Here we go again...RGM to switch manufactures?

Hoping this is just a knee jerk reaction and not and actual negotiation process. Hearing RGM is in discussions with Red Bull Racing & MWR about the possibility of switching to Toyota, but will wait until he tests Dodge's new engine package and sits down with GEM.


RGM has been fighting poor fuel mileage and lack of horsepower all year with the engines they receive from GEM. Dodge has their new 2009 engine coming soon and Gordon might wait and see if this cures his problems. The GEM engines have been very reliable with only one engine related problem in Cup due to a wiring problem and one overheating issue this past weekend in the Nationwide series.

As for the possibility of switching to Toyota:

Red Bull has shown alot of progress in only it's 2nd year in Cup racing. Brian Vickers is currently 17th in the standings, while teammate AJ Allmendinger has climbed back into the Top 35 the hard way.

MWR has faired alot better it's 2nd year in Cup by keeping the #55 and #44 inside the Top 35, the #00 recently fell outside the Top 35 and driver Michael McDowell has been replaced by driver Mike Skinner at Michigan to evalute the team.

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Permalink Reply by brian campbell on August 11, 2008 at 7:03pm
Ford and Chevy are ready to file for chapter 11 better get with Toyota.research and development money from American manufacturers is about to go the way of the dodo better get with Honda or Nissan and be the top dog they are probably looking into nascar.
Permalink Reply by TorqueWrench on August 11, 2008 at 7:09pm
TOYO ta
Permalink Reply by IndyTim on August 11, 2008 at 7:10pm
Doesn't matter who makes the engine......the oil guage is still the oil guage and the temperature guage is still the temperature guage..pretty sure they are labled in English no matter what make of car..now if the driver can't read them correct...that's a different story.......

The car AJ Almindgleberry was in yesterday, was much better than the car that had the guages written in a foreign language and which the driver couldn't read...I saw him pull away from Robby a couple of times........

Toyota seems to be the car to have to win on a road course...as long as Robby still thinks he can win on a road race...wouldn't surprise me if he picked the flavor of the month and changed...

I don't give a shit what make he drives...I'm just getting worn out watching whatever car Robby is in racing to get the goddamn lucky dog (even on road courses)....
Permalink Reply by NIKAL on August 11, 2008 at 7:51pm
Indy Tim your analogy about the gauges and being in English is Classic!

And like Spotted Cow asked. Where is this info coming from? Is this whole thread an opinion of BigZoom or did you get this from somewhere? Because the way you have this written it looks like this is from an article. Please add your source or let us know if this is your opinion.
Permalink Reply by TOG on August 11, 2008 at 8:11pm
LOL.. Zoom never has a loss for words !
Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 11, 2008 at 9:26pm
Don't Hate TOG!
Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 11, 2008 at 9:24pm
It was from a local radio show that does recaps on Mondays. One of the guys that provides alot of info for the show is one of the Allison(s), the other is a media guy with MRN. They roam the garage, talk to crews and report what they hear on Monday. I'd say over the years about 70% is true. The other 30% probably had a good bit of truth, but it didn't turn out as predicted...alot like Jayski. Say what you want, but most rumors on jayski turn out true, the ones that are "denied" are usually cover ups. Info leaks out.

(In my opinion) Robby has probably had lots of discussions with several owners, why wouldn't he? You never get better if you sit still. He was probably ticked after the race about several things...why didn't Nascar let the Cup guys qualify with rain tires? why does his engine get bad fuel mileage and the other GEM cars don't? why does he get passed by everybody when it comes down to horsepower? I'm sure he made some comments out of anger. Word traveled. I have no idea if this is 100% or not, again just posting what I hear. I wouldn't bet against it though with Robby's track record of swithching manufactures and or engines. It's obvious Toyota is better this year. Dodge seems to be the manufacture that's behind the most right now, but they have a new engine coming soon and hopefully they will be better.
Permalink Reply by Mike Andersen on August 12, 2008 at 12:14am
I say make the change to Toy. Whats the worst that can happen? They are proven to have way more power. We cant be sure that his cars are arent performing correctly when or if he is down on power.
Just to throw this into the mix a few weeks ago Robby was down here in Vegas doing a promo for the new 2009 Polaris razr he had a couple of them on his offroad trailer that were custom lifted and decaled with RG offroad. Inside scoop was that he built them for the dunes and polaris is going to market them. Robby also had the Hummer there and they taped over Hummer and put Polaris on the grill.
Permalink Reply by NIKAL on August 12, 2008 at 1:24am
Monster Energy is a very good sponsor of Robby's. They have done allot for him. Its not easy to find a sponsor that is willing to give you a 1/2 million or so dollars to race a few desert races, then give you a few million to go race a desert race on the other side of the world, where you product is not really found or if it is it is not considered well known. Oh yes and desert races are not the easiest for the general public to see, so marketing is done via the internet and other forms of communication. Then Monster gives RGM's Cup team money as they sponsor his pit crews and Robby has a personal services contract where he wears their logo on all his helmets.

