ESPN: Robby Gordon faces 8-race season

Uh-oh. From ESPN.com

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Robby Gordon, who has run a full Sprint Cup schedule as a driver/owner since 2006, says he has enough sponsorship for only eight races in 2010.

"I'm looking at a lot of weekends off,'' a frustrated Gordon told ESPN.com on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.

Gordon said he has two four-race commitments from sponsors for next season. One of his major sponsors, Jim Beam, announced earlier in the year that it would not return to the sport.

"Nobody is spending money,'' Gordon said. "Everybody is cutting the fat out of everything. To be in racing you have to be a pretty big company.''

Gordon said many of the larger teams are making deals for well less than the market value because they can afford to, but that runs teams like his out of business.

"It's sponsorship suicide,'' said Gordon, who is 34th in points.

Gordon said NASCAR needs to create a unified marketing plan so every team is on a level playing field. He said there are so many different plans now that sponsors are confused.

He expects to see more start-and-park teams next season than ever, adding he doesn't plan to be one.

"I don't know what we're going to do,'' Gordon said. "We're going to continue to work hard to sell races through March of next year. After that I'm looking at a lot of weekends off.''

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.

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Permalink Reply by R. ALDRIDGE on November 17, 2009 at 3:52am

I think Robby was just posturing/politicing the committee to get penalty removed. But you are right - IRL is hurting worse than nascar.

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Permalink Reply by Karen on November 16, 2009 at 11:48pm

from the NASCAR site:
OFFICIAL SPONSORS
2009 NASCAR Season
3M
Aflac -- Official Supplemental Insurance of NASCAR
Ask.com -- Official Search Engine of NASCAR
Bank of America -- Official Bank of NASCAR
Best Western -- Official Hotel
Camping World -- Official Outdoor and RV Retail Partner of NASCAR
Canadian Tire -- Official Automotive Retailer of NASCAR in Canada
Canteen Vending Services
Chevrolet (Impala) -- Official Pace Car and an Official Passenger Car of NASCAR
Cintas -- The Preferred Uniform Supplier of NASCAR
Coca-Cola -- Official Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Official Soft Drink, Official Sport Drink of NASCAR
Coors Light -- Official Beer
Craftsman Tools -- Official Tools Tools, Hand Power and Tool Storage
Daytona USA -- Official Attraction Motorsports-themed
Diageo -- Proud Sponsor of NASCAR
DIRECTV -- Official Partner of NASCAR
Dodge -- Official Passenger Car
DuPont -- Official Auto Finish
Duracell -- Official Alkaline Battery
Exide -- Official Battery
ExxonMobil Lubricants -- Official Lubricants/Motor Oil of NASCAR
Featherlite Coach -- Official Luxury Coach of NASCAR
Featherlite Trailers -- Official Trailer of NASCAR
Ford Trucks -- Official Truck of NASCAR
Freightliner Trucks -- Official Big Rig, Official Hauler
Gillette -- Official Shaving Product
Goodyear -- Official Tire of NASCAR
Kellogg's -- Official Breakfast Food/Fruit Flavored Snacks
Mars Snackfood & Petfood US -- Official Chocolate of NASCAR, Official Petfood of NASCAR
MTD Products (Cub Cadet) -- Official Lawn & Garden Equipment of NASCAR
Nabisco (Kraft) -- Official Cookies and Crackers of NASCAR
Nationwide -- Official Auto, Home and Life Insurance
NicoDerm -- Proud Sponsor of NASCAR
Office Depot -- Official Office Supply/Products Provider
Old Spice -- Official Antiperspirant, Deodorant & Bodywash
O'Reilly -- Official Auto Parts Store
Prilosec OTC -- Official Heartburn Remedy
Raybestos -- Official Brakes
Safety-Kleen -- Official Supplier of NASCAR
SIRIUS XM Radio -- Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR
Sprint -- Official Series Sponsor
Sunoco -- Official Fuel and Official Convenience Store of NASCAR
Tissot -- Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of NASCAR
Toyota -- An Official Passenger Car of NASCAR
Tylenol -- Official Pain Reliever of NASCAR
Unilever -- Official Partner of NASCAR
UPS -- Official Delivery Service
USG -- Official Partner of NASCAR
Visa -- Official Card of NASCAR

AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET COMPANIES
3M Automotive Aftermarket Division
Affinia Group: Raybestos
Affinia Group: Wix
BWD Automotive
COMP Cams
CSK Proshop
Mahle/Clevite Engine Parts
Dow Automotive
Edelbrock
Federal Mogul Corporation
Goodyear Gemini
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Goodyear Gatorback
Grid Gear
Autolite (A Honeywell Car Care Product)
JE Pistons
Lincoln Electric
Mechanix Wear
Midtronics, Inc.
Mobil 1
Safelite Auto Glass
Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc.
Schumacher Electric
Sunoco Ultra Service Center
Total Resources International
Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Wheel Pros
Whelen

ENTITLEMENT SPONSOR
Sprint -- Official Series Sponsor, Sprint Cup Series
Nationwide -- Official Series Sponsor, Nationwide Series
Camping World -- Official Series Sponsor, Camping World Truck Series
Camping World -- Official Series Sponsor, Camping World Series
Whelen -- Official Series Sponsor, Whelen Modified Tour, Whelen Southern Modified Tour and Whelen All-American Series
Canadian Tire -- Official Series Sponsor, Canadian Tires Series

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Permalink Reply by GTX - HEMI on November 17, 2009 at 9:51am

WOW........................Lost of chatter about this 8 Race deal for next year. If you all are talking about this than RG did exactally what he wanted to do with this announcement. Just think what everyone else is talking about. RG you are one smart SOB. I hope you get what you are looking for........and by the way good luck at the 1000 and make us proud at DAKAR.

PS...NA$CAR is THEIR SHOW NOT RACING. Want to throw a wrench in the gears have FLY start a drivers UNION.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Sweeney on November 17, 2009 at 1:55pm

Robby is very very intelligent. I'm sure he'll do whats best for his orginization and employees. As Robby fans, we should support him no matter what. I can tell you the next 4-5 months will be very interesting!

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Permalink Reply by TOG on November 17, 2009 at 10:00pm

testing ban was a great idea, but make it so there is no testing all together, even at non-sanctioned tracks.
And yes, that includes Road Atlanta where RG tests.

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Permalink Reply by GasOnRobby on November 17, 2009 at 11:51pm

I don't think the testing ban was a good idea. What happened? The big dollar teams but the multi-post testing jigs that gave them an unfair advantage.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Jamieson on November 18, 2009 at 3:19am

The races have been "boring and predictable" for quite some time now. Before Jimmie it was Jeff Gordon and before Gordon it was Earnhardt. If you weren't a fan of either of those drivers I would say they performed similarly to Jimmie had the Chase existed.

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on November 17, 2009 at 4:20pm

BAM Racing owner Beth Ann Morgenthau came on Race Talk Radio Monday night, announcing their #49 car will run full-time in 2010 under the Toyota Camry banner. With sponsorship from Warner Records, the team is expected to return to full-time competition, running all 36 races for the first time since the 2007 Cup Series season. Driver and crew chief announcements will come at a later date, but regardless the team will have its own show on RTR every Wednesday night next season.(RTR)

Cross-marketing is becoming huge today. RGM should look at other Entertainment companies like cable networks, record companies, and movie studios to sponsor RGM. Imagine if RGM was sponsored by Universal Studios. They could promote movies, theme parks and new attractions, DVD releases and more. Reach millions of families and TV audiences. Same with Disney or Warner Bros.

BAM would be a great partner for a 2-car team, they already have sponsorship in place too!

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Permalink Reply by Matt on November 17, 2009 at 5:01pm

No, BAM would not. Two struggling teams do not make a good partnership.

I visited BAM while I was still in racing, they definately have very little if anything to help RGM. Nice people, far lower on the capability pole than RGM.