(WOMR file photo)
Race Team Alliance, Inc. has announced the expansion of its membership to 18 full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, comprising 37 full-time entries.
The RTA, formed in July, is a not-for-profit business league comprised of race teams participating in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The purpose of the organization is to create an open forum for the teams to explore areas of common interest and to work collaboratively on initiatives to help preserve, promote, and grow the sport of stock car racing. “One of the early goals of the Race Team Alliance was to expand our membership, and after only a month in existence, we have accomplished that goal,” said Rob Kauffman, the RTA’s elected chairman. “We now have virtually all the full-time teams participating. I think the membership as a whole is enthusiastic to get to work on some of the other items on our agenda, in particular some of the cost areas and marketing opportunities we have already identified.”
The RTA membership includes:
BK Racing,
Circle Sport
Front Row
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
Germain Racing
Go Green / FAS Lane
Hendrick Motorsports
HScott Motorsports
Joe Gibbs Racing
JTG Racing
Michael Waltrip Racing
Phil Parsons Racing
Richard Childress Racing
Richard Petty Motorsports
Roush Fenway Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing
Team Penske
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Furniture Row Racing, which fields the #78 of Martin Truex Jr., is the only notable full-time Sprint Cup team that hasn’t joined the RTA, which is comprised of teams from North and South Carolina. FRR is based in Denver and also is unique in being sponsored by its owner, Furniture Row founder Barney Visser.
“We spoke to Barney, and he had the information,” Kauffman said. “He thought it didn’t make sense at this time. It’s a free world, and I respect that. I think that’s his prerogative, so it’s completely fine.” Kauffman said the RTA was looking at associate memberships for part-time teams that have expressed interest, such as Wood Brothers Racing.(USAtoday)
It looks like the team owners are beginning to unify under the banner of the Race Team Alliance. This alliance has the dictatorship of NASCAR, no doubt, worried that the stronghold that the France family has exercised for the last 66 years may be in jeopardy. There is no doubt that the RTA will begin to engage the powers to be in NASCAR in some conversations that need to be discussed!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
