Update: Word has just come to us today that John Andretti will drive the #34 car for Front Row Motorsports with Window World as sponsor for the Daytona 500 race. With that move, Travis Kvapil will go to the #37 car, with ExtenZe as a sponsor.
They’re like the Rodney Dangerfield of NASCAR. A discussion with fans reveals that some fans think Front Row Motorsports is owned by Joe Nemechek (it’s actually owned by Bob Jenkins), or they often get confused with Furniture Row Racing (which is, of course, the Barney Visser owned team out of Colorado). Some also reveal their ignorance of the drivers. I saw one comment about FRM’s drivers that contended Travis Kvapil was a scrub who had “never accomplished anything in the top three series.” The brain surgeon apparently must have missed Kvapil’s championship run in what was once called the Craftsman Truck Series.
The confusion is understandable. John Andretti quietly piloted the “34” through the 2009, and the “37” driven by Tony Raines was one of those cars we talked about yesterday that would be found parked in the garage by about lap twenty. How does a finely crafted race car develop brake problems after about 20-30 miles? I digress.
This year, it’s a new look all the way around for Front Row. Travis Kvapil will take over the #34 ride. Whenever the topic comes up about drivers who never really got a fair shake, Kvapil is right up there with Scott Wimmer and Aric Almirola (more on AA coming up in a later article). Last year, Kvapil entered a few races in the “28” car owned by Yates Racing, but was gone by the spring due to a lack of sponsorship.
Kvapil’s ride will take with them the Long John Silver’s sponsorship from the #37 car. If they run this car like they did last year, this will NOT be a start and park car. By all indications, this team will also start out top 35. According to Jayski’s Silly Season chart, it will either comes from the 34’s 2009 owner points, or points from another team not intending to run. Whichever the case, here’s hoping for Kvapil he gets to showcase what he can do.
Kevin Conway (who?) takes over the #37 car. This car is enveloped in some controversy, not because of the driver, but the sponsor. ExTenze will sponsor Conway, as they did in the Nationwide Series last year. I can’t imagine, in his wildest dreams, that Big Bill ever envisioned a NASCAR driver tooling around in a car sponsored by a “male enhancement” product. Speaking for myself, I’m not especially looking forward to explaining the product to my kids.
For most fans, Conway is an unknown quantity. He is declared to run for Rookie Of The Year, so here’s hoping that he doesn’t have mosey into the garage as a “start and parker.” Apparently, some owner’s points dickering will guarantee Conway his first five starts, be it from the 34’s points or some other deal with a discontinuing team, such as the “44” from Petty, or more likely, the “96” from the old Hall of Fame team.
A third car has been added to the Front Row stable in 2010.
It will be shared by a trio of drivers, including one who raced with the number a couple of years ago. Journeyman David Gilliland will run the majority of races in the car. In 2009, Gilliland ran the majority of the schedule for TRG in their “71” car now occupied by Bobby Labonte. He also did a little work for Robbie Gordon and got a cup of coffee with Joe Gibbs in a 4th car that had the rumor mills going a bit. This car will be sponsored by Mihindra Tractors USA and Taco Bell.
When Gilliland’s not in the car, Robert Richardson, Jr. will get the start. Richardson has been a regular in the Nationwide Series of late. There were occasions where he tried to qualify the #23 last season, but failed to get in. John Andretti will attempt the Coca- Cola 600, causing one to think he’ll “attempt the double” by also trying to run the Indianapolis 500.
Another move for Front Row is the switch to Ford in 2010. This organization will be yet another one getting technical support from Roush/Yates. So whereas there were usually seven Blue Ovals on the track last year, this year there may be somewhere in the neighborhood of ten.
Like we were saying about Paul Menard a few days back, you don’t see or hear much about this team on TV on race day. If nothing else, by driver switches, a manufacturer, and thanks also to the addition of a controversial sponsor, Bob Jenkins and Company at least start the 2010 season with some notoriety.
Keeping the team there is up to the drivers.
PHOTO CREDITS- Travis Kvapil by Walter G. Arce. To see more, visit flickr.com. David Gilliland by plstt. Visit flickr.com to see more.
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By Jim (re: ExTenze sponsorship) – “I can’t imagine, in his wildest dreams, that Big Bill ever envisioned a NASCAR driver tooling around in a car sponsored by a “male enhancement” product.”
Have you completely forgotten about Mark Martin driving a #6 Viagra Ford for several seasons?
@JD. To be sure, I have not forgotten. I didn’t like that any better either. Of course, that was then, and this is now I am talking about.
Kevin Conway, tooling around in a “male enhancement” car? I thought this was a family site………LOL
Look at it this way. It could have been worse. Smiling Bob’s got a race car too you know.
It does make you wonder if Conway will race “longer and harder” for his first big win don’t it?? That reminds me…I may have to go dig my old Mark Martin-Viagra joke book out of the closet….:-)
I’m curious what promopted the change from Chevy to Ford. Could Ford have offered them a bigger package? Was the Chevy package lacking?
Don’t forget that Robert Richardson Jr. does have one career Cup start–last fall at Talladega when he drove Tommy Baldwin’s #36 car and finished a very respectable 18th. Not that an 18th-place finish at Talladega means much, but it was still an impressive debut.
The Mad Man: I would guess that they are getting a lot more support from Ford, plus Roush-Yates engines. Having fewer Ford teams helps in that area. As many Chevy teams as there are, I feel like they got little to no support from Chevy.
I think it’s great that 1) ExtenZe is willing to spend their advertising money in NASCAR, especially in this economy 2) that Conway is getting a chance to race. Everyone will bash him in the beginning (as they did when Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, etc started their rookie year in Cup) but he will finally be in a car full time to show us all what he’s got. I, personally, hope he does well! I think he’s got the skills — he just needs the seat time. He has always been a clean driver (not causing accidents) & actually has the skill to miss or avoid getting involved in the crashes that surround him. I’ve seen the commercials and youtube videos numerous times to be able to judge for myself if it was skill or pure luck that he missed them, and my conclusion was skill.
Good luck to Conway, ExtenZe and all of Front Row Motorsports!
@Rob. It’s always interesting how some guys come in with a bunch of hype and some deliver, some don’t. It’s always interesting when you have a guy like Conway, who’s a virtual unknown come in on the scene. Cool thing is, he won’t come in with as much media scrutiny as a Logano or a Casey Atwood.
I think Front Row is trying to improve this year. They are getting more support from Ford. I have read that they are now getting the 1st wind tunnel time they have ever had. They are trying to step up thier game. Good for them. As far as sponsors go, in this economy you take whoever is willing to help you race. I think they are in negotiations to have all three cars locked into the top 35 for the start of the season. I wish Front Row all the best in thier attempts to join the higher ranks in Nascar. I would love to see Kvapil, Conway, Richardson Gilliland, Andretti and anyone else in thier cars do well this season. As a Ford racing fan I look very forward to actually have a decent car count this year. Four Roush Fenway cars, four RPM cars, three Front Row cars, the 26 car with Boris Said (I hope they can get some sponsorship), the old 64 car is a Ford this year too, and last and certainly not least the Wood Brothers and the 21 running part time with Bill Elliott. I am hoping for some good things this year.
The biggest boost to the Ford teams is the fact that Ford made a profit for the first time in years, over 1 Billion dollars and with no help from the tax-payers! There definitely has to be an upbeat attitude when the teams’ manufacturer can actually see “light at the end of the tunnel!” (I’m really kicking myself for not “trusting my gut instincts” that told me to buy a whole bunch of Ford stock at $1.50 a year ago… now trading $10 higher! It would’ve paid for a whole lot of NASCAR trips!)
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