When does a Sponsor say, Enough is Enough?

[flamehothead]

I have to give smyler the credit for this Post because of a Comment he made. He asked, How can a racer be in the Top series in the U.S.A. and NOT make the field for the 5th time in a row? I would answer that with another Question, Good QuestionLOL? Now this post isn't just to pick on Mikey but to ask when does a Sponsor say, Thanks but we will be leaving your team now. I guess a more important question would be, Is their any talen out there that needs a Sponsor?  I really thought that NAPA would have stayed with DEI and hooked up with someone like Menard but Mikey had won a couple of races with NAPA so they probably thought there was some bad blood between Mikey and DEI. Then you have Team Red Bull who IMO could have picked a couple different drivers than Allmendinger & Vickers but I honestly think they were picked because Red Bull wanted that Image. Ya know, the Young guy Image but I think they may have found out that age doesn't mean Squat in Nascar, It's about Skill and both of their drivers lack some of that. I know Vickers won a race but I'm not even going there. Me personally, I don't think Johnny Sauter has been given a chance to really show his Talent but he just can't seem to catch a break with a Top team and there are a couple of drivers in the same situation as he is in. I guess the whole point I am trying to make is, It sems like Alot of the New and a couple Old Sponsors don't really look at Skill as much as they look at something like, We have Micheal Waltrip DW's little brother and he is a good spokesman or look at our Young Guns with the cool hair and their cool shades. Heck, Red Bull is supposed to give you Wings but I think they may have to change that Logo because neither of their drivers are even CLOSE to flying LMAO. Damn, I made a Funny. When Dupont went with J.Gordon they did it because of his Talent and look where it has gotten them and the same goes for alot of drivers. I mean think about all of the drivers who have had the same Sponsor for years and they still have them even when their drivers have gone thru a Slump and a very good Example is Rusty Wallace. I went back and did some figureing and since 1997(10 years) he has started 313 races and won 9 times BUT Miller never left his side and why, He had Skill. It SURE wasn't his Hair or his Age but he has and always will be my favorite.

[Chris]

Thats a good question FHH...
As we have saw with the teamowner / driver contracts... they aren't worth the paper they are written on.
Not sure about team / sponsor contracts.  I am sure there are instances of a sponsor backing out mid-season.  but I am drawing a blank and none come to mind right now (I think I need to go to bed)... LOL
Anyway,.. obviously in MOST events it would be the sponsor breaking the contract.  WHo has a sponsor and wants to get RID of him..??
I can see NAPA starting to get concerned... poor results, and missed races LAST season,.. and ONLY way he made the one race he did this year is because of Daytona's unique qualifying format (he raced his way in)
Otherwise he would have been sent home EVERY week

Not sure just HOW LONG NAPA (or UPS for that matter) wil put up with missing races every week (once DJ drops out of the top 35 in points).  THEY MAY (I said MAY) stick it out for all of 2007... but it'd surprise me if they come back with MWR for more punishment in 2008 without some SUBSTANCIAL inprovement towards the last 1/3 of the year.

[Blu]

Good points and thoughts to ponder from both of you.
And...I agree.


Ya know..Im REALLY surprised that some of these sponsors dont have some sort of "performance gaurantee" clause written into their contracts. (maybe they do...anyone know for sure of any??)

You know...like a  "minimum performance" clause, like ..ohh...dropping out of the top 35 in points for "X" number of  weeks, or not making "X" amount of races, "X" number of top 20's, etc would  give the sponsor the right to void the contract at their discretion.

I KNOW In the NFL players have "performance clauses "witten into their contracts that are usually for bonuses if a player performs at a certain level or gains "X" number of  yards, etc.

It seems it would be a very prudent thing for a sponsor to do IMO. They are after all putting up a great deal of $$ and want to see their name out there ...and really, who  can balme them?

And a sort of incentive for a team or driver to get it together a tad. OR could even be worded as to say "IF team "X" performs at, our above "X" level there  are bonuses, or gaurentees of  additional years of sponsorship".


Makes it a real incentive to a team, AND provides an out for a sponsor who's  team just isnt cutting the mustard.

IF I was a sponsor I can guarentee that my contract would be worded something like that! Were talking a LOT of money here and I darn sure want an out if Im not getting my $$ worth.
I could be patient for a bit, ALL teams have slumps, problems,etc. I know.....but cmon. There IS a limit to anyones patience.

Just thinkig out loud...

[HUDSON HORNET]

Makes it a real incentive to a team, AND provides an out for a sponsor who's  team just isnt cutting the mustard.

When sponsors are recruiting thier drivers right out of the sand box, what do they expect?

Back in the day, a driver paid their dues over a period of years, going up through the ranks to gain experience. Now-a-daze, a driver goes from Bob The Builder uniforms to flying a sponsor's colors, and is expected to perform to a SPONSOR'S expectations?

Shouldn't there be some expectations that a sponsor has a firm grasp on reality? This bring 'em up to burn 'em out --- in short order --- isn't exactly what the pediatrician ordered.
Drivers who would otherwise have a good chance to succeed are now routinely chewed up and spit out --- along with their careers. After spending a decade or two building up to the big times, then thrown to the wolves too early can't be good for the industry. Then, throw into the mix that sponsors seem to be more interested in a pretty face to sell their wares and the field of potential stars is greatly narrowed.

