Changes abound: Schedule, Red Bull, RCR (cont'd)

3. RCR has signed Paul Menard for the 2011 season. Is once again expanding to four cars good for the organization?

Raygan Swan: It didn't work well with Casey Mears and RCR said so. I don't know. What is different now? Menard and Mears are about the same caliber of driver, too, so this confuses the heck out of me.

No driver can rock the sideburns, so says Raygan Swan, quite like Paul Menard.

David Caraviello: Boy, you'd think after what happened with the whole Casey Mears situation, and the way the entire organization suffered when RCR last expanded to four cars, that Richard Childress would be hesitant to do this. Only thing I can guess is, RC feels like his program is on more stable footing and can handle the expansion better this time. Plus, a sponsor comes with the deal.

Chris Stanfield: Mears didn't have millions of dollars backing him his entire career, so Menard is a different story. And couldn't you spread that money around the organization?

David Caraviello: But goodness, you look at all those Chase berths, what the organization has done this year -- it's very clear that RCR has the three-car thing figured out. I guess you never say no to dollars, though.

Chris Stanfield: Exactly, David.

David Caraviello: And Chris, your question is a good one. Is Menards paying enough just to back Paul's program? Or is that check big enough that RCR has some left over to spread across the rest of the organization?

Raygan Swan: Menard has improved slightly on the Nationwide side, but I haven't seen much on the Cup side to say, 'Hey come drive for me,' but what do I know. This sport operates on so many different levels I can't keep up so whatever, glad to have Paul and his crazy sideburns still in the series, I suppose.

Chris Stanfield: RCR is losing some hefty bucks when Shell/Pennzoil leaves ... That's kinda where I'm going, David. This smells of money, not that Menard can't improve from somewhere beyond top 20 in the standings ...

Raygan Swan: Shell is leaving, yes, but I was under the impression Bud was going to Harvick next year. So it would have plenty of cash.

David Caraviello: Even if Budweiser comes aboard on the No. 29 as expected, Shell/Pennzoil is obviously a huge-dollar account, big enough to unseat Miller Lite as top sponsor at Penske Racing and bump Brad Keselowski into the No. 2 car next year. RCR and Harvick have been so good this year, it's easy to forget they don't have sponsorship on the No. 29 for next year. At least not officially, not yet.

Chris Stanfield: But is this enough cash for one team? Can you spread it across more than one? I think your best chance of doing that is with Menards sponsorship. The other thing is that Menard is nice on the equipment. He's not exactly racking up the DNFs.

David Caraviello: To be fair here, Paul Menard has shown some flashes, particularly on plate tracks. But goodness, the guy surely knows how to broker a deal, doesn't he? From Yates to RPM to RCR? That's trending in the right direction. Money talks very loudly these days.

Chris Stanfield: What more can you say, really? Money does talk. And stable money rules the day.

Raygan Swan: It's the sideburns, David.

David Caraviello: How? I'd think they'd produce more drag.

Raygan Swan: Grow some and see how your luck starts changing.

David Caraviello: Um, I have sideburns, thanks very much. Nice to know that women notice them. Sounds like time for a little more small-batch whiskey ....

• RCR signs Menard, returns to four-car stable

The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.