Another Top Fuel Team is Parked

[Rob]

erik, good catch...I did leave Morgan off my list...so it should be eight cars racing next year...time to shorten the fields?

 

[scooter]

Rob, I hope they don't shorten the TF fields next year to eight.Hopefully Independent teams or IHRA TF drivers will have a chance to fill the fields In 09.

 

[Mr. Fix It]

Maybe I'm out of line here, but I see opportunity for some less well financed teams to qualify and race with the big boys. I'm not so sure that the field will always be short of 16 cars. I'm thinking cars like Mr Magoo might show up for the races and make the field.

In the years past, if you didn't have a lot of money, parts and full time crewmembers, would you even go and try to make the field? Why should they not give it a shot now?

We've all seen the big boys fall to smaller teams from time to time. I think it would be an opportunity for those with less funding to provide their sponsors with some TV time. Who knows, we might end up with some v-e-r-y interesting races.........

 

[You!]

Anyone that is surprised by announcements like this obviously isn't paying attention to what is going on in the World right now. Things are changing almost hourly at this point; no deals are safe. No JOBS are safe.

Nothing is rock solid, no matter what announcements were made or contracts that were signed. It just doesn't seem that alot of you are really getting how bad it is out here right now.

Frankly, at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if someone like Castrol or the U.S. Army pulled the plug too.

Buckle down folks, it's gonna be bumpy for awhile.

 

[kd]

...I'm as baffled as Hot Rod probably is...(see his blog on nhra site from YESTERDAY!!!)

...wasn't that team funded by the individual "Cat Dealer" of the area that the car was racing in...?

 

[Kid Blast]

Anyone that is surprised by announcements like this obviously isn't paying attention to what is going on in the World right now. Things are changing almost hourly at this point; no deals are safe. No JOBS are safe.

Nothing is rock solid, no matter what announcements were made or contracts that were signed. It just doesn't seem that alot of you are really getting how bad it is out here right now.

Frankly, at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if someone like Castrol or the U.S. Army pulled the plug too.

Buckle down folks, it's gonna be bumpy for awhile.

Bill, You hit the nail on the head. Great post, I am not sure how many really inderstand what is happening.
Not trying to be doom and gloom, but things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. It is extremely complex yet very simple. We are all facing a reality check.
There will be a lot less people/businesses etc. worrying about racing this coming year. Priorities will take precedant. As Bill stated this will be a moving target changing daily.
Each day may bring more disappointments in our racing community.
As said it will be a rocky road, hang on and we will get through it all.

Bob

 

[squid]

You Racing Next year Bob?

 

[Kid Blast]

We are going to try to race 5-10 races. Depends on the economy and engine availability. Need HP, do not want to go make 4 qualfying runs without a shot at qualifying.

So for now the answer is we are planning to but nothing is carved in stone.

Bob

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Anyone that is surprised by announcements like this obviously isn't paying attention to what is going on in the World right now. Things are changing almost hourly at this point; no deals are safe. No JOBS are safe. Nothing is rock solid, no matter what announcements were made or contracts that were signed. It just doesn't seem that alot of you are really getting how bad it is out here right now. Frankly, at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if someone like Castrol or the U.S. Army pulled the plug too.
Buckle down folks, it's gonna be bumpy for awhile.

I posted a few weeks ago that Empire Cat here in Phoenix was laying off technicians. The DPR/Cat program was supposed to attract new technicians. This is not a surprise. It would not surprise me if Bud is next. Brian France, CEO of NASCAR, stated that the InBev/AB situation is the business issue they are watching most closely.

 

[Turtle]

Re: Fuller fired, Top Fuel down to seven cars

Geiger also says Grubnic and JR Todd were also parked this week. Rough week for the long skinny cars. Man this sucks.

Tough break for the DP motorsport team.
A couple of news items down from this one on Geiger's site it says Grubnic had sponsorship for next season, has that now changed?

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

Terrible news for Hot Rod. I sure hope he's able to find something quick!

But on a lighter note.... can you imagine him as a Bellagio VALET?!? Now that would be some quick service! LOL

 

[megadeth]

Related story at Complus! That's to bad for Hot Rod.
Drag Racing Internet Magazine - Competition Plus.com - POWERS PARKS TF TEAM

 

[rocketman]

Now that everyone knows who it is, from what I was told was that CAT abruptly broke the three year contract with Powers and being that the housing market is so sluggish Powers had no choice but to pull the plug now. You might recall when times were good he was running that team out of his own pocket. No more.

He or someone affiliated with the team called everyone and let them know that they were just terminated after learning CAT would no longer be paying the bills. One crew man shipped all of his stuff from Oregon to Indy and just bought a brand new house there. Like I said it was a shocker to everyone. I also heard that the split of the two teams with one going to Buckley was a necessity.

Sorry I didn't mention who it was at first but out of respect for the team I thought they might want to make a public announcement themselves. I had no idea Grubby and JR got parked too. Thats a damn shame.

You know with NHRA's profit margin where it is I'm really surprised that the raise for the fuel cars haven't come sooner. A least make it so the teams break even and then find ways to cut costs on top of that. The economic model has long been broken.

 

[Bill]

All the large corporations are in full crisis mode. It's too bad but doesn't surprise me.

The WORLD economy is in the toilet thanks to some very greedy players on Wall St. and not one of them has been indicted for the mess they've gotten us into. Sitting over here in Asia, I can tell you they are laying off employees by the thousands so the next year or two are going to be very sparse for sponsorships. It may be longer because it generally takes a year or two after things improve for the money to start flowing again.

This truly sucks....

 

[D]

Well this sucks, it seems like things are only going to get worse before they get better.
S/F
D

 

[Leebone]

Dare I say, NHRA/IHRA merger? It could help fill the ladder, at least in the fuel ranks.

Yeah, ... I know....ain't gonna happen.

 

[JIMBO]

I find it odd that there in no mention of this on NHRA.com Absolutely no stories of these teams are listed. What are they afraid of... we will cancel our tickets ?
I know Scoop is a writer for them but his link was not.

 

[Dago]

Sponsorships are not what they appear. You hear on these message boards how many of the top owners usually supplement their sponsor dollars with dollars out of their pocket. Mr. Powers is in the home construction business and we all know how well that industry is doing. Don't know if that is the case, I'm not an insider, but the fact is no one is doing good -- unless you worked for Wall Street and just got part of the $700 billion pie.
I'm hoping it is just a cyclical thing because remember in 1984 before Indy when Top Fuel was looking DOA? But I don't know. Like someone has already said on this thread, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

 

[PJ]

I find it odd that there in no mention of this on NHRA.com Absolutely no stories of these teams are listed. What are they afraid of... we will cancel our tickets ?
I know Scoop is a writer for them but his link was not.

WAS a writer for them

 

[Paul]

It is sad to see another team go away. Unfortunately, I don't think this will be the last one. It will be a tough year for sure.