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Nationwide
NNS: Wise Making Most Of NASCAR Return
Josh Wise is driving in select Nationwide Series races for JR Motorsports this season...
Josh Wise (Pictured) will share the No. 7 JR Motorsports car with Danica Patrick this season. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Josh Wise is looking to make the most of his second chance in NASCAR. In some ways, he already has.
A year ago, Wise was so frustrated with his stock-car career that he returned to his Sprint car roots and won races.
And then he realized it was time to get back into the stock-car racing business. That’s right, the business.
Wise, a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver in 2007 and 2008, joined Specialty Racing at the start of 2010, worked on the cars, qualified them and, for at least part of the year, was able to race them. When funding ran out, the team began to start-and-park, but by then, Wise was in business again in a different way.
Now, the 27-year-old Wise has driven select Nationwide Series races for JR Motorsports and is the driver the team is trying to find sponsorship for to run half the 2011 season in the No. 7 car to share with Danica Patrick.
“I didn’t understand when I came out here [in 2007] racing as a business, and that’s what this is,” Wise said. “I had always just raced. I was a race-car driver. I showed up with my helmet and I drove guys’ cars and they hired me because they wanted me to do good, not because I brought a sponsor.
“I just didn’t understand that and I had a really hard time accepting it for a long time. At the end of 2008, it was like I was over it. I was like I’m going back and race Sprint cars. I’m not enjoying this type of atmosphere.”
What frustrated Wise was he didn’t have bad results in 2007 driving an ARCA car for Eddie Sharp Racing (four top-five finishes in 11 starts in 2007) and then driving Nationwide races for Armando Fitz and MWR in 2008. He had a fifth-place finish at O’Reilly Raceway Park, an 11th at Texas, a 12th at Homestead and a 13th at Dover. But it wasn’t enough to keep him in a seat.
“I could have been winning races and if there was no sponsorship to support the program, then I’m not racing,” Wise said. “That’s what it came down to and I became frustrated with the dynamics of how things are. … That’s the part I had a really hard time with.”
So he went back to his sprint-car-racing roots.
“I had a blast, won big races and ran top-five [often],” Wise said. “I had a great year but then I got to the end, I was doing things I had already done. I got to the point again if I want to race, I don’t want to sit here.
“I enjoy it but at the same time, I want to better progress my career. So that’s when I made the decision at the end of 2009 I was coming back [to NASCAR] and to do whatever it takes. … It was cool, but it was also like a great awakening for me that I do really want to be here.”
Wise had made a few Nationwide starts in 2009 but has driven in 20 of 25 races this year. He has six starts in the No. 7 with no finish worse than 16th but no finish better than eighth. What JR Motorsports officials like is he has finished every race.
Hopeful he can remain with JRM, Wise is helping in any way he can with JRM trying to find sponsorship for him. He knows he needs to perform to attract a sponsor.
“This is where I want to be, so I really hope things continue on here,” Wise said. “I’m realistic. What keeps me here [right now]? It’s not money. I don’t have that. It’s not a sponsor. I don’t have that. It’s performance and how I handle myself with the team. … I need to step that [performance] up.”
And Wise is trying to do things a little differently than he did at MWR.
“I have so many people trying to get me to go race [Sprint cars], but I’ve just been trying to stay here, focus and be at the shop, be at the track,” Wise said. “At MWR, every week during the week, I’d go back and race [in Sprints]. I didn’t go to the shop that much and I wasn’t at the track unless I was racing, which is what I did – I was a race-car driver.
“But looking back, I needed to be more involved in this if I wanted it to work instead of just being a race-car driver.”
The experience with the Specialty Racing car was good for him. He got involved in putting sponsorship proposals together and talking to potential sponsors. He also worked on the cars as much as possible.
“I had to go to the shop and help get it ready during the week and help get it through tech,” Wise said. “It was a real good experience for me, and it also got me this opportunity [at JRM], people seeing me make the best of the situation.
“Here, it’s just been great. I have a blast with these guys. It’s obviously great equipment and an awesome team. I try to make the most of it every time I’m in the car.”
Could he contend for a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he has never competed.
“I’d like to think I could [win],” said Wise, who is unsure how many more races he’ll run this year. “What are realistic expectations when there are 12 Cup guys who have run here so many times? In myself and my ability, I think I can do it, but experience just overrides it sometimes and makes it challenging.
“I’ll be severely disappointed with anything less than a top-10 this weekend. We’ve got good cars, got good pit crew, so in my mind it’s on my shoulders.”
If he gets that top-10 finish on Saturday night, Wise will hopefully continue his NASCAR comeback.
“I’ve worked really hard to get to this point and to get this opportunity and stuff,” Wise said. “It sounds cheesy, but I’m proud of myself for working my butt off and doing whatever it takes. It’s been pretty cool.”
