NNS: Kenny Wallace Seeks Sponsorship

Nationwide

NNS: Kenny Wallace Seeks Sponsorship

Kenny Wallace - Everybody’s sad, but we’re broke...

Bob Pockrass | http://www.scenedaily.com | Posted March 03, 2012 Avondale, AZ

Kenny Wallace faces an uncertain future as funding issues could keep him out of his NASCAR Nationwide Series ride for many races in 2012. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Kenny Wallace will spend the next few weeks talking to sponsors and other teams in hopes of running the entire 2012 Nationwide Series season.

Wallace found out this week that he has only eight more races guaranteed with Robby Benton Racing. He has the next four races, where his car is unsponsored, and four more (Talladega, Kansas, Michigan and Chicagoland) where he has sponsorship from American Ethanol.

Team owner Robby Benton will need to put drivers with funding into the car for the remaining 24 events.

“Everybody’s sad, but we’re broke,” Wallace said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. “It’s hard as hell right now, [a driver] walking up with his father to put his child in the car.

“It hurts like hell.”

Wallace, who has the most starts of anyone in series history with 522, finished seventh in the standings last year for RAB Racing. He had hoped to run the entire 2012 season and then possibly retire.

That was the plan as well of Benton, who ran Wallace in eight races unsponsored last year and has committed to four unsponsored this year.

“I think the world of Kenny,” Benton said. “He has done a fantastic job for us and I would like nothing more than for him to run a complete season for us and hopefully better than he did last year.

“The reality of the situation is we need sponsorship. … We’re talking to people every day, but there’s not enough light at the end of the tunnel for us to continue pouring money into something that I’m not sure how it is going to pan out.”

Had he qualified for the Daytona 500 last week, the 48-year-old Wallace said he believes it would have bought him more time. Instead, he narrowly missed the Daytona 500 field, and this week was informed of the Nationwide situation.

Benton said he has people trying to sell Wallace but like many other teams in NASCAR, he has had trouble finalizing deals. He said he never thought he would have trouble selling Wallace because of the driver’s popularity and how hard Wallace works for his sponsors.

“It’s unfortunate for us as much as it is for Kenny,” Benton said. “Kenny has poured his heart and soul into our race team. He basically drives for free. … He’s done everything he can do to help us.”

Wallace, himself, is scrambling for sponsorship as well.

“We might be able to pull it off, you know?” Wallace said. “But right now it looks pretty ugly. I need help in a bad way.

“I didn’t think my career would ever end up like this. … This is a total shock to me.”

Wallace said past sponsors have not returned for a variety of reasons. Federated Auto Parts is going Cup racing with Ken Schrader and FAS Lane Racing for select events and the University of Northern Ohio couldn’t afford to sponsor a car this year.

“I knew we were in trouble,” said Wallace, who has nine career wins in the Nationwide series. “I was just waiting for Robby to say something.

“My team loves me. I’ll be fine because I’ve got SPEED money (for television appearances). … I’m worried about the guys.”

That’s what Benton is worried about as well.

“What we’ve got to do is make a business decision, and I know it is going to be an unpopular decision for fans,” Benton said. “I have employees. I have families depending on me making the right decisions. … I have to follow the sponsors.

“Am I going to turn into what has been dubbed as a ‘rent-a-ride?’ Absolutely not. There are a lot of good opportunities out there with good, talented drivers, some with plenty of experience, some that are young and up-and-coming, that have gone out and found their own sponsorship.”

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