Jess
It never ends! Jayski recently posted these rumors over the past week.
Truex to Penske? with UPS? UPDATE UPS denies: hearing that Martin Truex, current driver of the #1 DEI Chevy, could be headed to a 4th Penske Racing team with UPS as the sponsor.(5-4-2008)
UPDATE - UPS denies negotiating with any team: UPS officials released a statement Monday saying the company is not currently in negotiations with any specific Sprint Cup team or driver. UPS currently sponsors the #44 driven by David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip Racing Vice President Cal Wells has said that UPS has had preliminary discussions with six teams about what cars and drivers they would have open for 2009 and "UPS is doing exactly what they should be doing. We either earn the business back or we won’t." But to say that UPS has started negotiations with any team is not accurate, according to a company official. "As of this date, UPS is not engaged in formal active sponsorship negotiations with any NASCAR Sprint Cup driver or race team," read the statement, attributed to UPS Director of Sponsorship & Events Ron Rogowski. With Dale Jarrett's retirement this year, UPS is looking for another face for a long-term campaign. One of the drivers often mentioned is #99-Carl Edwards, who right now is sponsored by Office Depot. Roush Fenway Racing and Office Depot currently are in an exclusive negotiating period for Edwards. "UPS went to six or eight race teams, visited them, to get all the inventory that they all had," Roush Fenway President Geoff Smith said Saturday. "And from that, they told us they would cut it down amongst the teams. There's been no negotiating."
(SceneDaily.com)(5-6-2008)
I hate when this happens...a rumor that a sponsor of one of your drivers is leaving to sponsor another one of your drivers!
Sponsor-hopping happens a lot so it's to be expected sooner or later one is going to be an awkward switch. UPS is claiming they haven't started negotiations yet, which I guess is slightly comforting.
What's even more interesting about this rumor is Martin going to Penske. It's no shocking thing he possibly wants to leave DEI.
However, at this point I'm not entirely sure if Penske is the best place to head (okay, although it's probably a better environment than DEI, but I'm talking about performance-related stability here). Kurt is struggling. Sam Hornish is wobbling on the edge of falling outside the top 35 (a lot of this could be chalked up to inexperience, which isn't really the fault of Hornish or the team). What I'm trying to get at is Penske being ready to add a fourth team - if that's the plan, for Ryan Newman's contract is up so Martin possibly could replace him if he choses to leave. If Penske added a fourth team it would most likely be outside the top 35...unless another point switcheroo happens and Kurt is forced to rely on his past champion's provisional again. I wouldn't be too happy about that.
Office Depot to MWR? Hearing Office Depot, currently the sponsor for #99-Carl Edwards, is considering a move to Michael Waltrip Racing with driver #00-Michael McDowell. UPS has been rumored as a possible sponsor for Edwards and Roush Racing in 2009.(5-8-2008)
Now this is more like it!
McD and Office Depot would be a good fit - McD's smile and personality rival's that of Carl Edwards'. Another big name sponsor signing with MWR would be a great thing. But there is a downside that I'll admit makes my heart sink.
Office Depot leaves the #99. The #99 is open for a new sponsor. UPS has looked at the #99. It would really, really suck if UPS left David for Carl and David didn't get a sponsor in return. I like McD and think he deserves a great sponsor like Office Depot, but it would hurt if David - the driver at MWR that has shown the most week in and week out - was left without a sponsor.
In a perfect world Office Depot will come over to sponsor McD and UPS will stay with David (Roush is asking a ton of money to sponsor the #99). But we'll see how it all works out.
Truex to Penske? with UPS? UPDATE UPS denies: hearing that Martin Truex, current driver of the #1 DEI Chevy, could be headed to a 4th Penske Racing team with UPS as the sponsor.(5-4-2008)
UPDATE - UPS denies negotiating with any team: UPS officials released a statement Monday saying the company is not currently in negotiations with any specific Sprint Cup team or driver. UPS currently sponsors the #44 driven by David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip Racing Vice President Cal Wells has said that UPS has had preliminary discussions with six teams about what cars and drivers they would have open for 2009 and "UPS is doing exactly what they should be doing. We either earn the business back or we won’t." But to say that UPS has started negotiations with any team is not accurate, according to a company official. "As of this date, UPS is not engaged in formal active sponsorship negotiations with any NASCAR Sprint Cup driver or race team," read the statement, attributed to UPS Director of Sponsorship & Events Ron Rogowski. With Dale Jarrett's retirement this year, UPS is looking for another face for a long-term campaign. One of the drivers often mentioned is #99-Carl Edwards, who right now is sponsored by Office Depot. Roush Fenway Racing and Office Depot currently are in an exclusive negotiating period for Edwards. "UPS went to six or eight race teams, visited them, to get all the inventory that they all had," Roush Fenway President Geoff Smith said Saturday. "And from that, they told us they would cut it down amongst the teams. There's been no negotiating."
(SceneDaily.com)(5-6-2008)
I hate when this happens...a rumor that a sponsor of one of your drivers is leaving to sponsor another one of your drivers!
Sponsor-hopping happens a lot so it's to be expected sooner or later one is going to be an awkward switch. UPS is claiming they haven't started negotiations yet, which I guess is slightly comforting.What's even more interesting about this rumor is Martin going to Penske. It's no shocking thing he possibly wants to leave DEI.
However, at this point I'm not entirely sure if Penske is the best place to head (okay, although it's probably a better environment than DEI, but I'm talking about performance-related stability here). Kurt is struggling. Sam Hornish is wobbling on the edge of falling outside the top 35 (a lot of this could be chalked up to inexperience, which isn't really the fault of Hornish or the team). What I'm trying to get at is Penske being ready to add a fourth team - if that's the plan, for Ryan Newman's contract is up so Martin possibly could replace him if he choses to leave. If Penske added a fourth team it would most likely be outside the top 35...unless another point switcheroo happens and Kurt is forced to rely on his past champion's provisional again. I wouldn't be too happy about that.Office Depot to MWR? Hearing Office Depot, currently the sponsor for #99-Carl Edwards, is considering a move to Michael Waltrip Racing with driver #00-Michael McDowell. UPS has been rumored as a possible sponsor for Edwards and Roush Racing in 2009.(5-8-2008)
Now this is more like it!
McD and Office Depot would be a good fit - McD's smile and personality rival's that of Carl Edwards'. Another big name sponsor signing with MWR would be a great thing. But there is a downside that I'll admit makes my heart sink.Office Depot leaves the #99. The #99 is open for a new sponsor. UPS has looked at the #99. It would really, really suck if UPS left David for Carl and David didn't get a sponsor in return. I like McD and think he deserves a great sponsor like Office Depot, but it would hurt if David - the driver at MWR that has shown the most week in and week out - was left without a sponsor.
In a perfect world Office Depot will come over to sponsor McD and UPS will stay with David (Roush is asking a ton of money to sponsor the #99). But we'll see how it all works out.