Bosox and racing merge into a new partnership

The John Henry-led group got a 50 percent stake in Roush's NASCAR team.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- When Boston Red Sox majority owner John Henry and NASCAR team owner Jack Roush began talking about a partnership more than three years ago, both teams were notorious for falling painfully short of winning championships.
Now they've both got titles and plan on winning plenty more together under a new banner: Roush Fenway Racing.
"I think owners get into sports for one reason: You want to win championships," Henry said Wednesday. "That's something that we've tried to do, and we've successfully done it on our own. That's the primary reason. I think that we can help Jack's vision of what he wants to try to accomplish over the next 10 years, and we'll win championships."
The new partnership, which was announced at a minor league baseball park near Daytona International Speedway Wednesday night, gives the Henry-led Fenway Sports Group a 50 percent stake in Roush's team. It is the most high profile in a recent series of moves by team owners to attract outside investment in NASCAR.
Could be next big thing
Are big-money partnerships the next big thing in NASCAR?
Richard Childress sold a stake in his company to private investors in the wake of Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. Real estate developer Bobby Ginn has purchased majority ownership of a mid-level team that he wants to turn into a winner. And Ray Evernham actively is looking for a partner of his own.
"I'm certainly keeping an eye on what's going on there," Evernham said. "The Fenway Group can bring more than money to the table. Obviously, Jack just doesn't need money. He has a better understanding of how big the sport's going to get."
Media estimates placed the value of the deal at about 50 million. Roush Racing president Geoff Smith said only, "it's not chump change."
Will control one aspect
Roush will retain control over the team's competition side. But he also understands the next time he wants to buy an expensive piece of technology to help his race cars go faster, he'll have to justify it to more people than himself.
Of course, the Red Sox did just spend 51.11 million simply for the right to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka -- a sign that winning's important to them, too.
"Over three and a half years, Jack and I became friendly, and we just talked about whether or not there was a fit," Henry said. "And over time, it became apparent to both of us that we can really, together, push things further than either could alone."
Henry is no racing novice. He's the co-founder of iracing.com, a company that runs online NASCAR computer simulation games, and he spends hours of his free time playing the games.
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