Best Buy to the 17?

[ayrwolf]

Saw a rumor on another site about Best Buy sponsoring Matt Kenseth in '12. Has anybody else heard this?

 

[John Gamble]

I heard a rumor about Kurt Busch moving to the #43 driving for Richard Petty just so they can keep Best Buy as a sponsor, But I haven't heard this.

 

[4WideRacing]

No, but I can see how that would be good for Best Buy and Matt.

 

[labontefanboy]

From Jayski:
Best Buy to sponsor Kenseth?: Roush Fenway Racing and #17-Matt Kenseth appear to be well on their way to securing the Best Buy sponsorship for 2012, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Roush organization has pledged to run Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, without sponsorship but has been working hard to find funding for the driver coming off a three-win season where he placed fourth in the Cup standings. Kenseth's primary sponsor Crown Royal opted not to sponsor a race team in 2012. Best Buy's sponsorship of #43-AJ Allmendinger at Richard Petty Motorsports was for 24 races in 2011. RPM has not announced any sponsorship for the #43 car for next season. An RPM spokesman said the team would have no comment on its sponsorship search.(SceneDaily)(12-15-2011)

I can definitely see Kenseth working with Best Buy, but it sucks for AJ. He's been improving steadily for the last few years, and I think he could really break out this year.

 

[wslates]

Best Buy to sponsor Kenseth?: Roush Fenway Racing and #17-Matt Kenseth appear to be well on their way to securing the Best Buy sponsorship for 2012, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Roush organization has pledged to run Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, without sponsorship but has been working hard to find funding for the driver coming off a three-win season where he placed fourth in the Cup standings. Kenseth's primary sponsor Crown Royal opted not to sponsor a race team in 2012. Best Buy's sponsorship of #43-AJ Allmendinger at Richard Petty Motorsports was for 24 races in 2011. RPM has not announced any sponsorship for the #43 car for next season. An RPM spokesman said the team would have no comment on its sponsorship search.(SceneDaily)(12-15-2011)

-Jayski

EDIT: Dammit, labontefanboy posted before me.

 

[Sgt Slaughter]

Best Buy to sponsor Kenseth?: Roush Fenway Racing and #17-Matt Kenseth appear to be well on their way to securing the Best Buy sponsorship for 2012, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Roush organization has pledged to run Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, without sponsorship but has been working hard to find funding for the driver coming off a three-win season where he placed fourth in the Cup standings. Kenseth's primary sponsor Crown Royal opted not to sponsor a race team in 2012. Best Buy's sponsorship of #43-AJ Allmendinger at Richard Petty Motorsports was for 24 races in 2011. RPM has not announced any sponsorship for the #43 car for next season. An RPM spokesman said the team would have no comment on its sponsorship search.

*EDIT* Why I never checked above to see if anyone posted this before me... Oops.

 

[FloridaFan88]

The #17 team has too much of high-profile to run unsponsored. Hopefully the #17 car is sponsored by Best Buy in 2012.

 

[Hyperacti]

...I love how 5 hours ago I posted that and I guess nobody knows what to make of it because this topic went absolutely dead LOL

Anyway, this really is the worst possible thing. Simply put, I don't see how Petty can even run the #43 car next season if it isn't sponsored. Without Best Buy (or a sponsor like Best Buy), the team might have to scale back. No Best Buy could mean no A.J., let alone Kurt Busch. The team would basically lose half of its sponsorship, and I imagine Marcos would end up shifting over and driving the #43 car, alone, without a teammate.

In short, losing Best Buy to the #17 could:
-Kill the #9 car
-Kill A.J. Allmendinger at Petty

It almost certainly would kill Allmendinger. The choice would be run Kurt Busch unsponsored or don't run a 2nd car at all. Both would take precedence over running Allmendinger unsponsored, which is too risky from a business perspective. I know a ton of you will come back and be like "What?! Running Allmendinger unsponsored isn't risky, he's gotten so good!" but if you told that to the people who run the team they'd laugh. It's amazing that Jack Roush has even run so many unsponsored cars in the past (Burton, Stenhouse, Bayne, Braun, and committed to Kenseth no matter what), he must be a very generous man.

 

[MattSRD28]

So...nobody knew that Best Buy's contract with RPM was up at season's end, and could therefore choose to sponsor anyone or no one, and that it's squarely on RPM to re-sign Best Buy or be prepared to sign a replacement should Best Buy choose not to re-sign?

A.J. is a good driver who I believe will eventually win in the #43. Problem is that any company worth their incorporation would choose to sponsor a former a still relatively young former Cup champion, who was in serious contention for the championship last year until about halfway through the Chase, over a driver who hasn't won a single race. Best Buy would be fools to pass up a chance to sponsor Kenseth.

Likewise, any sponsor who could afford it would be fools to pass up a chance to sponsor A.J. as long as the price point is true to the value and ROI potential of the product/opportunity presented by RPM.