Nope! If a sponsor wants to take a chance on a pretty face over a more qualified driver, I say they get what they deserve when a pretty face fizzles. The road to success is narrow. And very few routes actually get a delivery to it's destination. Out of route miles don't count on the hubometer no matter how they're logged.

**(a little trucker lingo for my bud, Blu)** 

[FS_Amy]

Some sponsors do have a clause that stipulates that if a team fails to qualify for a race, the team must reimburse the sponsor a set amount of money. 

[HUDSON HORNET]

Some sponsors do have a clause that stipulates that if a team fails to qualify for a race, the team must reimburse the sponsor a set amount of money. 

That being the case, would it be possible for a team to owe the sponsor at the end of the season?

Let's hope Mikey doesn't have a clause like that in HIS contract. 

[SMOKEN14]

That being the case, would it be possible for a team to owe the sponsor at the end of the season?

Let's hope Mikey doesn't have a clause like that in HIS contract. 

OUCH that could hurt

[KurtBuschFan]

Well you'd think the sponsors would know the risk they took by being on the Toyota cars right now.  It's partially a hazard of being a new manufacturer.  But Mikey REALLY needs to start making races soon.

[flamehothead]

IMO when a driver has the kinda stats that Mikey has a Sponsor would say, SEEYA.

Mikey has 214 starts with the NAPA colors BUT he has visited Victory Lane only 4 times. I honestly think NAPA stays with Mikey for the simple fact the he is a good Spokesman for them and even I must admit the Commercials are Pretty Funny. Maybe they should hire him to do Commercials instead of giving him Millions to put there name on the car when it just sits in the Shop. I always thought a Sponsor liked to see their name on a race car during the race but I guess not.

[Checkeredflag]

If NAPA didn't put a performance clause in its contract with Waltip, then they deserve to be suffering through this season the way they are, because that would have been really dumb.

I don't know whether UPS stuck a clause in as well, but again, they've been in the sport a long time, and should know enough to do so.  On the other hand, UPS chose to go with Jarrett, probably because it was cheaper than having to create a whole new marketing campaign.

Burger King and Dominoes are splitting time on the car so have much less of an individual investment in it, and every time Reutimann has raced his exits have been spectaular (poor guy), so maybe they'll feel like they are getting their money's worth. 

Waltip's season has been such a disaster that I find myself hoping he makes a race, just because I feel so sorry for him.  I know he was greedy by deciding to go with a start-up 3 car organization, and then terminally stupid for what they pulled at Daytona, but I do feel a little bad for Mikey the driver, you know?   No one expected him to run up front, but I expected him to at least make a few races.

[Chris]

Maybe they should hire him to do Commercials instead of giving him Millions to put there name on the car when it just sits in the Shop

One thing about it... he can't tear anything up and it sitting in the shop... LOL
NAPA should get some money BACK at the end of the season... Look at all that money he is saving in repairs, tires, etc...

[PuglieseVT]

I have a weird feeling about this one.

Remember back in the mid 90's when Micheal Jordan "retired" shortly after he was found out to have a little bit of a gambling problem, and his father was found murdered on the side of a highway, taking a nap in his car? (Seriously, who just stops on the side of a deserted highway to cop some Z's....)


He missed a few years, played minor leauge baseball (poorly), then came back out of retirement.


I almost wonder if this has been a self-imposed exile by MWR and NASCAR. Instead of really embarrsing Toyota and suspending him for five races, they spared him the embarrasment of that, and just said, "well....you won't qualify for the next few races...". Reutimann seems to have a decent car, and I don't think Micheal Waltrip being the flagship driver of his team is going to have inferiror equipment.

Just a conspiracy theory proposed by my dad. He predicts Mikey will qualify 25th this weekend at Martinsville.

[KurtBuschFan]

Wouldn't that be crazy if you were right about that....don't know about conspiracy theories, but maybe.

[ChromeHorn]

Damn Vito, I can usually spot a conspiracy theory coming a mile away, but you'll have to buy a beer for your dad for me. Whether or not it's true is anyone's guess. I suppose we'll see this weekend, huh?

BTW (since Mikey is taking a beating already...) I hear NAPA is not happy at all. For Mikey's sake this had better be NASCAR's form of under-the-table punishment.

[falcon325]

I almost wonder if this has been a self-imposed exile by MWR and NASCAR. Instead of really embarrsing Toyota and suspending him for five races, they spared him the embarrasment of that, and just said, "well....you won't qualify for the next few races...". Reutimann seems to have a decent car, and I don't think Micheal Waltrip being the flagship driver of his team is going to have inferiror equipment.

Just a conspiracy theory proposed by my dad. He predicts Mikey will qualify 25th this weekend at Martinsville.

I dunno, Bitter. 

Occam’s Razor is the principle used in science that the simplest explanation is probably the right one. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor

So consider two possibilities:

1)  After finding white lightnin’ in the 55’s fuel at Daytona, NA$CAR made a secret deal to avoid embarrassing Toyota that required Mikey to blow his qualifying efforts for the next four races in lieu of a suspension.

2)  Bless his heart, Mikey just ain’t that great a driver.

Hmmmmmm