By David G. Firestone
Back again this week, got a few stories to talk about, so without further ado, let’s get started.
Our first story centers around a couple little details about the new NASCAR Cup Series charter deal. Apparently, as part of this deal, according to Jayski:
“Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass confirmed Friday that the new charter agreement limits teams to three charters going forward.
Teams with four charters – Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing – are grandfathered in and can continue to run four chartered cars.
Those teams that operate with three charters can enter a fourth car in races and run it as an open team.”
It was also revealed that Front Row Motorsports had finalized a purchase of one of Stewart-Haas Racing’s charters, which came about as part of a court order in the anti-trust lawsuits. Noah Gragson will be driving the #4.
Is it just me, or has the charter system caused more issues than it fixed? Again, look at all the chartered teams that have gone bust since its inception. Look at how none of the teams are profitable right now. When HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS can’t make a dime of profit for years, you think the smaller teams can?
While I get the idea of cost-cutting, at some point you just have to look at all the damage this system has done, and look at all the issues it’s caused, and realize it has failed. The charter system is not sustainable, it never was. NASCAR needs to assess its options, and work with the Race Team Alliance to come up with something better. The original system wasn’t great, the negotiations and their end were a disaster. This new version isn’t much better.
NASCAR and their teams need to realize the survival of the sport is at stake, and with this bullshit streaming deal starting in 2025, that survival is even less stable. The NASCAR Cup Series has six races on Amazon Prime. They lose an average of 1.2 million viewers from broadcast to cable. I can’t fathom how many users Amazon Prime will hemorrhage, including THE COCA COLA 600! How anyone thought this will work is mind-boggling!
Speaking of mind boggling, let’s talk Rick Ware Racing. Rick Ware Racing is a punching bag for NASCAR fans, and justifiably so. Between the length of time and number of teams they fielded, four cars at one time, to their TOTAL lack of on-track success. Rick Ware Racing has proven themselves as a joke.
But for a while in 2024, thing seemed to be looking up. They snagged Corey LaJoie from Spire Motorsports, as well as having Zane Smith as well. It actually seemed like they finally started to make the right moves, and start moving forward. It was really nice while it lasted. Not only did they lose Zane Smith to Front Row Motorsports, but they cut Corey LaJoie from the team as well. Now, while they only have a single-chartered car, the #51, they will run the #15 part time. So, who did they get to replace Corey LaJoie? Well, according to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass…CODY FUCKING WARE!
WHY?!? Who in their right mind would replace Corey LaJoie with Cody Ware? Why would you replace Corey LaJoie with Cody Ware? Who, outside of Rick Ware, thought this was a good idea? How out of touch with racing is Rick Ware to replace Corey LaJoie with his son? Cody has done nothing, and I mean NOTHING in his life, let along his career, to justify a full-time Cup Series ride! Corey LaJoie was the best and most obvious choice to race full-time, and they just blew that up!
Is this real? Is this reality? How in the name of all that is good do you give CODY WARE a full-time ride over COREY FREAKIN’ LAJOIE? I’m struggling to comprehend the logic here! I really am! I get you want the best for your son, but sometimes, you just have to cut your losses! Which is more important, your son’s career, or Rick Ware Racing as an organization? I ask that seriously, because they are on the verge of losing their charters for lack of performance, and this doesn’t do them any favors! SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?
This whole thing is almost like being a Chicago Bears fan! I say almost, because the Bears just beat the Packers since the first time since 2018! Even the Shad and Tony Khan Jacksonville Jaguars can win four games in a season! Even the worst teams can find some success sometimes. Rick Ware Racing has NEVER found success, 10 years after they should have stopped trying! At this point, I predict within the next three years, Rick Ware Racing will either go bust, lose their charters, or sell their charters. There is no other option! At this point, Rick Ware should focus his attention on Clay Millican’s Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA, since Millican can, not only win, but win multiple races in the same season! Clay Millican is Rick Ware’s best option, and I’m willing to bet he will mess that up too!
With that, I can’t rant anymore so, I’ll just call things here. I’ll be back next week.
Sources Cited:
The Driver Suit Blog 