The Truck Series loses another quality owner

December 26, 2:13 PMDetroit NASCAR ExaminerJosh Lobdell

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I am sure by now all of you have heard that Bill Davis has sold a majority interest in his racing team, either on Jayski or somewhere else. Now most of these reports have the significance of the story based around the #22 Cup series car, but I think the real bargain in this is the purchase of Davis’ Truck team. Remember we are talking about a truck team that has been in the hunt for the championship at Homestead the past two years, finally winning one this season with Johnny Benson. While all of that is true, I truly believe that Bill Davis’ fate in NASCAR was decided long ago.

In what will forever go down as the biggest blunder made by a car manufacturer, the Ford Motor Company let Jeff Gordon slip right between their fingers. Rick Hendrick got the word about Jeff Gordon somewhere in the middle of the 1992 Busch series schedule. Hendrick could not believe that Ford had not signed them to a contract, and plucked him out of the #1 Baby Ruth Ford owned by one Bill Davis.

In 1993 Davis started his Cup series team with one Bobby Labonte who was then a Busch series champion and an up and comer. However we can hardly say that Labonte is a Jeff Gordon. I believe that move forever but Davis behind the eight ball.

In fact by 1994 Davis was out of the Ford camp and into the GM camp with Pontiac. The only highlight for the Cup team since then was Ward Burton winning the 2002 Daytona 500. A win that did not come without its own controversy.

That big win should have sealed Davis’ future with Dodge, however during the 2006 season Davis began testing Toyota Cup cars and engines while still receiving support from Dodge. Obviously Dodge wasn’t happy about that and refused to let Davis display Dodge logo’s on his racecars. I am sure they also pulled their finical support.

That was a bad move for the Cup series, but a great move for his new Truck series effort. According to Racing Reference since starting the team in 2004 with Toyota they have won 24 races. On average that is damn near five races a year. I also think it proves the point that this has been a Truck series team, more then it has been a Cup series team.

If the Truck series was merely losing Davis as an owner I would think it a tremendous blow to the series. However in this case, the new owners Triad Racing Technologies have purchased along with BDR Triad Racing development. They are now not only a race team but a major supplier of chassis, engines, and bodies for the Cup, Nationwide, and Truck series. Under this model I believe that the new company is finically viable.

Mike Skinner is still under contract for the 2009 Truck season, but word is Doug Ritchert will not be returning as his crew chief. There is no word on who will drive the #22 or #23 Truck teams. Taylor Malsam and Michael Annet are both rumored for these rides.