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| Busch: "It's been a hassle..." |
KBM currently fields the No.
77 Nationwide Series Toyota Camry for driver Parker Kligerman, and a trio of
Truck Series Toyotas for Busch, Darrell Wallace, Jr., and Joey Coulter. Kligerman
currently stands 10th in the Nationwide championship standings,
while Wallace is ninth and Coulter 14th in the Truck Series points. Busch
has won four times in nine Truck Series starts this season.
Sources close to the team
say KBM laid off 10 employees this morning, and could terminate more next
week.
Busch admitted last week at
Talladega Superspeedway that the future of his team is in doubt, due to lack of
sponsorship.
“It’s a hassle, it’s a headache and
it’s a burden,” said Busch of the ongoing hunt for corporate sponsorship. “But
if you were one of the people (employed) at KBM, would you want me to close the
doors? We try to take care of the families as best as we can... but ultimately,
there comes a time when the inevitable has to happen.
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| Layoffs today at KBM |
“This
was our most prosperous year of being in the business. We had four teams. We
had 82 employees, or something like that. It was great to be able to take care
of that many families, but you have to make sure you don’t go broke doing it.”
Contacted today, Kligerman was unable to
confirm reports of layoffs, but said his tenure with KBM will end following the
2013 season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.
“I haven’t been at the shop
this week, so I don’t really know anything about (the layoffs),” he said. “But
I can say that I’m not returning to Kyle Busch Motorsports next season. I don’t
think the resources are there, and I don’t think the philosophy is there to compete
successfully at the Nationwide level.”
Kligerman said he is working
on a new deal for next season that – if finalized – will allow him to run “a
lot of races in 2014 with a different, as-yet undisclosed team. Calls placed to KBM in search of comment today were not immediately returned.
and I don’t think the philosophy is there to compete successfully at the Nationwide level.”??????????
ReplyDeleteWhen the no talent Klingerman wins a fraction of races that Rowdy Busch has won, His comments will be relevant. I don't see that EVER happening even if Rowdy never wins another event.
DeleteSad. Is it just me Dave or did the end of Kligerman's quote raise your eyebrow too?
ReplyDelete“It’s a hassle, it’s a headache and it’s a burden,” said Busch of the ongoing hunt for corporate sponsorship.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think the resources are there, and I don’t think the philosophy is there to compete successfully at the Nationwide level.
It looks like he is staying with the #1 rule. Do not race with your own money.
ReplyDeleteLooks like it doesn't matter if your name is Kyle Busch!
ReplyDeleteKyle Busch couldn't win in the Nationwide series with his own equipment last year, he had to switch to JGR euipment to do it, so why even bother with the Nationwide team.
ReplyDeleteStick with what works KBM, truck's and the SLM program.
Maybe if Parker was competing for a championship it would be different and the money would be there. I don't think he understands Kyle's 'winning" philosophy at all. Seems Kyle can win in the same equipment PK drives........
ReplyDeletePerhaps if Kyle was focused on running only the Sprint Cup Series and not against Ms. Samantha's and his own race team Corporate America may sit up and take notice. Having competeing energy drink companies at Joe Gibbs Racing shows no loyalty there either.
ReplyDeleteI think kyle is smarter than a lot of people thought.
ReplyDeleteKills me that Ricky Carmichael was set for a full season with Monster and KB took that away. Pretty much punted RC from the sport. And now KB's quiting.
ReplyDeleteDidn't care for KB before, definately could care less now
Sad to see a quote like this from someone who younger racers look up to - “It’s a hassle, it’s a headache and it’s a burden,” said Busch of the ongoing hunt for corporate sponsorship.
ReplyDeleteSponsorship marketing is such an opportunity. It takes hard work, but this attitude becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.