Now find me a sponsor that is willing to be involved with 3 differant type of events with one driver. Monster never agreed to sponsor RGM's Cup cars. They did once as a trial effort as Robby himself was pushing them hard to give it a shot. A matter of fact Robby had the car painted black and the decals made way before Monster even agreed to sponsor the car.

Monster is following the Red Bull way of marketing their company. I know this because two people, one that works in sports marketing with Red Bull and the other with RGM told me this. Monster has done their homework and they have figured that they are marketing the younger demographics and the more extreem sports type of events. For Monster right now NASCAR is to mainstream and is followed by an older market. Once Monster Enegy feels they are more mainstream like what Red Bull has become then they will look at events like NASCAR. Also I dont know what Monster Marketing budget is. Lets say its $30 million a year. Would you being Monster want to throw more then half of your yrarly budget at a single event or team?

Also I bet if you asked Robby if he would rather have Monster sponsor $5 million of the Cup team or sponsor his Score, Dakar and pit crew team he would say exactly what they are doing now. Because NASCAR is so mainstream I bet for every 10 companies that are willing to sponsor a NASCAR team only 1 would be willing to sponsor a Dakar team.
Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 12, 2008 at 10:45am
NIKAL- Not sure I follow you. You say Monster is folowing Red Bull's marketing strategy...Red Bull sponsors 2 Cup cars!
Permalink Reply by NIKAL on August 12, 2008 at 11:09am
Bigzoom, Red Bull started in 1984. By 1987 they were starting to go global. Red Bulls marketing strategy was to follow the extreme sports lifestyle. So their first signed athletes were some cliff divers. From their they started sponsoring individual athletes and they used their helmets and other clothing to show they sponsorship. Red Bull felt that sponsoring individuals instead of a series or team was they way for them to get their name in many different markets. And Red Bull was considered an Extreme drink for Extreme people who need a boost of energy.

When Monster Energy was started in 2002 they went right for the Extreme sports market as Monsters logo was "Unleash the Beast" Monster who is owned by Hanson's Natural drinks was only Nationally distributed in 2006 as they are now distributed by Anheuser Busch in the USA. And PepsiCo in Canada.

Monster has seen how Red Bull marketed themselves in the Extreme market and how well it worked. Red Bull is now considered a household name and product. You can buy Red Bull in grocery stores and in Costco wholesale stores. Even though Monster is now the second largest Energy drink on the market, they have not decided to change their current marketing strategy. Many in the extreme sport market look at Red Bull as a success, but also know their now mainstream. Red Bull now feels their target audience is no longer just the freestyle skate boarding 16-21 year olds. They are now looking at a more mature audience. So NASCAR fit that bill for them. Also remember Red Bull has also like to own their big dollar sports, like F1 and NASCAR. Monster just wants to hold on to that badboy unpolished image a little longer as they know RockStar and a few others are knocking on the door. And Red Bull has 15 years of growth on Monster and some of these other energy drinks on the market.
Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on August 12, 2008 at 12:25pm
How bout we look at it like this too... Robby could've stayed with Red Bull,& switched to to Toyota when they debuted in Nascar. Instead, he switched his O-R program, & personal services over to Monster. Rob did that because Red Bull wasn't going to give him the pkg. he wanted. Monster up the anty,& gave Rob what he wanted in off-road,& possibility of future nascar sponsorship. Regardless of what their past demo's indicated, almost every one of their competitors has placed a stake in nascar. Who will be last Monster, or Rockstar? I think if Rob can manage to make it worth Monster's money the remainder of this season, they MAY change their strategy for '09.

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