Hall of Fame interested in merger with RGM?

From Nascar Roundup Show - Monday Aug 25, 2008

HOF Racing is looking at several options for next season. Those options include a possible merger or a possible acquisition of another team, Hall of Fame Racing co-owner Tom Garfinkel said Saturday at Bristol. “As we look at other teams’ and their situations, some of them would require switching manufacturers and we’re having those conversations as well,” Garfinkel said.

According to previous statements from Joe Gibbs Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing is not ready for a 4th team and is not interested in any type of merger or acquistion anytime soon.

With the Nascar's new testing policy, Hall of Fame Racing is looking at all single car operations first to see if a possible merger would benefit both parties. The Cup series has only a handful of single car opeartions today and Hall of Fame wants a team inside the Top 35. "If we 're gonna work together and help both organizations as a single unit, we need to be with a team that can race. We can't afford to be in a situation where both cars need to qualify on speed every week."

Based on Garfinkel's comments, only two single car teams are inside the Top 35 currently: Bill Davis Racing (Toyota) and Robby Gordon Motorsports (Dodge). Both teams have indicated adding a second team would be a huge benefit. Bill Davis Racing is already with Toyota, making a meger very easy. Robby Gordon Motorsports is currently with Dodge, but Robby Gordon Motorsports already had one partnership earlier in the season with Hall of Fame Racing. When Hall of Fame Racing's #96 Toyota failed to qualify at Infineon, they moved it's sponsor DLP HDTV to Gordon's car.

"We're looking at all of our options right now and having discussions with our sponsors. The people at Texas Instruments have been really great to work with through this process."

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Permalink Reply by Jared Quigg on August 25, 2008 at 2:59pm

HOF's mistake was letting go of Tony Raines.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on August 25, 2008 at 3:32pm

That'd be interesting to see the 96 come over to RGM. However the only way it'll happen is if they sell the farm to Robby.

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Permalink Reply by IndyTim on August 25, 2008 at 3:39pm

I agree...I don't think it would be a "merger" I think it would be Robby buying the team............

Who knows........something needs to be done.....

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on August 26, 2008 at 3:52pm

Alex, your killin me bro! U tryin to get on Jack's Christmas card list, or what?
Ford sucks,& the Ford deal sucked. Rousch didn't do shit for Rob,& Ford didn't live up to what they told Rob. Ford sold Robby all kinds of hopes,& dreams, but thats it. Thank goodness it was only a one year deal!

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on August 27, 2008 at 4:18pm

I'm not gonna disagree that this year has been far from stellar. However there are a lot more variables in play then the engine,& nose,& those fugly blue ovals. Fact is Ford told Robby they'd give him everything he needed to win races,& compete for a championship. I didn't see that happen last year, did you Alex?
As for Dodge, the info the RGM gets from the GEM engine tuners is better, the numbers on the motors are better, but the results aren't. Other things need to change. New money is needed to increase the budget. Once that happens, there can be more R&D (which a second car would help with). With more R&D Walter can be more assertive with the setup to off load at the track,& also anticipate changes better. That would lead to better communication between the driver,& CC, which would lead to better results. Which in turn makes the team more attractive to even better sponsors. You see how that all works Alex? It's money, not maufacture.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on August 27, 2008 at 5:18pm

Currently no, this one hasn't produced anything better than Ford. However, it seems more promising to me. Jack in the hat keeps too tight a grip on what goes where. That one person pretty much dictates what every Ford team on the circut gets. At least with Dodge, there are other options, Elliot,& Jasper motors are available. Now if Menard goes over/ buys into to Yates, Rob would automaticly drop another rung on the Ford ladder.
Stick with Dodge, lets see what this motor has to offer. If the new motor isn't any better, than it's time to talk to Tony. If it is better,& the GEM deal doesn't get any more attractive, then talk to the other 2 builders.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on August 28, 2008 at 12:05am

Listen Alex, I'm not a huge Dodge fan either, I'm a Chevy guy. Here's the thing though, if we switch to ANYTHING again for next year, it's back to the f'n drawing board again.
I don't wanna waste another half a year. Maybe Losaw could chime in with the engineering aspect? How much setup/R&D is dependant on what make the car is (center of gravity, power band, aero...).

Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 25, 2008 at 3:57pm

From reading most quotes and other media, HOF seems to want to merge as one operation (possibly keeping each team separate but under one name tag). The new testing procedures will make it so much more advantageous to have a 2-car operation. It will also help limit a 3, or 4 car opeartion to the same amount of test time as a 2-car team. This will force 3, and 4 car teams to share information. It will also put every team on a equal testing limit.

If Robby was ever gonna merge, purchase or bring on a 2nd team this would be the most favorable time. All indications are he has given a number to State Water Heaters and waiting their decision for Scott Riggs. If HOF has Texas Instruments backing them it would be a decsion on whether they want to switch to Dodge and how they would work together as one operation.

The thing that might help RGM in either scenario is that there's several question marks regarding BDR's future. They've leaked info of possible selling their Cup team, and it appears the anticpation of landing the US ARMY for sponsorship won't happen.

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Permalink Reply by FlyHiFlyLo on August 25, 2008 at 5:01pm

Make sense to me. That is if RG can't find a few more sponsors by Nov. Big issue here is RG will have to get along with three more owners.. not just one.

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 25, 2008 at 9:01pm

HOF may put Mayfield in the car some soon. If he landed the ride I wonder how that would go over, it might hurt HOF merging with RGM as long as RGM gets stuff from GEM. Doubt GEM would want Mayfield in any of their stuff. Rememebr, Mayfield blasted Ray and spilled the beans on Ray's affair with Erin Crocker.