In April of 2010, Busch signed a contract extension with Penske racing through the 2015 season.  However, the separation of Busch and his long-standing relationship with Penske proves that contracts don’t always secure a ride in NASCAR.  Over the course of the 2011 season, Busch’s became more known for his anger outbursts than for his performance on the track. Before the incident at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Busch’s outbursts were well-documented.

When it comes to sponsors, not only do drivers have to perform on the track, but they have to live up to high expectations off the track as well.  If the driver acts so poorly off the track that fans can’t remember what the driver did on the track, he is not living up to the expectations of the sponsor.

Sponsors want a driver who can be fan-friendly; a spokesperson for their brand; and an outstanding representative for their product.  If the sponsor is not happy with the driver representing their brand, the team generally has no choice but to make a change in order to appease the sponsor.

The separation between Busch and Penske has awakened drivers, I think, and it will change how they act on and off the track in the future.  We have seen that contracts can and will be dismissed if the sponsor is not happy.

To succeed in NASCAR, you must please the sponsor.  Without sponsors, there is no NASCAR.  Even in today’s economy, a driver may do well on the track and be a good spokesperson off the track (example: David Ragan), but may be jobless next season due to lack of sponsorship funding.  When sponsors are dishing out millions of dollars to have their logo on a driver’s race car and firesuit, they want to be sure that their money is spent on a driver who will represent them accordingly.

There are an array of jobless/sponsor-less drivers available for hire in the NASCAR circuit right now (David Ragan, David Reutimann, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Elliott Sadler, Brian Vickers, etc.) who are all proven winners and could be an excellent representative for a sponsor. So why would a sponsor waste money on a driver who is going to hurt their brand?

When a driver gets out of the race car, one of the top priorities for the post-race interview should be to thank the sponsor, not verbally abuse fellow competitors/media/team, etc.  Shell Oil decided that they had seen enough of Kurt Busch. They didn’t want to deal with the harm Busch’s mouth was doing to their brand, so Penske was forced to remove Kurt from the equation.

The moral of the story is: sponsorship money is everything in NASCAR.

Busch, the 2004 Sprint Cup champion, has been with Penske since 2006, and has been at the Cup level for 11 years. He has posted 24 wins in his Cup career, 1o of them with Penske.

But Busch has received extra attention this season after confrontations with media members and highly publicized in-race meltdowns directed towards his team and crew chief.

Following his transmission problems at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Busch was caught on camera making an obscene gesture. He was later shown berating ESPN’s Dr. Jerry Punch in a video that went viral on YouTube. NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 for his actions. He apologized.

Both Penske and Shell Pennzoil, Busch’s sponsor, released statements condemning the behavior.

Penske issued its statement shortly after the video went viral. The organization said:

These actions do not represent Penske Racing and are inconsistent with the company’s standards for behavior, respect for others and professionalism. This matter is being reviewed internally with no further comment at this time.

Shell and Pennzoil echoed those sentiments in their statement:

Shell and Pennzoil are disappointed with recent actions by driver, Kurt Busch, at the final race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race season. His actions are in no way consistent with the way we want our brands represented and we have expressed our disappointment and concerns directly to Penske Racing.

In addition to his actions at Homestead, Busch has received a lot of negative attention for his tirades over the radio during races. Busch had a rocky relationship with his crew chief of the last two years, Steve Addington. The pair won four races in two seasons, but Addington chose to leave the team at the end of the season. While there is nothing official to indicate that Addington left due to the way that Busch treated him, it is hard to imagine that it did not play a role.

In his time at Penske, Busch had been with four different crew chiefs.

Rumor has it that David Ragan is the leading candidate for the job. Ragan is coming off of one of his best Sprint Cup seasons, having earned his first career victory at Daytona International Speedway, and being close to winning the Daytona 500. David Reutimann and Brian Vickers, and Sam Hornish, who has driven for Penske before, may also be considered for the ride, if the report is true.

At this time, there has been no official word, so assume this a rumor.

Update: The Associated Press is reporting that Busch and Penske have agreed to part ways. This is the second time in his career, Busch has been released from a major team for his behavior. Busch was released from Roush Fenway Racing following an incident with Arizona police.

Update 2: Penske officially announced the separation. Penske owner Roger Penske said:

I appreciate the victories that Kurt has brought Penske Racing and our sponsors over the past six years. While I am disappointed that Kurt will not be racing for our team in the future, both Kurt and I felt that separating at this time was best for all parties, including our team and sponsors. I wish Kurt the best in his future racing endeavors.

Busch added:

I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years. Together we won a lot of races -16 in all. Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it’s an important step for me and allows me to take a deep breath to work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person. I want to personally thank Roger Penske for the opportunity that he has given me.

