Thursday, July 23, 2009

DEWALT Will Not Return To Roush Fenway #17 Cup Team In 2010

With the economy still in a downswing, and sponsorship in NASCAR not as strong as it was a few years ago. One of the biggest industries that’s been hit the hardest is construction. Home Depot along with Lowes, which happen to be the country’s two largest home improvement warehouses, have seen their share of the declining economy. Home depot alone has already closed numerous stores, along with letting go of thousands of employee’s in the process. So its no wonder that the domino effect that always follows when hard times hit, was not that far off the horizon.

As sad as it may it seem since NASCAR does generate more of the advertising dollar, because of the different teams that race in the series. Now when you look at each of the different teams, how many of them run the same sponsor on each of their race cars? Now how surprising is it that Roush Fenway Racing who is NASCAR’s largest team operating nine Motorsports teams, was informed today that DEWALT Power Tools will not renew its sponsorship of Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team for the 2010 NASCAR season.

For those of us who know anything about the construction industry, or that have done their own home improvements already knows that DEWALT along with Makita, Skil, Bosch, Milwaukee, and Porter-Cable are the biggest suppliers of power tools to the construction industry. So with the construction industry steadily declining, it was just a matter of time before the power tool end of the industry would be hit. Especially since we are already witnessing the home improvement warehouses, steadily disappearing from the horizon.

Roush Fenway president Geoff Smith, who oversees all nine of the Roush Fenway teams which include five in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; three in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Ragan, Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Colin Braun; and one in the Camping World Truck Series with Braun.

Smith had this to say when he was told that DEWALT would no longer be part of the team in 2010, “We would like to thank DEWALT for serving as a great partner for the past 10 years. During that time we have seen great success for both their company and marketing program, as well as with Matt on the race track. They will always be remembered and honored as the sponsor of Jack Roush’s first Sprint Cup Championship team.”

The decision that DeWalt made was not because of Kenseth’s performance, especially when take into consideration that DEWALT has served as the primary sponsor on the No. 17 for the past 10 seasons. During that span Kenseth and the team matured into one of the most successful in the sport; winning 18 races, the 2000 Rookie of the Year Award, the 2003 Sprint Cup Championship, the 2009 Daytona 500 and qualifying for the Chase every year since its inception in 2004.

But instead the decision was based on the struggling economy said Smith. “Despite this success – in the face of the significant world-wide economic decline in the construction industry – DEWALT’s decision to not return is not a great surprise to us.”

“Fortunately, we have several great companies interested in taking over and we expect to begin finalizing those sponsorship arrangements in the very near future. All of us at Roush Fenway Racing remain committed to keeping the No. 17 DEWALT car running up front, winning races and to put them in a position to contend for a second championship this season,” Smith added.

6 comments:

  1. I heard about this on twitter this afternoon, crazy, just crazy...

    I hope this doesn't put Matty on the outside looking in at Roush.

    Way to keep us updated 3fan!

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  2. Cant say that you put up a nice write here 3 but it was good.

    When a Home Depot closes you know it is bad. Everyone is feeling it. It will take a long time to repair the damage done to our economy.

    Last weekend we went to a mall in Frederick Maryland where we live. There were at least 35 vacant store spaces, it was unbeleivable.

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  3. Kristen thanks. It helps that I get emails from all the teams usually before the fans hear about it. Maybe Irwin Tools will jump on board since its looking more and more that Jamie will be out. His contract is up at the end of the season, and it would be a waste of money to resign a driver who has only won two races in the last seven years. Not that Ragan is doing any better, but Im sure he comes at a better price with a little more promise. I guess all we can do is wait and see.

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  4. Guido I wouldnt expect any more from you. But we all have our own opinions, and its still breaking news no matter how it was presented.

    As far as stores closing, they just closed 3 Home Depots within a 5 mile radius but just built a new one in an area that doesnt have the need for it. Strip malls out here are really hurting, with a lot of the mom and pop stores closing everyday.

    Anyways thanks for the comment.

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  5. It is all good 3, My concerns are more about my family and the overall health of this country rather that a race team's sponsor. Jack Roush has very little to be concerned about and will be able to put it together.

    Your posts are good as always.

    Rick

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  6. Rick thanks. I know how you feel. They just raised our state tax in Los Angeles county to 9.25%. But yet we can drive a mile to Orange County where the living is a lot better and the tax is only 8.25%. Figure that out. From what Ive been hearing Jack already has 3 or 4 potential sponsors for Matt. Anyways you and your family have a happy and safe weekend.

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