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Post by topfive on Mar 28, 2010 5:52:32 GMT -8
I see Taylor Barton ran the opening race at Roseville. Qualified 21st and finished a respectable 12th. Good move to stop wasting time running around and around the Bullring and move to a bigger series. Other young hopefuls should follow his lead and avoid the trap of becoming a perennial Bullring journeyman.
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Post by harold on Mar 28, 2010 20:08:25 GMT -8
barton is not even close to a rolemodel, he will fail. qualified in the rear of the field and finished as the last car still running, i dont consider that respectible. Other young bullring hopefulls would have moved on by now if they had the financial backing that barton does, i think you have just spit in the face of the bullrings young talent and the veterans. Mark my words, his west career will end early, his team has struggled to compete in the top five for years and barton brings nothing of value besides enough money to field brett thompson in a few truck races. He will be back at the bullring before the seasons end. Josh Combs was impressive, Derick Thorn was impressive, Taylor Barton, just another backmarker.
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Post by topfive on Mar 29, 2010 6:00:02 GMT -8
No matter how you feel about him personally, he is still making the right moves. I don't think he has a lot of family money behind him, but has hustled to get sponsorship from the poker people. In this day and age, that is more important than driving talent.
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Post by dave on Mar 29, 2010 10:42:39 GMT -8
He finished two laps down but wasn't the last car running according to T&S. The attrition wasn't very deep that night. The ride is for 4 more K&N races and two truck races. Good for him but at this point being late teens or early 20s is getting long in the tooth for a Cup development deal. By the time they are 16-17 and either not back in Mooresville or part of a program like Harraka or Bowles the chances of making Cup are pretty bleak unless you have Menard like funding.
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Post by teammtrsprts on Mar 29, 2010 10:48:33 GMT -8
Great job Taylor! First race and you finished.
You also got the needed experience in the new cars.
By the end of the year you will be ready for the truck ride and your big track license!
Keep your eyes on the big picture.
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Post by topfive on Mar 29, 2010 13:35:26 GMT -8
He finished two laps down but wasn't the last car running according to T&S. The attrition wasn't very deep that night. The ride is for 4 more K&N races and two truck races. Good for him but at this point being late teens or early 20s is getting long in the tooth for a Cup development deal. By the time they are 16-17 and either not back in Mooresville or part of a program like Harraka or Bowles the chances of making Cup are pretty bleak unless you have Menard like funding. Making the big leap to cup is a long shot even for talented drivers. However, the "youth" movement is pretty much over now. Kyle and Logano are probably 2 of the last of that . Its all about sponsor money now, and even the biggest teams are scrambling for every dollar. Its a lot easier to hold on to or grab a sponsor with a proven driver than a " young hot shoe". For guys like Barton and Justin Johnson, taking the steady steps will eventually pay off with opportunities- when those opportunities come along, then the talent factor will determine who moves up and who doesn't.
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Post by dave on Mar 29, 2010 14:15:52 GMT -8
It's always been about getting the funding. It's just these days there is less and less around. I disagree that the youth movement is gone. It's how it happens now. That's why guys like Crawford and Benson are having trouble funding rides over guys like Malsam or even Bowles. NASCAR has realized this in letting 14 year olds get provisional Charger level licenses. The window for those few lucky enough to have a shot at getting into the big show is 18-24. I think if anything Logano showed everyone that they shouldn't rush the kids up and give them an extra season or so in the lower divisions to acclimate to the cars. When was the last time a driver older than 25 (other than a family team or Norm Benning kidn of ride) was awarded a seat based on talent alone? Populating the ranks like that hasn't happened it years. it's all about getting the kids the chops and funding to try to make the show.
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Post by teammtrsprts on Mar 29, 2010 16:04:49 GMT -8
David Gilliand. ?
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Post by Buzzy on Mar 29, 2010 16:05:27 GMT -8
If Taylor Barton had such talent why is he at the age he is and still driving local tracks. All of the money in the world won't make you a good driver. He thinks that he can play with the big boy's but they will soon tire of his antics and dirty driving. He truly couldn't drive a car out of a paper bag.
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Post by harold on Mar 29, 2010 17:28:49 GMT -8
there is no comparision between justin johnson and taylor barton. Barton is the perfect example of a non talented driver securing enough financial backing to run some truck races, run mid pack in good equipment, will run out of money and never be heard from again. Justin Johnson can make it as long as he is matched with the correct people throughout the ladder, and his team makes it without sinking in pool of Dusty Davis Debt. Johnsons financial backing is not solid as long as they are spending over 250,000 per year on a couple super lates. The Vision doors could close at any time. Taylor has no talent beyond some seat time, success in the cup series is dependent upon communication and leading your team in the right direction at all times, if you cant point your crew chief in the right direction to tune a chassis your out no matter how much money you bring. Justin is smart enough about a car to be a key element in a crew/driver combo, and he is lightyears above taylor behind the wheel. I agree, the bullrings young talent should be educated in attracting sponsorship, and they should move on at an early age. Once in a while a driver comes along with the perfect package, Talent behind the wheel, Education of basic chassis dynamics, Ability to secure sponsorship, and the correct image, these drivers are special and they usually only come every ten seasons or so. Im not a barton hater, more power to him, im just a numbers guy, and the odds are stacked very high against him. His time has passed, you must dominate every series you run, from your first race to your last, Taylor has already failed. Why give a midpack at best team your hard earned sponsorship, maybe because no one else would take his money. Good luck on your truck race venture also, a team without a guaranteed points provisional, no testing policy, a crew cheif that has been released from every team he has worked for, and a driver with one race under his belt outside of the bullring.Mark my words again folks, the only way he will make a truck race with thompson motorsports is to get lucky enough for a shortage in entries and therefore leading to a guranteed starting position, he will never qualify his way into the show in a thompson motorsports prepared truck, especially at orp.
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Post by Buzzy on Mar 30, 2010 17:50:07 GMT -8
Harold,
You said a mouthful. Well thought out and written, but most of all the truth even if you don't personally care for either driver. Johnson has talent and Barton has sponsors. That is the long and short of it. You can't buy talent.
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Post by dave on Mar 31, 2010 8:11:22 GMT -8
He was who I was talking about having a family connection. Except for winning the All Star one year (due to the winner having a DQ) he's not really set the world on fire. As Harold said a few posts up, one must dominate the class and move up every year. And the people doing that are the kids. Specifically the kids with money. It's somewhat like politics where it's not so much about the talent for the job as it is the talent to raise the money or be born into the lucky sperm club.
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rickd
Bumper Bender
durica racing.com
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Post by rickd on Apr 1, 2010 8:13:51 GMT -8
When was the last time a driver older than 25 (other than a family team or Norm Benning kidn of ride) was awarded a seat based on talent alone? . David Reutimann
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Post by dave on Apr 1, 2010 9:43:17 GMT -8
Buzzie's kid is a good example and Biffle as well, but those guys are almost 10 years into their touring series careers. For every Rueti or Bif there are probably 10 or 20 kids that cycle through and aren't able to stay.
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Post by topfive on Apr 9, 2010 6:09:20 GMT -8
Barton finished 9th at Phoenix- another decent run for him.
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