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Dave Blaney gets a boost on the business side
Photo
Drivers Kasey Kahne, left, and Dave Blaney smile for fans during Tuesday’s Alzheimer’s Association benefit night at Sharon Speedway.
By Tom Williams
HARTFORD
Before the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series began in February, Dave Blaney was hoping his owner, Tommy Baldwin Racing, would find enough sponsors to have his car running in at least half of the 36 races.
Mission accomplished.
Monday, Blaney said his car will be entered in all of the remaining races this season.
“The business side [of 2011] has gone way better than I thought it would,” the 48-year-old racer said two days after finishing 33rd in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky.
“Back in February, we had enough [money] to run about 14 races,” Blaney said.
That meant Blaney’s car would start the other races but might not stay in them for the whole race.
“Since then, the team has picked up Golden Corral, All Sport and Big Red [drinks], and Excel Construction so those [remaining] races are covered.”
Golden Corral became Blaney’s main sponsor during Daytona 500 week in mid-February.
“On the performance side, it’s been up and down,” said Blaney of his 12th NASCAR season.
He is 32nd in this week’s Sprint Cup standings, one point behind Casey Mears. His earnings for TBR are $1,757,430.
“We had a few good runs on the restrictor plate tracks,” Blaney said. “In Kentucky, we did about what I expected.
“It’s going to get better in the second half.”
On July 1, Blaney was reunited with an old friend as Philippe Lopez is again his crew chief.
Lopez, who was crew chief for Joe Nemechek, worked with Blaney at Richard Childress Racing and Bill Davis Racing.
“It’s gone well, we’ve known each other for a while,” Blaney said. “I thought he would strengthen our team.
“He brought two guys with him and they were there in Daytona and Kentucky. The whole thing is a really good mix.”
So far, Blaney is pleased with what the near future holds.
“We had a new car at Kentucky that really ran better,” Blaney said. “ We were a lot more competitive so we were pleased to see some progress.”
The economic downturn has taken its toll on NASCAR.
Blaney thinks smaller teams like TBR might have a slight advantage attracting sponsors who aren’t big spenders.
“Our teams run on way less than the big teams,” Blaney said. “So we may be a nicer fit” for sponsors with limited budgets.
“Not many teams can have just one sponsor for the whole season.”
Like his competitors, Blaney is looking forward to the end of the month race at the Indianapolis Speedway for the Brickyard 400.
“I think it’s special for everybody,” Blaney said. “We’ve been there many times but I still am awed going through the tunnel and going into the garages.”