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Erik Darnell's future with Roush Fenway Racing appears uncertain
By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Erik Darnell's future with Roush Fenway Racing isn't clear at this point.
Jeff Robinson
NASCAR Scene
CONCORD, N.C. – Erik Darnell, Roush Fenway Racing’s last “Driver X,” appears to be without a ride in the organization for 2010.
Darnell won the team’s “Gong Show” competition in 2004, earning a seat in what was is now known as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. But after running three full seasons in Trucks, Darnell was moved to part-time duty in the Nationwide Series for 2009.
Darnell, who also has run a handful of Sprint Cup races for Roush Fenway affiliate Hall of Fame Racing this season, may not have a seat with the team next year.
“We’re open with Erik,” Roush Fenway co-owner Jack Roush said Tuesday. “We’re open to do something with Erik, and I’d very much like to. But right now, I don’t have a sponsor to stand in line that has singled out Erik. I’m just not certain.”
Darnell has two victories in the Truck series with the team after winning the competition known as “Driver X: Race for the Ride” that was broadcast on the Discovery Channel.
He has two top-five and five top-10 finishes in 13 Nationwide starts this year.
“It’ll be a great sadness if we’re not able to continue to build his career,” Roush said, “but I’m not sure it’s going to be possible.”
Mentioned Drivers: Erik Darnell
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6492 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -108 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -169 |
| 4 | Kurt Busch | -211 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -285 |
| 6 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -289 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -321 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | -352 |
| 9 | Ryan Newman | -411 |
| 10 | Kasey Kahne | -476 |
| 11 | Carl Edwards | -520 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -666 |
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16 responses to "Erik Darnell's future with Roush Fenway Racing appears uncertain". Post a Comment.
Phoenix987 said:
Oct 13, 2009 at 7:59 PMSo basically, Roush is screwing him over. Great to know, considering he could be running Top-5 every week in the Truck series if Roush hadn't forced him out.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJGRFan4Life said:
Oct 13, 2009 at 8:48 PMFinally, I find someone else who gets it. I've been predicting for months that with sponsors wanting Edwards back in N'Wide and with Braun and Stenhouse moving up that Darnell would get screwed over just like Roush did to Danny O'Quinn.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhoenix987 said:
Oct 13, 2009 at 9:26 PMThe problem really is that NT&E just doesn't have the money to do more than a few Cup races, so unless he finds some money, and a lot of it, he ain't racing.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportchad_on_a_cordless said:
Oct 14, 2009 at 5:58 AM3 full seasons in a fully funded Roush truck and only 2 wins? He ain't got it, never going to get it. He should thank Roush for the opportunity.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Oct 14, 2009 at 4:36 PMi watched him race the short traks in WI...it surprised me that Jack put Ragan ahead of Eric...must have been $$$$....
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» Confirm Abuse Reportesadler19fan said:
Oct 14, 2009 at 6:08 PMErik welcome to Danny O'Quinn's reality via Jack in the Hat. Both Erik and Danny are better drivers than David just don't have the "look". Jack will do nothing further to advance Erik's career.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportspeedracer578 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 2:18 AMHow is it Jack Roush's fault that he can't find sponsorship for Erik Darnell? I like Erik and think he deserves a chance in the Nationwide series, but if the funding isn't there, it isn't there. It's unfortunate that sponsors would rather fund a Cup driver like Edwards than to sponsor an up-and-coming driver, but Roush can't do anything about that.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjbbigrod said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 2:34 AMCarl DRAWS fans, and money for the sponsors. Erik doesn't. - - - WHY did Jack choose David Ragan over Erik Darnell? Simple, MARK MARTIN strongly recommended that David be put in the number 6 Sprint car. And obviously UPS likes him enough to support him. He better do better soon too, though; or after next year his ride might be in question. - - - How many races has Colin won? I think it is two this year, right? HE was having a bad year too in the first half but came alive. And I do like watching him race, WHEN they show him. Naturally since it is a Toyota dominated race, by the shear numbers, THEY get all the attention along with the usual Chuvies. - - - I do think Erik has some talent there, and sure hope he gets a chance for something. . . . . . I do miss Danny in a good Ford, also. I watched that whole episode of the Gong Show and loved it.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmelanschool said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 6:01 AMThanks for playing kid, there's the door.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJSprague24 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 9:44 AMAnother "development driver" bites the dust with his Cup team. No surprise here. It's the story of today's Nationwide Series & what a pathetic joke it's become. It's also why I, with few exceptions, don't care about Nationwide anymore as a fan. I haven't regularly watched the series in years. (Honestly couldn't tell you who won last week.)
