Smack: Undecided voters in Junior, Busch debate (cont'd)

2. Petty Enterprises is holding preliminary talks about some sort of merger or alliance with DEI. Would Petty still be Petty, even if operating under another name?

Joe Menzer: Well, let's be clear about this: Robbie Loomis and others at Petty have made a point of saying while they've talked, nothing is imminent -- and one source said he can't see anything happening there.

David Caraviello: Man, tough questions today. My gut feeling would be no. Petty is about so much more than the racecars. It's about what they refer to as the Petty "brand," all that history, outside activities like the driving experience and the camp, and the silhouette of the King. How can you keep all that if you merge with another organization?

Dave Rodman: If you recall the previous partnership deal, it's obvious the Petty brand is the key to everything. So no offense to DEI, but I wouldn't think any merger with anyone would radically change that.

Thinking about it

Petty Enterprises has beeen a staple in NASCAR from the beginning, but in these tough economic times the team is finding it hard to compete. For that reason, Petty Enterprises is talking with other teams, including DEI, looking to possibly merge.

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Joe Menzer: But if it's not DEI, it's probably going to be someone else they form an alliance with. Boston Ventures didn't buy a majority interest in Petty with the idea that Petty would remain overmatched forever in the garage, and the only way they're not going to be overmatched is if they team up with another team sort of in the same boat as them.

David Caraviello: But the Petty folks have always been very conscious -- and rightly so -- of the fact that the name is the meal ticket. They haven't ever done anything to undercut that. This is the only team in the garage that can run less than competitively and get away with it, because of the Petty name. You sacrifice that, the results don't follow -- and then what do you have?

Joe Menzer: Earnhardt is a pretty big name in the business, too, folks!

David Caraviello: It is, Joe, but the Earnhardt name is all about performance. This is a team that's used to winning recently, and thinks they can get back there fairly soon. Petty's one big piece of leverage is the last name.

Dave Rodman: The danger here is taking too narrow a view of any merger or alliance. There's no reason anything like that would involve name changes. Depends how much egos come into it. Over the weekend, Richard said they were talking to a lot of people -- as everyone is. But he also said they were fairly comfortable with their situation.

Joe Menzer: Even they can't get away with running in the back forever. You're already seeing that now with them obviously having more problems getting sponsors than anyone thought they would have.

David Caraviello: The new Boston Ventures folks in charge seem to have a keen understanding of the fact that Petty isn't just a race team, it's a brand name. I think that's why they bought in.

Joe Menzer: I'll be blunt about this: I don't think the higher-ups at NASCAR will ever let the entity known as Petty Enterprises ever go completely away. Nor should they.

David Caraviello: Well, these are privately-run businesses. Kyle's gonna get out of the car for good sometime in the near future, and when Petty doesn't have a Petty behind the wheel anymore, that will be the real test.

Dave Rodman: Yikes. Without going into any great detail, and as painful as the thought is, I don't think NASCAR would think that deeply about it. Business, unfortunately would be business -- as it most always has been.

Joe Menzer: Now you are testing my patience, Roadman. Are you saying NASCAR has never propped up big-name teams before? Seems to me they helped Junior Johnson out a little once back in the day.

Dave Rodman: That was a previous time and different people -- with different goals and value sets, unfortunately.

David Caraviello: Here's my question: could two teams merge and still keep their individual names? Could Petty and Earnhardt merge, build cars out of both shops, call one Petty and one Earnhardt, and leave it at that? Because surely, DEI has a name and a legacy it would want to protect as well.

Joe Menzer: I don't think it will be an issue -- because I don't think it's going to happen. I think Petty will end up merging -- or forming an alliance, or whatever you want to call it -- with another Dodge organization.

Dave Rodman: That's what I said before, DC -- if egos would allow it, they certainly could. Richard was asked the question last weekend and didn't much want to comment about names or bargaining positions, but he did infer that DEI was in the weaker position of the two organizations.

David Caraviello: But Joe, aren't they still in the same boat, regardless of who they merge with? Protecting the name that means so much to them? That's why they haven't merged with anyone to this point, to be honest.

Joe Menzer: You said it yourself. Because of the name, they are so much more than just a race team. They're an entity -- one that includes the Petty Driving Experience, etc. -- but they'll have to do something on the merger front to ever get competitive on the track again. But I guess to answer the question, yes, there will always be a Petty Enterprises involved in NASCAR in my opinion. In some form and on some level.

David Caraviello: Well, they have proven the past few years they're not above changing -- moving from Level Cross and all that. Maybe this is another break with tradition they're willing to make to be competitive again. (Continued)