2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series - Team Chart

[caissefan]

IF Rick Hendrick does have an opinion on who drives the 88 car,my guess would be Landon. Rick is a good part of the reason why Landon was in the 51 all season,even when the performance didn't meet Reno/Finch expectations.

Im hoping it is not a mix of cup drivers,but i fear it may be.


Anyone think the 88 will be "second car" to Danica's 7 team?

[scf]

Exactly, Jr dumped Landon out of the 88 even tho he won ROTY. For some reason Jr does not seem to like Landon. Rick uses Landon to help test the HMS car as well as Rick helping him get the 51 ride last season.

[MichaelCMTX]

It was a help to Landon that even though he didn't excel in the 51 and has been dumped, he managed to survive a potential mid-season firing. 

His problem now is I doubt even if he stays at Hendrick he'll never be more than a test-driver.  Case in point, when they needed a guy for the 5 they went with Kandy Kahne.  Ideally if Hendrick runs any kind of Nationwide program he needs a full-time deal and not to be the "fill in guy" when the Cup All Stars aren't available. Now I preaching that same sermon when they put Kelly Bires in a JR Car, Hendrick has the clout to be able to say "Landon's the guy in this ride, you can build a marketing plan around that, no we're not putting Jimmie in at Daytona."  Pepsi made enough money in the time I wrote this to fund that deal.

Because Landon's days as a hot young commodity are numbered, and coming up on the horizon is being THAT CLOSE to the show and missing out. The next Brad Coleman?   

[Rowdy]

Does Dale Jr still like Steve Arpin? Because I could see him getting the #88 if Almirola goes to Cup.

[regansmithfan4life]

What about Josh Wise to the 88?

[Rowdy]

What about Josh Wise to the 88?

Wise has a deal to run Cup for Max Q Motorsports. Then again, considering that Skinner drove the rest of the year after Wise failed to make Talladega, who knows if that went anywhere?

[MichaelCMTX]

Wise has a deal to run Cup for Max Q Motorsports. Then again, considering that Skinner drove the rest of the year after Wise failed to make Talladega, who knows if that went anywhere?

Given that choice, who here would really say "I'd rather be with Max Q, in Cup, but struggling to make races rather than actually in contention in Nationwide with the 88."?

[Rowdy]

Apparently Wise isn't an option. Jim Utter is saying that the leading candidates to replace Almriola are Cole Whitt and David Ragan.

Meanwhile, Kurt Busch is supposedly going to run the #1 a few races from the sound of it. And Jason Leffler will apparently move down to the Truck Series to drive the #18.

[JDMfan]

My guess would be Cole witt using red bull money or landon cassill with the hendrick influence

[Rowdy]

Red Bull sponsoring Whitt isn't an option, since Earnhardt has a deal with PepsiCo. Also, there's still some animosity between him and Cassill over the whole deal in 2009.

[MichaelCMTX]

My guess would be Cole witt using red bull money or landon cassill with the hendrick influence

That Cole's name is in the mix says something.  Red Bull money or no, I think he showed enough flashes of good in 2011 to have a shot.

And at this point, I know Hendrick will be around NASCAR a couple more years, Red Bull already cashed in their biggest chips.

[jaysfan]

There was an article on the ol yeller site, Red Bull were possibly interested in sponsoring Travis Pastrana in Nationwide

[Rowdy]

Trouble is, MWR's got a deal with 5-Hour in Cup now.

[TNT]

Yellow site says that Whitt is the leading candidate for the #88...It seems like Ragan will be lucky if he gets a truck to park now.Cant remember the last time i heard a driver's name being called so much only to have deals fall through.

[GotFaith?]

Whitt makes sense as is more likely to have sponsorship coming with him. Could easily see Fuel Doctor or Red Bull on the #88 next year, along with Tax Slayer, Hellmann's.

Does make you wonder about GT Vodka. Whitt won't turn 21 until June.