Report as AbuseJack said "But right now, I don’t have a sponsor to stand in line that has singled out Erik." Well gee, Jack, why take a chance on sponsoring the next young driver when they can sponsor Carl Edwards & pay less because it's on Saturday?
Anybody remember Todd Kleuver, the heir apparent to the Mark Martin in the 6? How are the young guys like Darnell, O'Quinn & Kleuver supposed to get experience & exposure in the series when guys like Roush is only giving them a 5-race stint when Kenseth doesn't want to run. That doesn't give an up and coming driver much time to show himself off & even if he runs well, it may not be enough. Look at what happened to Mike Bliss, a veteran regular that got fired by James Finch despite a win, 10 top 10s & being 6th in points at the time. Phoenix Racing had to have been desperate to join the fad of having Buschwhackers run the races, because you're racing for 3rd in that series today anyway.
I've got a bad feeling Stenhouse will lose his ride next year, while Kenseth/Biffle/Ragan get to continue running on Saturdays because the sponsors would rather have them. Roush isn't the only guilty one, either. JGR (Almirola, Coleman), Hendrick/JR Motorsports (Cassill), RCR (Leicht), looking in all your directions here. Let's pull Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton & Kasey Kahne out of AAA & give their rides to the kids & the veterans of the series. Make the series more like it was in the late '90s/early 2000s.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportpapaof4ncrc said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 10:39 AMRoush has awhole team that evaluates the drivers from performance to marketbility.To many people involved.Remeember the lady who called O'Quinn a bubba and said she wouldn't be able to market him.Years before they started doing thier filming they had thier annual gong show and David Gilliland led all in on track performance,and said they couldn't market him because he was married and had children.After it took him a few years to go back south and run with a part time team.Then he wins Kentucky and Roush tries to grab him but Yates had already talked to him.Rather he had gone to Roush but they had the chance,and family values were not big on thier list.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportoldgirl said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 10:53 AMWell said jsprague24. Erik is a very good driver. He was put in a difficult situation in both N-wide and the Cup sides. How can he develop a relationship with crew chief and crew in those few races? And in regards to #8, Braun has only won one race total in his nearly two full years in the trucks and he is getting all the resources there, not splitting like in the past! Jack loves Braun cuz he has a road-racing background. I hope the rich kid falls flat! I don't think Ricky will do well either after seeing him run an entire ARCA series--not impressed, but a nice kid. I maybe all wrong, but just my feeling! Erik is superior over both of these drivers! So sad. Losing my nearly 50 years of auto racing love over this stuff!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 11:29 AMdon't forget jr motorsports with all the cup drivers sharing.shouldn't he be giving these guys a chance? oops, forgot jr is above the critics wrath!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjbbigrod said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 12:59 PMIt is ALL about money folks. IF they don't bring in the money, they can't race, period. It is simple economics. It is even the same in the lesser types of racing. It costs a lot of money to race ANY kind of car. Parts do not come cheap, even if you do ALL your own building like I used to. Then you have to go up against the "professional" builders, racing with people who couldn't find the right end of the wrench to put on the bolt; let alone figure out better ways to build their car to be fast. - - - So it all boils down to SPONSORship. Without it you don't survive, and this is especially at the levels we are talking about here. You can't make it on race winnings alone. I like Erik, and he is a very good racer. But he didn't win enough either to really draw the sponsors. Colin hasn't won enough either, but for some reason he is getting them. Personally I would rather that Jack had added a whole bunch of drivers and trucks to the truck league and dropped Nationwide instead. But that is just me, as I am more of a TRUCK person than a car person. Most of my street rods have been trucks over the years, and the two I am working on now are also trucks. I just love trucks. - - - And I for one LOVED "Bubba". I have forgotten a lot of the "finer" points of the Gong Show, number 11, thanks for the reminder. I still wish Danny was in a good Ford ride, but evidently he isn't BECAUSE he is not that Suave, debonaire TYPE of person that is a "Chick Magnet" that the sponsors are looking for. Too bad too, because he is fun to watch and even listen to. - - - Just like I was surprised that Kevin won on America's Got Talent this year. He surely is no Chick magnet. I ONLY voted for him, because he touched my heart, like I am sure he did to many. But his voice is not one of the BEST, so when he records, I wonder HOW MANY will actually BUY his recordings??? - - - It is the same in racing, the sponsor wants to get a MUCH bang for his buck, and WANTS a 'popular" driver.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjbbigrod said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 1:05 PMSorry, a typo error in my above post. It should have read: "as MUCH bang for his buck as he can get". . . . Sorry.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 5:01 PMit made for a good "gong show" that Jack had...
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