Ragan.
The No. 55 was originally scheduled to be driven by Brian Vickers in 2015 but he had to step aside because of a reoccurrence of blood clots. Ragan and the car’s sponsor, Aaron’s aren’t signed after the season. Aaron’s said earlier in the week that it was evaluating its options.
“In terms of our plans, whether we have three cars, four cars, two roofs, one roof, that’s yet to be determined,” Kauffman said. “And how we do in the 2015 season will help determine whether that happens. If we do a great job, that’ll be one outcome. If we do a less great job, probably another and I think it should be pretty obvious to people.”
Jamie McMurray and Bowyer are both currently in line to make the Chase, though neither has a win. Bowyer is also in 16th and if he doesn’t move up, would be knocked out of the Chase if and when Kyle Busch cracks the top 30 in points.
Kauffman, the public face of the Race Team Alliance, also mentioned the fickle business model of Sprint Cup ownership in his comments, predicting more consolidation within the garage. He made sure to point out that the days of the “lone wolf” team were “are long past.”
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