In the 2010 season, Penske fielded three Sprint Cup teams and two Nationwide teams, including the team for the series champion, Brad Keselowski. Next season, Penske will field one Nationwide team.

At this point, Hornish will drive the No. 77 Penske Dodge in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The team is currently looking for sponsor so that it can continue to field that team beyond Daytona.

Hornish’s 2010 sponsor, Mobil 1, had to move from Hornish’s car due to an agreement the team signed with Shell Pennzoil to sponsor Kurt Busch’s No. 22 Dodge next season. Mobil1 announced earlier this year, that it would move to Stewart Haas Racing’s No. 14 Chevy with Tony Stewart behind the wheel.

In related news, Shell Pennzoil has released images of the 2011 No. 22 Shell Dodge to be driven by Busch. See images here.

Mobil 1 will appear as primary sponsor on the car for 11 races, and as an associate sponsor for the remaining 25 races. The team already has Office Depot signed as primary sponsor for 22 races.

Old Spice announced it would be leaving the team back in May. At the time, a spokesman for the sponsor cited a “change in our marketing strategies” as the reason.

Mobil 1 found itself looking for another team to sponsor after it was announced that Penske Racing signed a deal with Shell Pennzoil to sponsor the No. 22 and driver Kurt Busch next season.

As a result of that deal, Shell Pennzoil became the official motor oil provider of Penske, meaning Mobil 1 had to leave the team.

Nigel Searl, a VP of marketing at ExxonMobil Lubricants & Petroleum Specialties Company, said:

With Mobil 1’s long tradition of partnering with world-class race teams around the globe, we are proud of our new association with one of NASCAR’s top drivers. We look forward to helping Stewart-Haas Racing secure a Sprint Cup Series championship and add to the list of successful teams that Mobil 1 has supported for more than 30 years.

Stewart added:

As a team owner, I’m absolutely thrilled to add such a respected technology partner to our race team. And as a driver, it’s exciting to partner with a brand that has such an incredible racing pedigree. ExxonMobil is committed to producing the highest-quality racing motor oil and shares the same winning attitude that champions must have to succeed at this level.

The car:

Mobil 1 was left looking for another team to sponsor after Penske Racing signed a deal with Shell Pennzoil to sponsor Kurt Busch next season.

SHR’s No. 39 will have the US Army and Tornado’s back on the car with part time schedules next season. They are currently in talks with Wix Filters about a partial sponsorship schedule next season.

Ever since Kasey Kahne announced that he signed a contract with Hendrick Motorsports, there was speculation that Budweiser would leave Richard Petty Motorsports. Harvick and RCR were one of the first teams linked to Budweiser. HMS was also rumored to have had discussions with Budweiser about a sponsorship opportunity.

But, as time went on, the rumors began focusing solely on Harvick and RCR. Earlier this month, Marty Smith wrote in his Door 2 Door column:

Sources tell me Harvick will have a split sponsorship on the No. 29 in 2011, and Budweiser will be on the car in the majority of points races, as well as the two exhibition events.

Budweiser will sponsor the No. 29 in 20 points-paying races and the Bud Shootout and the All Star race.

Harvick said:

Budweiser is one of the most respected sponsors in our sport. They do a lot to market their teams and the sport in television broadcasts and away from the track. I’m looking forward to driving the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet, taking it to Victory Lane and winning championships.

Team owner Richard Childress added:

Throughout his career, Kevin has shown he can win at any level in NASCAR. Combining his talent with Budweiser’s NASCAR lineage and proven track record of innovative sponsorship activations makes this an exciting pairing for fans everywhere. RCR prides itself on its heritage and authenticity, so working with a brand like Budweiser, which has built their reputation on those same values, is a very special opportunity.

Mark Wright of Anheuser-Busch said:

Budweiser’s involvement in NASCAR dates back more than three decades, and we’re excited to have as successful a driver as Kevin Harvick to usher in a new era for Budweiser. Kevin also benefits from having the support of a highly respected owner in Richard Childress and the great people of Richard Childress Racing, who will help put the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet in a position to challenge for Sprint Cup championships.

He wrote:

Old Spice’s decision to leave the sport left a financial void at Stewart-Haas Racing. Mobil 1, who will leave Penske Racing at season’s end in the wake of the Shell-to-Kurt-Busch deal, is a likely replacement.

Old Spice decided to leave the team after this season, citing  a “change in our marketing strategies” as the reason. Office Depot will remain with the team next season.

As part of the Shell-Pennzoil-to-Penske-Racing deal, Shell would become the official oil of Penske, meaning Mobil 1 will have to leave the team. ExxonMobil said they would partner with another team next season.

