3rd Red Bull team in 2009?

[Vez]

http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm#news84

3rd Red Bull team in 2009? Between now and the end of the 2008 season, Scott Speed likely will make his Sprint Cup debut. Red Bull Racing will probably employ its test team – which includes veteran Cup crew chief Richard “Slugger” Labbe — for a third car for Speed, said team Vice President and General Manager Jay Frye said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. Red Bull is still deciding whether or not to run two or three full-time cars next season, or two full- and one part-time cars, and whether it will retain AJ Allmendinger in its #84 Toyota. Speed, who has a chance to win the ARCA RE/MAX Series title this year, has been exceptionally impressive transitioning to stock cars, while Allmendinger has shown huge improvement since the start of the season. Frye said he hopes to have 2008 plans finalized in October.(SPEEDtv)(8-23-2008)

[RaceFanStan]

Scott Speed could wind-up being another classic "moved-up too soon NASCAR sad story" ...
yes, Speed is doing well in ARCA but I doubt jumping to Cup is a smart idea ...
Speed needs to race 2 years in the Nationwide Series to learn stockcar racing & the tracks ...
(or 1 year in the Truck Series & then 1 year in the Nationwide Series would be better IMO) ...
then he could be ready for the heavy competition he will face in Cup racing ...
too many times team-owners move a driver into Cup BEFORE he has the proper experience. :s

Red Bull has taken the right step with Scott Speed by starting him in ARCA ...
Scott Speed is flourishing in ARCA & he will be ready for the next step in 2009 ...
now is the time for Red Bull to be patient & give the Scott Speed the time to develop his talent ...
if Red Bull jumps the gun & moves Scott Speed up too soon they won't be happy with the results IMO. http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/images/smilies/bomb.gif

[RaceFanStan]

AJ Allmendinger is a talented driver IMO but he was thrown into Cup racing too soon ...
his good results are sadly lacking as he is learning stockcars as he goes ...
I expect the team-owner will look elsewhere for a driver for 2009. :s

Look at the 2007 IRL Champion Dario Franchitti, a very talented driver IMO ...
he was boldly moved right into the Cup Series but he is now is looking for a ride ...
sadly his results didn't merit a team-owner investing in him getting Cup Series seat-time. :s

There has always been ABC steps to Cup racing, there is a reason for this, it is called gaining experience ...
A = ARCA (1 year is usually enough in a good car/team)
B = Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) (2 years is best)
C = Cup Series
very few drivers can skip these steps & if they do they usually fail at the Cup level. :s

[ms0362]

They need to keep Speed in the development series. More time in NW, trucks and ARCA. They have a good plan, they should stick with it.

[Simmi]

With Red Bull so big on driver development in other forms of motorsport it is surprising to me that they haven't either merged with or created their own Nationwide team. That would give them a much better means of evaluating drivers. It's all well and good having Speed try to win the ARCA title but while he's driving round DuQuoin State Fairgrounds at the weekend he should be in Fontana getting more experience on a track he will actually race on again in the future.

I'd be in favour of him running a full Nationwide season with selected Cup outings in a third team at beneficial tracks. Obviously that wont happen but I wish him the best of luck either way.