Team Rensi wants to stay in NASCAR, will continue sponsor search
By SceneDaily Staff
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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Team Rensi Motorsports officials say they hold out hope of returning for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series season and will continue searching for a sponsor in order to stay in business.
The team lost Smithfield Foods as a sponsor last Monday, and driver Bobby Hamilton Jr. said last week the team would close its doors by December if a sponsor isn’t found.
“We are busy working on some opportunities, but the sport isn’t as healthy as it needs to be right now, and sponsors aren’t climbing out of the woodwork,” Team Rensi Motorsports co-owner Gary Weisbaum said. “We have done a great job for all of our sponsors in the past, and every single one agrees with that statement. We just need someone to step forward so we can continue to work with this special group of employees we have at Team Rensi Motorsports.
“It’s so upsetting to know we have worked so hard and done such a great job and not be able to compete in the sport anymore. We are open to all opportunities, whether it is a 15-race program, a full season or something in between.”
Smithfeld Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jim Schloss said the decision to leave NASCAR was a business decision based on rising cost in the meat industry.
“In absolutely no way was the decision by Smithfield Foods to exit NASCAR as part of our marketing mix a function of any shortcoming or failure to perform by Team Rensi over the four years of working together,” Schloss said. “Our decision was solely based on the fact that due to the unprecedented rise in corn costs and the meteoric rise in oil prices and other products critical to our business, we have to cut out a number of programs, and NASCAR is one of those.”
Team Rensi is exploring opportunities to stay in racing in either NASCAR's Nationwide, truck or Camping World East series or even in ARCA.
"All we are searching for now is an opportunity to keep the doors open, keep our employees on board and to help a new sponsor grow their business," team President Ronnie Russell said.
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Bobby Hamilton Jr.
Comments
1 response to "Team Rensi wants to stay in NASCAR, will continue sponsor search"
Tom Jones said:
Sep 18, 2008 at 6:53 AMThis team had two cars running the full schedule just a few years ago and failed to take advantage of it and look where they are now.
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