SceneDaily.com • Do NASCAR tracks need to run shorter Sprint Cup races?
A year ago, Wise was so frustrated with his stock-car career that he returned to his Sprint car roots and won races.
And then he realized it was time to get back into the stock-car racing business. That’s right, the business.
Wise, a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver in 2007 and 2008, joined Specialty Racing at the start of 2010, worked on the cars, qualified them and, for at least part of the year, was able to race them. When funding ran out, the team began to start-and-park, but by then, Wise was in business again in a different way.
Now, the 27-year-old Wise has driven select Nationwide Series races for JR Motorsports and is the driver the team is trying to find sponsorship for to run half the 2011 season in the No. 7 car to share with Danica Patrick.
“I didn’t understand when I came out here [in 2007] racing as a business, and that’s what this is,” Wise said. “I had always just raced. I was a race-car driver. I showed up with my helmet and I drove guys’ cars and they hired me because they wanted me to do good, not because I brought a sponsor.
“I just didn’t understand that and I had a really hard time accepting it for a long time. At the end of 2008, it was like I was over it. I was like I’m going back and race Sprint cars. I’m not enjoying this type of atmosphere.”
What frustrated Wise was he didn’t have bad results in 2007 driving an ARCA car for Eddie Sharp Racing (four top-five finishes in 11 starts in 2007) and then driving Nationwide races for Armando Fitz and MWR in 2008. He had a fifth-place finish at O’Reilly Raceway Park, an 11th at Texas, a 12th at Homestead and a 13th at Dover. But it wasn’t enough to keep him in a seat.
“I could have been winning races and if there was no sponsorship to support the program, then I’m not racing,” Wise said. “That’s what it came down to and I became frustrated with the dynamics of how things are. … That’s the part I had a really hard time with.”
So he went back to his sprint-car-racing roots.
“I had a blast, won big races and ran top-five [often],” Wise said. “I had a great year but then I got to the end, I was doing things I had already done. I got to the point again if I want to race, I don’t want to sit here.
“I enjoy it but at the same time, I want to better progress my career. So that’s when I made the decision at the end of 2009 I was coming back [to NASCAR] and to do whatever it takes. … It was cool, but it was also like a great awakening for me that I do really want to be here.”
Wise had made a few Nationwide starts in 2009 but has driven in 20 of 25 races this year. He has six starts in the No. 7 with no finish worse than 16th but no finish better than eighth. What JR Motorsports officials like is he has finished every race.
Hopeful he can remain with JRM, Wise is helping in any way he can with JRM trying to find sponsorship for him. He knows he needs to perform to attract a sponsor.
“This is where I want to be, so I really hope things continue on here,” Wise said. “I’m realistic. What keeps me here [right now]? It’s not money. I don’t have that. It’s not a sponsor. I don’t have that. It’s performance and how I handle myself with the team. … I need to step that [performance] up.”
And Wise is trying to do things a little differently than he did at MWR.
“I have so many people trying to get me to go race [Sprint cars], but I’ve just been trying to stay here, focus and be at the shop, be at the track,” Wise said. “At MWR, every week during the week, I’d go back and race [in Sprints]. I didn’t go to the shop that much and I wasn’t at the track unless I was racing, which is what I did – I was a race-car driver.
“But looking back, I needed to be more involved in this if I wanted it to work instead of just being a race-car driver.”
The experience with the Specialty Racing car was good for him. He got involved in putting sponsorship proposals together and talking to potential sponsors. He also worked on the cars as much as possible.
“I had to go to the shop and help get it ready during the week and help get it through tech,” Wise said. “It was a real good experience for me, and it also got me this opportunity [at JRM], people seeing me make the best of the situation.
“Here, it’s just been great. I have a blast with these guys. It’s obviously great equipment and an awesome team. I try to make the most of it every time I’m in the car.”
Could he contend for a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he has never competed.
“I’d like to think I could [win],” said Wise, who is unsure how many more races he’ll run this year. “What are realistic expectations when there are 12 Cup guys who have run here so many times? In myself and my ability, I think I can do it, but experience just overrides it sometimes and makes it challenging.
“I’ll be severely disappointed with anything less than a top-10 this weekend. We’ve got good cars, got good pit crew, so in my mind it’s on my shoulders.”
If he gets that top-10 finish on Saturday night, Wise will hopefully continue his NASCAR comeback.
“I’ve worked really hard to get to this point and to get this opportunity and stuff,” Wise said. “It sounds cheesy, but I’m proud of myself for working my butt off and doing whatever it takes. It’s been pretty cool.”
SceneDaily.com • Do NASCAR tracks need to run shorter Sprint Cup races?
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