RCR to field 4th Cup team in 2009, General Mills as sponsor
Quote selected text Published April 1st, 2008 in NASCAR News
Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and General Mills have agreed to terms on a multi-year partnership for the world’s sixth-largest food company to sponsor the No. 33 Cheerios®/Hamburger Helper® Chevrolet Impala SS beginning with the 2009 NASCAR Cup Series season.
The driver for the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet Impala SS will be announced at a later date.
“RCR is honored to represent General Mills and its Cheerios, Hamburger Helper and many other brands in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “The partnership is another step in RCR’s continued association with blue-chip global brands and companies. General Mills has a great history of activating its NASCAR programs so our focus now turns to the short list of drivers we feel will help continue that tradition as well as be at the same competitive level on the track as our current drivers and teams.”
The 2009 season will mark General Mills’ 13th year of sponsorship involvement in NASCAR as well as Richard Childress’ 40th anniversary in the sport. RCR has earned 11 NASCAR championships, including six in the Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt, four in the Nationwide Series, and one in the Truck Series. Next year will be the first time RCR will run a fourth fulltime NASCAR Cup Series team.
- Cheerios becomes 1st client for Bobby Labonte’s marketing firm
- Bobby Labonte undecided about 2009 plans
- Report: Bobby Labonte and General Mills moving to RCR in 2009-UPDATE
- Labonte says he knows where he’s driving in 2009
- Bobby Labonte signs extension with Petty Enterprises-UPDATE
Oh gee, I wonder who might end up driving the #33… Maybe Bobby Labonte???
Greg Biffle ……., or depending on how Austin Dillion does in his Nationwide races this year……
But this sucks for PE.
Who knows how much longer BL is going to drive but he does represent GM with is marketing firm. My guess is that he will start out in the #33 and then one of RCRs younger drivers will take over later.
I think it will be Scott Wimmer if he continues to do well in NWS.
True… Could be Wimmer. I thought Biffle was almost done with a deal w/ RFR?
Hmm wonder about Tony Stewart… has he signed extension with Gibbs yet?
HendrickFan wrote:
Doubt it’s Tony… The sponsor is General Mills, not Turkey Creek pork rinds or ding-dongs! MMMMM pork rinds
Jeff wrote:
Cold but very funny!
Another reason it will not be Tony is Home Depot! I think he has done good Job for them and it is not a sponsor that he would age out of….ie Budweiser.
NO, ow crap, this means Bobby will probably go. Great, we suck again. I just hope Petty puts a good driver in the seat of the 43, like bring back Andretti and McCumbee wouldn’t be a bad pick either, just no more sucky drivers
Nothing personal against Crash…I mean Andretti, but I don’t think he would be a great choice for Petty. I think if team looks good, sponsorship is replaced with top tier sponsor that Bobby stays.
Put McCumbee in the 43 and Petty in the 45 next year.
Petty is going to the 43 and then they’ll find somebody (McCumbee) for the 45.
Tony still has a year left on his current deal so he wouldn’t be free for next year.
What about JMac, or even Edwards who are both in Contract years too.
Personally I think Richard will bring his grandson up to Cup in 2010, so the driver of the 4th car might be somebody who will only really want to race for a year, or maybe a combo of drivers (Wimmer, Dillon, Somebody else)
Or what about David Stremme….. He’d be a good fit for that team.
IDK with the 4 car rule, there are too many free agents will not enough cars.
Yahoo sports “Bob Margolis ” is reporting that Bobby Labonte will be the driver for the #33 car. for rcr
I still think it’s between Bobby and Biff. Wimmer is a seat filler/warmer. A past Cup champ or a past Busch champ should be attractive to a sponsor. I see someone threw Stremme’s name out there. He wouldn’t be a bad pick either. He’s fairly young and aggressive.
If anyone wants to know who will be driving for Richard Childress, ask FISHA695,, He follows his nose and always knows, he has me beat in the know-it-all stage of life, lOl…
gigolo george wrote:
I still think it will be BL but the “BIFF” would be a great choice.
Sam wrote:
I saw that too, but I think him reporting that is an April fools joke, as in several articles Bobby has stated that he is focused on this year and has not made any decisions about next year.
I think RCR is using Bobby Labonte to get a 4th team off the ground in Cup racing by using his Past Champions Provisional to get the car into races in 2009. To me the handwriting has been on the wall that Bobby is history at PE once 2008 is over. I look for RCR to give Bobby top notch equipment to start out with, then after the 33 team is established, he’ll be treated like the red headed stepchild. I could be wrong, Ive been wrong before, but this whole deal with Bobby signing General Mills to his marketing agency and then General Mills winding up signing with the very team Bobby is reportedly going to in 2009 is too coincidental. Its all a shady underhanded deal, done behind the Pettys backs and I dont like it. Hopefully PE is close to signing that investor and the 33 car will be eating 43/45 dust in the near future! Go get em PE!
scott_30_27288 wrote:
Bobby wouldnt need to fall back on past champions provisionals he could get the car in on time easy I mean he does fine with the junk he drives now for petty and as far as somebody being left out in the future that could be harvick he hasnt done crap in years at least not for suppose to be being rcr top driver.
I think if he goes to the 33, he will end up using all of his 6 (or is it 5) allotted PCP’s because RCR will put a POS crew chief with that team.
Fisha695 wrote:
That depends if nascar puts in age limit,dillon is just 17 he couldnt move 2011
Till 2011 I mean..
Lee88-20 wrote:
Yeah but he’ll be 18 before this season is over I think. Isn’t he scheduled to run a few nationwide races later in the season?
They announced it its clint bowyer drivin # 33