Todd in the News
It was nice to see Todd Kluever’s name out there recently since he so often gets overshadowed by his Roush teammates and ignored on the racetrack (since everyone is too interested in planting the camera on Buschwackers instead of *gasp* Busch regulars). There is an article on That’s Racin’ called Cup ride denied, Kluever chopping away in Busch Series by Chris Jenkins, and it sums up quite nicely what Todd has been through. It breaks my heart because it makes it painfully clear that Todd is getting screwed over at Roush – not “good” enough for a Cup ride so you get degraded to a part-time Busch ride.
I believe that Todd has lost all hope of driving the 6 car that was supposed to be his or getting a ride with Roush in general, since they have enough problems as it is with having to cut one team out of their organization by 2009. “I’ll be honest: I don’t think Roush-Fenway has any idea who drives what next year,” Todd said. “It definitely doesn’t get transmitted to us.”
If anything this article makes me dislike Geoff Smith (Roush’s president) even more with his nasty comments about Todd having to improve his performance and doesn’t have the “star qualities” that David Ragan has. First of all, Todd has been doing fine in a Cup driver-filled Busch Series and part time as well, where he can’t get the tight chemistry with his team that is so important these days. Secondly, “star qualities”? What is that supposed to mean and how exactly is David Ragan more of a star than Todd? Todd is a sweetheart, beautiful (for a lack of a better term, for “handsome” doesn’t do him justice), looks far younger than he is and I’d wager that he’d be just as good or better than Ragan, who is 25th in points and has a bad reputation as a hazard on the racetrack.
Personally I want Todd to leave Roush and find a better team that will appreciate him, but then there is also that fear that he may go down the same road as Brandon Whitt and be rideless. It just infuriates me that Todd is being treated as the filler in the races that Greg Biffle doesn’t want to run.
Despite his worries about his career, Todd is doing wonderful things during his time off like the Kluever Ride To Cure Diabetes he hosted on Sunday. It was a charity event close to Todd’s heart, for his brother Tim was diagnosed with diabetes when he was just a child. Over 100 motorcycles—including Todd’s Harley—participated and ended up raising just $500 shy of $20,000, which will be divided between American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Working at an assisted living facility I know several diabetics and how difficult their lives can be, so I salute Todd for having a big heart and creating awareness.
I believe that Todd has lost all hope of driving the 6 car that was supposed to be his or getting a ride with Roush in general, since they have enough problems as it is with having to cut one team out of their organization by 2009. “I’ll be honest: I don’t think Roush-Fenway has any idea who drives what next year,” Todd said. “It definitely doesn’t get transmitted to us.”
If anything this article makes me dislike Geoff Smith (Roush’s president) even more with his nasty comments about Todd having to improve his performance and doesn’t have the “star qualities” that David Ragan has. First of all, Todd has been doing fine in a Cup driver-filled Busch Series and part time as well, where he can’t get the tight chemistry with his team that is so important these days. Secondly, “star qualities”? What is that supposed to mean and how exactly is David Ragan more of a star than Todd? Todd is a sweetheart, beautiful (for a lack of a better term, for “handsome” doesn’t do him justice), looks far younger than he is and I’d wager that he’d be just as good or better than Ragan, who is 25th in points and has a bad reputation as a hazard on the racetrack.
Personally I want Todd to leave Roush and find a better team that will appreciate him, but then there is also that fear that he may go down the same road as Brandon Whitt and be rideless. It just infuriates me that Todd is being treated as the filler in the races that Greg Biffle doesn’t want to run.
Despite his worries about his career, Todd is doing wonderful things during his time off like the Kluever Ride To Cure Diabetes he hosted on Sunday. It was a charity event close to Todd’s heart, for his brother Tim was diagnosed with diabetes when he was just a child. Over 100 motorcycles—including Todd’s Harley—participated and ended up raising just $500 shy of $20,000, which will be divided between American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Working at an assisted living facility I know several diabetics and how difficult their lives can be, so I salute Todd for having a big heart and creating awareness.