 

[BlackChevy14]

AJ's right on the verge of busting out and being a consistent force to reckon with. It'd be a shame if he lost his seat. He's a better driver than his rides with Red Bull and Gillett-Evernham/RPM have shown. He's one of those drivers you just wish could have a year with one of the powerhouses to see what he could do. And yet, he just might be able to be the guy that gets the 43 back up into the top-10 consistently, something nobody's done since Bobby Hamilton.

That being said, Matt Kenseth was a red-headed stepchild away from being the 2011 Sprint Cup champion, so I can't really fault Best Buy if they jump on board the 17. If you're going to spend money to sponsor a car for that large of a chunk of the schedule, might as well try for a guy with championship potential rather than a guy with just potential.

 

[rocketman]

Best Buy has offered 18 races to sponsor Kenseth, but Jack Roush has pushed them to a minimum of 28 races, so it sounds like a no go. I really feel bad for Kenseth, (even though Allmendinger's my favorite driver, and I REALLY don't want to see him get the boot) He could've had a partial sponsor, but since it "Wasn't offering enough races", Jack Roush pushes it away.

 

[Relly]

As the plot of the 2011 off-season continues to twist and turn....

I have to agree with the fact RPM wouldnt run an unsponsored car, especially after the major financial problems they had a year ago.

That said, I think if they dump Allmendinger for Kurt Busch, Kurt IMO would be a bigger draw for sponsors as he's a proven winner and champion who is still in his prime. AJ has a bright future, and his potential is limitless if you ask me, but w/AJ you'd be selling to a sponsor his potential, w/Kurt you'd be selling a Championship contender, with baggage.

 

[K.Chuck]

Whats funny is it seems more fans like AJ over Kurt(myself included), so why would any sponsor want to pick Busch over him? If its cause of his past championship and thinking hes going to contend for anthore one its blind hope. I dont see him as a championship contender, more of a time bomb. Hes not worth having to associate your brand with as more and more fans are getting a distaste for all things Busch. He should be able to get sponshorship but not steal it away from anthore driver like AJ who has a large fan base and runs pretty good. As far as Best Buy going to the 17 I could understand why they would want to but its very bad news for the 43. AJ has had a tough NASCAR career but has always risen to the challange so hopefully he will make it past thi mess.

 

[TJBartel]

What Kurt has over AJ is on track performance. He wins races, runs up front and gives sponsors alot more exposure, it is that simple. It's about sponsors getting bang for the buck.

 

[Mike24]

Conversely, though, AJ does not subject himself, nor his sponsors, to bad PR which conflicts with sponsor and team values and goals.

AJ is much, much more likeable and sponsor friendly than Kurt, and more exposure for him...especially if he gets the 43 back to victory lane next year, is inevitable.

 

[K.Chuck]

Conversely, though, AJ does not subject himself, nor his sponsors, to bad PR which conflicts with sponsor and team values and goals.

AJ is much, much more likeable and sponsor friendly than Kurt, and more exposure for him...especially if he gets the 43 back to victory lane next year, is inevitable.

Thank you this was my point. We all know kurt can run up front and get sponsors tv time but he dosent make a good spokesman. I dont go buy stuff cause the car ran up front, its more if I can relate to the driver/team. If their driver is a douche (case in point) I am not going to assosiate myself with them.

And Happy Birthday AJ.

 

[TJBartel]

It dpends on the sponsor. Some care more about their logo running up front and being on camera more than publicity through a spokesman. They are after the visual of their logo.
Kurt stands a much better chance of delivering on that than AJ does. Kurt stands alot better chance of driving the 43 to victory lane than AJ does.
If a sponsor is concerned with image and a likeable spokesperson than they wuld choose AJ over Kurt.

 

[David24]

Word is that Best Buy will be on the #17 for 24 races.

 

[BlackChevy14]

It dpends on the sponsor. Some care more about their logo running up front and being on camera more than publicity through a spokesman. They are after the visual of their logo.
Kurt stands a much better chance of delivering on that than AJ does. Kurt stands alot better chance of driving the 43 to victory lane than AJ does.
If a sponsor is concerned with image and a likeable spokesperson than they wuld choose AJ over Kurt.

Good point. Depends on what they're looking for, and perhaps their history in the sport. Pennzoil and Busch are a good, relevant example. Here's a company with a rich, storied racing history, all the Indy 500 wins, the Daytona 500 win with Kevin Harvick, and what have you, and here's Kurt Busch. He couldn't destroy their heritage but he did a good job of diminishing the contemporary popularity of the Pennzoil name. Another company might've put up with it a little longer, but motor oil brands are almost like royalty when it comes to sponsorship and they can't afford to align themselves with someone as petulant as Kurt.

 

[MattSRD28]

What Kurt has over AJ is on track performance. He wins races, runs up front and gives sponsors alot more exposure, it is that simple. It's about sponsors getting bang for the buck.

If that's all that mattered, Kurt Busch would still be the driver of the #22, and Kyle Busch would have raced w/ M&M's on his car at Phoenix & Homestead.