NASCAR Nationwide Series team owner Armando Fitz ponders future
Nationwide Series team owner Armando Fitz isn’t sure if he wants to bring his Fitz Motorsports team back for 2009.
Fitz has had a difficult year, personally and professionally, and doesn’t know if he wants to fight the battle as an independent team owner. Fitz lost both of his parents in 2005 but said this year has been nearly as difficult.
“I really never thought I could have a year worse than what I had in ’05, losing my parents within six months of each other,” Fitz said. “This year has been right there. It’s not just the competition side of it. It’s the sponsors and employees, just everything. It’s been a bad year, a hard year.”
Fitz is currently separated from his wife, Mimi.
“It’s hard. It’s been hard on [the four children],” Fitz said. “It’s been tough. ... This year, I haven’t been there. It’s been tough.”
Fitz’s troubles this year began when a sponsorship that would have backed a second team, the No. 36, for Kenny Wallace, fell through and Fitz said he spent money building that team before the deal collapsed.
“We were on our way to having a really, really good year... ,” Fitz said. “It would’ve been a whole different ballgame.”
Later, Mike Bliss, driver of the team’s No. 22 Dodge, left the team and sued for salary and purse money he said Fitz owed him. Bliss won a judgment in the suit.
After Bliss left, Fitz used a revolving door of drivers and slipped to 23rd in owner points.
And now, Fitz doesn’t know if he’ll be back or not.
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Fitz said. “I don’t know. I’ve got some sponsorship stuff. I don’t know if I can go through it. I’ve talked to a couple of investors. I don’t want to do it by myself. I’ve got to have help with the day-to-day business.”
Fitz has talked to investors about buying into the team, saying he has let investors know about his financial struggles and what debt any potential partner would need to assume.
Fitz said a merger with another Nationwide team isn’t likely.
“I would love to do that, but let’s not kid ourselves,” Fitz said. “My deal is a struggling deal. There are vendors that are owed money – and there are vendors who have been incredible with me and worked with me. Some of these other teams that are struggling, they’re like, ‘Why do I want to merge with another struggling team?’”
Fitz said he has sponsorship for 15 races for next season.
“I love this sport,” Fitz said. “I grew up playing football and basketball and played college sports. I love this sport. … Everyone says this sport gets hit the hardest because of the economy. Yeah, but at the end of the day, this sport also gives the biggest return to sponsors than the rest of them.”
“I want to stay in. I’ve done some good in this sport. I’ve brought in a lot of companies, I’ve given them a lot of return, I’ve given a lot of young drivers an opportunity in my cars that a lot of teams won’t do.”
