Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-truck/news/rico-abreu-will-not-return-to-full-time-nascar-competition-in-2017-864768/

It's a shame that sponsorship issues are keeping him out of a truck this year. It spoils us as sprint car and midget fans, but I hate to see Rico missing out on a chance at the big time. Hopefully things will work out and he can make another go at the NASCAR scene.

Ask Frank

Sorry for Rico but I ain't gonna complain. He won't make as money but I guarantee he has more fun...

He seemed rattled tonite at the Chili Bowl. Never saw him drive so bad, kind of herky jerky, all over the place

I hope he works it out.... everybody likes Rico!

I definitely feel bad for him because I really like him but the sprint car junkie in me can't help but be a little happy to know that he'll be spending much more time in real race cars where he belongs. Sprint cars and midgets will be a hell of a lot more fun for him than driving those shitboxes every Sunday but unfortunately it doesn't pay as well. He's still young enough and I'm sure has plenty of connections so his NAPCAR goals are far from dead at this point. 

Yea, dirt racing will be more fun, but all the travel for far less money will be like going back to work after thinking you won the lottery....

This is tremendous news, shut that pipeline down! Shut it down! 

Then we'll see who really wants to be here. 

The Truck series is gaining Stewart Friesen as a full-time driver next year. Friesen, who beat the Outlaws at Oshweken in one of his first 410 starts, is going full-time truck racing in 2017 with one of the his Modified car owners.

NASCAR better figure out how to modernize their product or it will continue to struggle. I hope at some point dirt racing can reach an elite level in the entertainment business 

I bet Larson is already trying to talk Rico into running the WoO tour 

Why is it NASCAR's falt he lost a sponsor?

Cant say that the modified ranks are real sorry he is gone. Just never liked him since he sat on his roof at OCFS. He ripped Tony when it was none of his business. But he did get Tony's leftovers.

Saw that but he's not taking a ride (I know that's not what you said just pointing it out) as much as creating one so the good thing is it's purely a +1 vs taking a ride or sponsor. Hope Rico gets another sponsor or another ride. As much as I'd love to see him do more on dirt (though last year he did I believe his most sprint car racing ever even with his truck ride) the pipeline to NASCAR is where the $$$ is at. 

F that guy. 

The ESPN interview with Friesen was stupid on many levels. Why even interview a guy who was not at the race in question? Secondly, the network did no research into what Friesen's connection to Tony Stewart may be or why he would have an axe to grind. Jessica Zemken was actually Stewart Friesen's gf before she went with Tony Stewart, then went back to Friesen after the split with Tony Stewart.

That being said, those are some "leftovers." LOL

Friesen didn't handle the screw job at Eastern States the right way, but that was bad a screwing as I have ever seen at any race. He was clearly leading that race when they put him back to second due to a scoring **** up. Even winner Tim McCreadie shrugged sheepishly in Victory Lane after the race and did not understand why he was put in the lead.

The race at OCFS last year was amazing with Friesen getting a flat tire with 17 to go and still winning with a last lap pass of Brett Hearn. From a results standpoint, Friesen and Matt Sheppard have been head and shoulders above everybody else in Northeast Modifieds the last several years.

The crowds I saw as a kid at the IMCA Fairgrounds races rivaled Nationals crows in the late 50s and early 60s.  There wasn't anything else to do back then and it was the age of the automobile.  I think we're a small niche now and won't ever appeal to the masses as much as it did back then.

Stan Meissner

I don't think dirt needs to reach that elite level in the entertainment business to continue on, and be successful. The only way I see this happening, is if Redbull, Monster, or Rockstar is a title sponsor for multiple years, and even then it doesn't need to reach the elite status of nascar, motocross, indy....etc

Keep It Real

To be honest, I doubt Rico gives two shits about the ammount of money he made in the craftsman truck this year. However if someone thought about it, having someone that is a bit different (little person) in the limelight of something as big as the NASCAR stage that could be a spokesperson promoting and encouraging a message for other individuals that may be in a similar situation would be a marketing gold mine! No disrespect to Rico being a little shorter than others, he whips ass up and down the block to people considered normal oin the race track all the time!

I prefer that it doesn't. NASCAR is as elite as it gets and it's a total shit show. I'd prefer sprint car racing stay just the way it is. The elites can have their chase championship format, lucky dog, phantom debris caution, ole deee-dubyaaa, restrictor plate WWE bullshit. 

I agree, I'm ready to start seeing out most talented drivers stay in sprint car racing.   Maybe I'd feel differently if I enjoyed NASCAR racing more.   Personally, I was much more entertained watching Larson drive from 21st to 5th at Knoxville this year.   I'd much rather see him in victory lane at a WoO race than Daytona.   I do realize that at least four or five Outlaw teams are NASCAR funded though.  I'd hate to hose that....