Allmendinger will be the only driver RPM has under contract next season. Paul Menard, whose contract expires at the end of this season, could be headed to Richard Childress Racing. If he leaves, he will take his Menards sponsorship with him. 

Elliott Sadler has already announced that he is leaving the team at season’s end. Rumor has it that Stanley Tools would go with him if he leaves. There are also rumors circulating that Best Buy would also go with him. Both of these have not yet been confirmed.  

Kasey Kahne signed a deal with Hendrick Motorsports back in April. It’s unclear whether Budweiser would stay on, but rumors have that sponsorship moving to RCR and Kevin Harvick, who lost his Shell Pennzoil sponsorship to Penske Racing and driver Kurt Busch. 

Marcos Ambrose is rumored to be the likely candidate to replace Kahne in the No. 9 car. But, he also didn’t rule out returning to Australia, walking away from NASCAR altogether, according to FoxSports.com.

Ambrose said:

I’ve spoken to a few people down there, and all have been well received, and it’s actually been in the papers and on national television over the last few days, you know, obviously not ruling out the possibilities of me returning and where I would potentially go. But my heart is in NASCAR to be honest with you. I’ve got unfinished business at this level of racing. I feel like I’ve become part of the sport but I haven’t become a contender on a weekly basis, and I feel like I’m really — if I left now, I would feel like I’ve got unfinished business.

Earlier this month, team owner Richard Childress said that he hoped to have Harvick re-signed by the end of May. Harvick, however, sidestepped a question about contract talks during a media session at Dover International Speedway.

Last July, it was reported that Harvick asked to be let out of his RCR contract. At that time, rumors were circulating that Harvick wanted to take Shell/Pennzoil with him to Stewart Haas Racing in a third car.

But, last month Kasey Kahne signed with Hendrick Motorsports, despite HMS having a full stable of drivers signed through 2011. Rumors began circulating that Kahne would spend 2011 in a HMS-backed car due to the lack of an open seat at HMS. That limits Kahne’s options to Stewart Haas Racing, Phoenix Racing, and Furniture Row Racing.

With PR being put up for sale by team owner James Finch, and FRW not even being mentioned as an option, many believe Kahne will end up at SHR for one year, despite representatives for SHR saying that they have not had any discussions with HMS reps about Kahne.

That coupled with SHR’s recent struggles may have removed SHR from the Harvick running, as Tony Stewart, owner of SHR, is not likely to be thinking about expansion to four teams when his current two-car operation is struggling.

Further fueling speculation that Harvick would leave RCR was the news that Shell/Pennzoil decided to leave the team and head to Penske Racing and driver Kurt Busch.

Still, the news that Harvick is likely to have signed an extension with RCR is not very surprising. Early this year, I wrote an article indicating the four teams that realistically had a shot of landing Kahne — I did not include HMS because they had a full stable through the end of next year.

From that article, Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 00, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s No. 1, Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 11, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 29, Front Row Motorsports’ No. 34, Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 36, TRG Motorsports’ No. 71, Red Bull Racing’s No. 82, and Robert Yates Racing/Richard Petty Motorsports’ No. 98 could have open seats at the end of this season.

The Nos. 00, 1, and 11 are more than likely going to re-sign their current drivers. MWR is currently working on an extension for David Reutimann. It would be hard to imagine Earnhardt Ganassi Racing or Joe Gibbs Racing would release Jamie McMurray or Denny Hamlin, respectively, given the way both of them are running.

That leaves the Nos. 34, 36, 71, 82, and 98 as potential open seats. The No. 98 isn’t likely to lose Paul Menard as a driver because if they cut ties with him, it’s extremely likely that his sponsor Menards, which is owned by his father, will leave with him. That would effectively end that team, if another sponsor could be found.   

Assuming Scott Speed is out of the No. 82 — and there’s nothing to indicate that this is the case — that would have been the most competitive team with an available seat. But, considering the No. 82 is a Toyota, it’s unlikely Harvick would have gone there because of his interests in Chevy with his Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series teams.

That leaves the relatively uncompetitive teams of the Nos. 34, 36, and 71. If for no other reason, it is highly unlikely Harvick would have even considered these rides as they would be a step down for him. Those teams are working on shoestring budgets and are in building mode. They are not yet close enough to competitive to be able to attract a driver of Harvick’s caliber.

Had he been interesting in going the same route as Tony Stewart, buying an interest in an underfunded team and turning it into a contender, perhaps he would have considered these teams. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

At the end of the day, Harvick looked at the available seats out there and determined that no situation — including a brand new team — would give him as much of a chance to win as RCR. So, if the reports are true and Harvick did in fact sign an extension with RCR, it comes as no surprise.