The Question Now Is: What’s Ahead For Busch And Penske?

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The Question Now Is: What’s Ahead For Busch And Penske?

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When the news broke that Kurt Busch had parted company with Penske Racing, after six Sprint Cup seasons, it surprised some but not others.

But certainly it caused a look back at recent history as to why it happened - followed by speculation as who whom would be named as Busch’s replacement in the No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge.
 

If anything, the surprise may be that team owner Roger Penske didn’t act on Busch’s departure sooner.

The open-wheel and stock car icon has always been known as a man of integrity and makes no secret of the ethical, moral and behavioral demands he places on his drivers, crew chiefs and teams.
 

A $50,000 fine issued by NASCAR last week for foul language toward Dr. Jerry Punch, a member of ESPN’s pit road crew at Homestead-Miami Speedway, as well as the obscene gesture caught on camera while in the car he drove into the garage area, was simply too much for team executives and sponsors to ignore.
 

In fairness to Busch, press releases from the Penske organization stated that the parting was mutual. Busch was not fired.

But it was Penske and the executives who work for him that seemed to initiate the change, stating that it was best for everyone. According to his statements, Busch seemed to agree.

It’s important to be fair to both parties involved here. Busch claimed he didn’t think he was getting the performance he needed out of the cars he was given, thus the reason for his frustration and disappointment.
 

On the other side, however, there have been several episodes of volatility since Busch joined the Mooresville, N.C.-based team in 2006.

Four crew chiefs in six seasons didn’t add calm or build cohesiveness within the situation, either.

Busch logged 16 wins while with Penske Racing including four in 2011. But by season’s end, the chemistry between crew chief and driver was gone, or more accurately, certainly never developed in such a way that mirrored that of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus, Sprint Cup champions from 2006 to 2010.
 

Now that a new season is set to begin during Speedweeks in February at Daytona International Speedway, the one certain fact for 2012 is that Penske Racing’s yellow and red machines will feature a new name on their rooflines.

There are several candidates on the list. Some available because of new opportunities due tdriver changes and others because of sponsorship woes.

Currently under the Penske umbrella are former Sprint Cup driver Sam Hornish Jr., a winner in the Nationwide Series. Parker Kligerman has driven limited schedules in ARCA, Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide events for Penske since 2008. Kligerman ran the full truck series schedule for Brad Keselowski in 2011.
 

Outside the Penske stables there are several great choices.
 

David Ragan drove Fords for Roush Fenway Racing for five seasons but found himself out of a ride when primary sponsorship couldn’t be found for 2012 - even after he won at Daytona last July.

So Ragan seems to be available and it appears that is so after Jack Roush released him from his contract. Ragan seems to be heavily touted in the headlines as the top choice for Penske’s Dodges.
 

Then there’s David Reutimann, formerly with Michael Waltrip Racing. He was told he was being released from the Mooresville, N.C.-based team very late in the 2011 season with no prospects for 2012.

He logged 26 top-10 finishes in 171 starts - including wins in the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and at Chicagoland Speedway in 2010. Martin Martin, whose contract with Hendrick Motorsports has been fulfilled as of last season, joins MWR and will share Reutimann’s former ride with Waltrip.
 
Brian Vickers will be left in the cold when Red Bull Racing officially closes at week’s end – if it is not sold.

Vickers logged three top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 2011, resulting in a 25th-place finish in the points. He has two career wins, coming at Talladega in 2006 for team owner Rick Hendrick. and Red Bull Racing at Michigan in 2009.
 

At least in my view one point seems crystal clear: Shell-Pennzoil has had enough of the bad press that’s been generated as of late.

The driver who is selected for the job will do well to keep an upstanding, respectable image at all times during the 2012 season and beyond.

Granted, success on the race track in the form of wins and championships is a huge part of the sponsorship of any team.

A driver’s every move at Penske will be watched carefully, especially when company logos are emblazoned on his uniform, golf shirts and hats as the cameras are clicking or rolling.

I think Ragan would fulfill the role very nicely.
 

At the same time, Penske Racing owes its future driver, as well as Shell-Pennzoil, the ability to race with the best equipment possible.

So as of now, what are Busch’s options for 2012? Teams with corporate sponsorships are so difficult to find. He may possibly help build one of the lesser funded, backmarker teams into a stronger organization but that, too, requires money.
 

Then there’s the admittedly unlikely possibly of Busch’s personal ownership of a Sprint Cup team. Red Bull Racing comes to mind, as it’s in place and ready for competition.

But I’m not sure if Busch is even interested in team ownership. It would take a very large amount of money and manufacturer support – not to mention sponsorship.

It would be quite an undertaking to put together a team when the season starts in a couple of moths. Come to think of it all, it ain’t happening.

Some sports marriages work long term and some, well, do not. Busch is looking for a new team and start - a place to regenerate and hopefully find success.

It will help if he does everything, on and off the track, with a much calmer demeanor – which means he must be a different man. 

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