This morning Jay Frye, General Manager and Vice President of Red Bull Racing Team, had a teleconference to answer questions from the media concerning the story that surfaced last week about Red Bull Racing possibly leaving the NASCAR series.
Frye started off the 40 minute conference by saying that Red Bull Racing is looking for a potential investor or sponsor to take over the day to day operations of the organization for the upcoming 2012 season.
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[/media-credit]Frye did mention the team would continue until the end of the current season under the Red Bull Banner, and could possibly field a two-car race team next season to give them more time to find an investor by financing the team for one more year.
Frye did say said that, “There are some potential investors outside of motorsports who might be willing to invest in the team”, which would include the race shop, as well as the cars and other equipment that would be needed to run the team.
Frye added that, “We’re very enthused and excited about some of the prospects and things we have got going on. This process has just started, and there have been a lot of inquiries based on what happened yesterday, in addition to some other people we already were talking to.”
As far as which manufacturer or eventual sponsor the new team owner would work with, Frye said that decision would be left to the new owner. As far as the speculating that surrounded Kasey Kahne signing with Hendrick Motorsport to take over Mark Martin’s seat in 2012, then driving for RBR in 2011 with the possibility that Hendrick might be interested in starting a satellite team in 2012.
That theory was quickly put to rest when Frye said that, Hendrick’s involvement was purely based on his 30 years of knowledge in the sport, and that Hendrick never showed any interest of wanting to buy the team.
Frye also said that he was hoping to begin talking with an investor within the next 30-45 days, but knew that it’s impossible to put a time frame on when and where any negotiations will actually take place.
With Kasey Kahne moving over to Hendrick Motorsports, and Brian Vickers contract running out at the end of the year, that would leave the team without a driver for next season. The focus right now is first get an investor, then worry about who will drive for them which shouldn’t be a big problem when you look at the talent coming up from the Nationwide and Truck series. “We’re very keen and very encouraged about the prospects of everything moving forward.”
