Dewalt out and Crown Royal in for the No. 17 Sponsorship of Matt Kenseth

(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images for NASCAR)

This is different from what I normally write about.  Most of my fans know that I'm a big Oakland Raiders fan, but I'm also a NASCAR fan.  I'm primarily a Ford Racing fan and my favorite current driver is Matt Kenseth of Roush-Fenway racing, driver of the No. 17 DeWalt Ford.  Unfortunately this will be the last year we will be calling it that. 

DeWalt announced recently that they would not renew their long-time sponsorship with Roush-Fenway racing.  Kenseth said, "It is disappointing but all good things must come to an end and it's not surprising that DeWalt opted out of it since power tool sales are down tremendously with the current economic condition." 

He thanked DeWalt for the great times they shared in NASCAR having won Rookie of the year, a NASCAR Cup Series championship which was the last Winston Cup and non-chase cup series championship, and the Daytona 500.  Kenseth is one of five drivers to accomplish all three major feats, and is one of two drivers to make the race for the chase in all its years of existence. 

However, the new sponsor will be familiar with the Roush-Fenway Racing family and to race fans on the track.  It is Crown Royal.  Crown Royal has been the sponsor of the No. 26 Roush-Fenway racing team of Jamie McMurray.

McMurray has been a disappointment with the Roush-Fenway racing family since joining them in 2005 and they have given him the option to search for a new ride for the 2010 season.  However, Roush-Fenway hopes to transfer the No. 26 team to Ford Racing partner Robert Yates of Yates racing. 

Roush-Fenway currently runs five cup series cars and was told to cut down to four by 2010.  The Roush-Fenway lineup appears to be Kenseth, No. 16 Greg Biffle, No. 99 Carl Edwards, and No. 6 David Ragan for 2010. 

Kenseth won the first two races of the season this year, but is struggling to hang onto the No. 12 spot to make the chase.  His wife Katie (shown with him in photo) is expecting to go into labor any day now to give birth to their first child together (Matt already has one), and I believe that distraction has been part of his struggles this season.  The big question for me is, "Will he sit out a race when their child is born or will he still drive that week while trying to hang onto his spot in the chase?"

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