In 2006, Jack Roush appeared to have a NASCAR empire, as he fielded five Cup teams, five Nationwide Series teams, and I believe two, maybe three Truck teams. Landing a sponsor seemed effortless for Jack Roush and his organization. Five years later, the once powerful empire is not quite as powerful when it comes to sponsors.
Roush is not the only team with these problems. However, when you have a driver as talented, polished and accomplished as Matt Kenseth, and there are no sponsors lined up for the following season, it is quite bewildering. The No. 17 car lost DeWalt in 2009, but the sponsor resurfaced on RPM's No. 9 Ford driven by Marcos Ambrose. After two season, Crown Royal will cease sponsorship on the No. 17 Ford, as the company focuses its marketing efforts on the Brickyard 400.
Kenseth has had several small sponsorhip packages on the car throughout the season, and it is quite possible we may see a plain white No. 17 Ford in 2012 for a few races. Kenseth should not be a difficult sell, as he qualifies for the Chase for the Championship practically every season, and rarely has a winless season. As stated earlier, he is a champion. Additionally, he boasts the 2009 Daytona 500 trophy. Look for a series of sponsorship deals on the No. 17 in 2012.
Selling sponsorship for David Ragan is a bit more difficult. Ragan seems to be a nice guy, but his on-track performance has not lived up to the investment Roush and UPS have placed in him. While he has displayed flashes of talent over his five years in Sprint Cup, he only has one win to show for it, and that was at Daytona where he was pushed to the checkered flag. Trust me, people notice that. Grinding out a win at Bristol, Richmond, or Darlington is far more impressive than being in the right place at the right time at Daytona or Talladega. Fans notice, as do other drivers, car owners, analysts, and most importantly sponsors. Of course, UPS no doubt enjoyed the brief spotlight they received at Daytona in July.
Ragan's future with Roush may be fleeting, however, there is speculation on Mike Mulhern.net that he could land a ride with fellow Ford team TRG Motorsports. TRG Motorsports has been able to provide consistent sponsorship to driver Andy Lally, who is on the cusp of winning the Rookie of the Year title. TRG Motorsports hopes to field two cars for the remainder of the 2011 season, possibly prepping the ride for Ragan. So, it is quite possible that Ragan joins Lally in two-car outfit that will likely be closely aligned with Roush Fenway Racing.
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