Robby Gordon Motorsports officially named Peter Sospenzo as the crew chief for the #7 Ford Fusion. Historically with multicar teams such as Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Ginn Racing, Sospenzo brings renewed optimism to Nextel Cup’s only single car owner/driver combination.
“This is the most unique opportunity in the garage,” Said Sospenzo. “First we have one of the most talented drivers in any form of motorsports behind the wheel in Robby Gordon. He drives the wheels off everything he gets into and drivers in the garage respect him. They don’t run all over him because they know what a fierce competitor he is. Robby has also done a remarkable job with this team. You can chart the progress over the past three years and can clearly tell which direction RGM is headed. The race cars are very well built and with the expanded facility and strong backing from sponsors we’re looking forward to getting this team into the top twenty by the end of the year - and then coming out strong in ‘08 at Daytona.”
When Sospenzo became available after the Dale Earnhardt Incorporated merger with Ginn Racing, the choice for Gordon became clear.
“This is an extremely tough business and Peter Sospenzo brings a strong racing background to RGM. He is the first crew chief hired by our organization that has taken a car to victory lane in the Nextel Cup Series. He has won races with other drivers in Nextel Cup and we look forward to having a guy with his experience on our team.”
[RGM PR]
- RGM crew chief Sospenzo hospitalized
- Sospenzo back at track after health scare
- Robby Gordon looking for new crew chief
- Robby Gordon names crew chief
- Hendrick names new car chief for Gordon
I hope all that experience also includes a strong background in dealing with a hot headed driver that likes to bang up his car to prove he is a “tough guy” other wise Robbie just wasted a bunch of his sponsors $$$.
You can take the pig outa the mud hole and clean him up but he is still a pig..
I sense some hostility against Robby…
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Agreed. Sospenzo isn’t going to make Robby a better driver or less aggressive for that matter.
I think it is a good move for the team, and hope the combo work out.
Am I the onlyone who see that Robby is not the reckless drivr he was when he started racing in cup?
Sure he’s aggressive, but he has improved each year that he’s had his own team. He’s got a good shot at finishing the season out in the top-20 and he’s had some decent runs. Sospenzo has won at the Cup level and will only serve to help the team be more successful. Robby’s team is BY FAR the best single team car out there, and he has been better then the Evernham cars and Ganassi’s bunch. He may not win a championship, but he definitely brings excitement to the track.
This new crew chief is the guy that pissed off Michael Kranefuss which led to his parting from Penske. Kranefuss was known as the world wide racing honcho for Ford Motorsports. He teamed up with Penske and Mayfield became the driver. They were caught up in some kind of rules violation. Then later I believe, there was an additive in Mayfield’s fuel and they were disqualified and fined. Kranefuss snapped and split. He was upset because he had a great reputation and was now being labeled a cheater. So Robby is hooking up with a cheater crew chief. It’s still better than a guy like Hyder.