Top 35 will lose two teams in 2011 & FRM likely to downsize

RPM announced today they currently plan to only run a 2 car team in 2011, the #9 of Marcos Ambrose and #43 of AJ Allmendinger.

Nascar has allowed organizations to broker deals with other teams (RCR moved the #07 points to the 78 team).

If a deal isn't worked out, the teams below would just move up into the Top 35. With the 38, 26, 7, 37, 34 and 71 fighting to stay inside the Top 35, all could be solid inside at the end of the season. Only 2 teams outside the Top 35 are realistically within reach. If RPM's 2 teams dissolve and no deals are worked out, then they would inside the Top 35.

Added 9/10/2010

Front Row Motorsports not sure on 3 teams for 2011: When asked about the future of the team's third car, the #38 squad that currently sits outside the top 35 in owner points, Front Row Motorsports Jerry Freeze didn't mince words. "It's a big question mark right now. Unless we have some phenomenal success in finding sponsorship, I don't see any way we can carry three cars next year. I think the likely scenario is that FRM will run two cars next year. We really like David [Gilliland] and Travis [Kvapil], we're planning on those guys coming back and we're talking with them about it, so that's the direction I think we'll be going in. Then again, maybe we start next year running that third car if it's in the top 35. If it's not, it may just go away." That said, the team is also very much aware of just how valuable team number three is. They know just how close they are to locking a third entry into the Sprint Cup field, and what that means from both a competitive and fiscal standpoint. "Now we get that car back in the top 35, we have a lot of options for next year," Freeze explains. "That's why we're working so hard ... I would bet the house that if we had a third car in the top 35 at the end of this year that we could find a driver with a sponsor to run the Daytona 500. That's a great-paying race, and could be a great value to FRM."(Frontstretch)

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by WJM on August 25, 2010 at 12:36pm

What's to say NASCAR doesn't reduce it the top 30 like it is in the NW and Truck series'?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Garrett Gleason on August 25, 2010 at 12:40pm

Loose and lose aren't the same lol. Top 30 would make things more interesting for sure

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brett Crawford on August 25, 2010 at 1:04pm

FRM could possibly buy one of those spots as they're semi-aligned with the Ford camp.

I'd be fine with the top 30 rule, as long as NASCAR said at Daytona in Feb that would be the cutoff for the following year. Too many teams have used strategy to stay in the top 35 this year when they would have done something different if they knew it would be the top 30 next year.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 25, 2010 at 1:59pm

FRM wouldn't need to buy a spot if they move up inside the Top 35 anyway...be a non-issue.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TOG on August 25, 2010 at 2:01pm

that is a good point, but you know teams will wheel & deal for those final 2010 spots for 2011.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 25, 2010 at 2:06pm

To wheel & deal and get the points from RPM they would have to be aligned with Ford...the 26 and 38 are both with Ford now anyway and are the teams within range of the Top 35...so either way it looks good for the 7 team

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott C on August 25, 2010 at 2:03pm

How long can FRM field 3 cars with basically NO sponsor? I'm shocked they haven't dropped to one or two cars already this year.

Also, if NASCAR dropped from 35 to 30, positions 31-35 would sue the pants off of them. (I guess they could institute it after the first 5 races now that I think about it).

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TOG on August 25, 2010 at 2:21pm

top 35 rule isnt going anywhere in 2011.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ernie Stratton on August 25, 2010 at 4:58pm

Think alot of people could or will be surprised at how little Extenze actually provides in sponsorship.And Jenkins was really spending his own money out of pocket.Lets just say sponsorship was not with FRM and check would go one way and then not passed on the other way.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MikeNIN7 on August 25, 2010 at 6:44pm

If they reduce it to the top 30 it would only be fair to do so after the first five races.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J.T. Fletcher on August 25, 2010 at 1:20pm

But you also got to look at who is starting up. America's Race Team is getting ready. Keyed-up will be back.....well working on it. I've heard of other teams starting up too, can't give out who just yet.