Is loyalty out the window in NASCAR?

[FS Myron]

Jeremy Mayfield has been unceremoniously dumped from his #19 ride after making the Chase the last two years. Mark McFarland didn't even last a season at JR Motorsports. Todd Parrett is back at Yates for his 27th time or something like that. Are Gordon and Stewart going to be the last two drivers to stick with a team for more than 10 years? (And yes, I know Stewart hasn't been there 10 years yet, but trust me, he will be.

[Butterbean]

All of these things you speak of has been going on since the beginning of the sport (NASCAR).  There has been a few drivers that have stuck with a team/owner for 10 years or more, but there's been more that hasn't.

[Colorado NASCAR Fan]

The whole Jeremy situation shouldn't be surprising. You don't run your mouth about how bad the team is to the media and expect to keep your job.  Of course, this is Jeremy we are talking about. He did the same thing at Penske...

I wouldn't consider any of the changes to be loyalty related...Its called sponsors wanting to be at the top of the mountain. I think Junior was doing what he had to for that team.  Navy was wanting results and they weren't getting them with Marc.  Martin Jr ran that car a few times and showed it had potential.

And Butterbean is right...this has been going on since the beginning of the NASCAR and it will continue to happen.  It's called human nature.

[Chris]

The whole Jeremy situation shouldn't be surprising. You don't run your mouth about how bad the team is to the media and expect to keep your job.  Of course, this is Jeremy we are talking about. He did the same thing at Penske...

You're 100% right CNF... Amen

As far as 'loyality' in Nascar,... I think the DRIVERS are the ones that screwed the pooch on that one.
Best I remember the owners were willing to stick it out with the drivers,.. but the drivers wanted to get out of contracts EARLY (this goes back years),... or talk to other owners about going somewhere else behind their current owners back a year or more before their current contact was up.
SO the drivers (and their egos) are always looking for something bigger and better...  I don't BLAME the owners for FINALLY getting tired of it and firing drivers and dropping them mid-season.  Turn about is fair play.
They've had it comng for YEARS

[Checkeredflag]

Loyalty may be out the window for some drivers, but for others, it's rewarded.

If you look at the 13 drivers who still have hopes to make the Chase, the following drivers signed farily recent contract extensions to stay with their present team....

Johnson, Kenseth, Harvick, Martin, Stewart, Gordon, Junior and Biffle.  That's 8 of them.  Kyle Busch, Hamlin, Edwards and Kahne are all in their first contracts with their teams.  That's a total of 11.

The only 2 drivers who switched teams are Burton and Kurt Busch.

But, if you look lower in the standings, only Newman, Nemechek and Petty have history with their current teams.  Other than the rookies in the 18, 07, 40 and 41, the other drivers have all changed rides in the last year or two.

I don't believe that loyalty is out the window, but I believe that disloyalty shows up as a lack of results on the track. 

[Chris]

yeah you got a good point there CF...
You could even take that back to last year and include Rusty Wallace who had been with Penske for years,.. and made the chase.

[Colorado NASCAR Fan]

I don't believe that loyalty is out the window, but I believe that disloyalty shows up as a lack of results on the track. 

I totally agree!  There is a huge amount of pressure to provide results.  Even if it isn't the drivers fault (ie bad equipment), generally it's the driver to be released.

[Dustcloud]

CF, I'm not sure you can count the years the guys in the 38, 88, 42 (Yeah he was in the 41 last year but it's the same team) as "changed rides in the last year or two." (althought two of them are going to) Or Newman. Or how about how many years has Blaney worked with BDR? Heck, Mayfield was with Evernham Motorsports since 2002. It's not exactly like he hopped in and hopped out. And you phrased your comment as though the drivers are the only "disloyal" ones, but I'd like someone to take a look through the drivers who HAVE changed in the last two years and tell me how many were fired, not quit.

Disloyalty has come both ways. Owners have been firing drivers as long as drivers have been trying to get out of contracts. And disloyalty also CUTS both ways. Should a driver whose team is falling in points year after year be forced to stick with the team that's circling the bowl out of some stupidly blanket concept of the term?

I hate the term "disloyal" because it's a loaded word. Loyalty is good as long as both sides are holding up their end of the bargain so to speak, but along with loyalty has to come common sense. This is a business. You know why those drivers in the top 10 are extending their contracts? Because both sides are satisfied with their results, not because they're being "loyal."  Because if it ain't broke... or in other words, if they weren't in the top fifteen or so cars, you can bet they WOULD be looking to get out of their contracts, or at least changing things up. Sure you have to work together a while to get chemistry working right, but to claim the long-term relationship is the cause rather than the effect of good results on-track is saying the tail wags the dog.

[Chris]

ohh uh.. I agree,.. You also got a good point duster

[Checkeredflag]

I should have been a little more clear, Dustcloud.

I was also counting the guys who have already informed their teams that they will be leaving at season's end, such as the drivers of the 88, 38, 42, 25, etc.  So, you're right - my bad. 

I mentioned Newman as an example of one of the few who had remained with his current team.

I don't know how many years Blaney worked with BDR in the past, but I do know that he was with the 77 for several seasons and last season he was in RCR's 07, so that counts as changing teams in the recent past.  Doesn't it?

I guess I didn't count Mayfield because (although prior to his firing), he was one of the drivers rumored to be leaving, but you're right on that one - Mayfield should have been included with Newman, Petty and Nemechek (at least at the time I wrote it, if not now - LOL).

I guess the bottom line is that success breeds loyalty, but it also seems that loyalty breeds success. 

And, I'll end this before I get myself in deeper trouble!! 

[LeeAnne331]

Lately I don't understand the point in even having a contract...  Drivers ask to be released early (especially lately) or the owners dump them out of their contracts early....  Why even bother writing one up???

[ROOKER]

Loyality went out the door in the early 90's with all sports.. Bird.. WAS ALL GREEN.... Magic... Bled Purple.... Jordan... True Bull.....The King...STP KING   enough said.