Riley still interested in NASCAR ownership
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bill Riley, whose family is well known in the building of open-wheel and road-racing chassis, has not soured on NASCAR after his fledgling Riley/D'Hondt Racing has closed its doors.
The team ran one Cup race in 2007 after Riley and Eddie D'Hondt announced its formation in 2006.
Riley had moved his company from Indianapolis to Charlotte, in part to be more connected to NASCAR.
"Eddie and I were promised a lot of things and had a lot of signed documents and promises, and they just didn't work out," Riley said. "It was simple as that. ... It's not an easy place to get in. It's not like you can walk in and beat the 48 team [of Jimmie Johnson].
"But that's where you need to be in motorsports. You need to be involved with that series."
While he has seen some new Cup teams struggle (Red Bull Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing) in 2007 and watched his initial NASCAR efforts fall through, Riley believes it's possible to still break into the sport.
"I'd like to try," Riley said Friday at Daytona International Speedway where his company had several cars testing for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. "There's some people talking to me, but I'm really taking my time with it.
"I have quite a bit of commitments with sports-car racing right now. ... The next time I get an opportunity to come in, I will be a bit more cautious [with potential sponsors] and a bit slower."
