Dave Blaney to return to Prism Motorsports? Dave Blaney will remain driver of the No. 66 Toyota with the Prism Motorsports team owned by Phil Parsons and Randy Humphrey even though he was a start and park driver in 29 of his 30 races for the team in 2009. The teamt is adding a second car to be driven by Michael McDowell, Parsons said Friday as he and Humphrey try to find an economic model that will allow Blaney to race this year. "Dave is our guy," Parsons said. "We didn't want to be a start and park last year. But we're trying to build something for the future and that's what we had to do to survive without sponsorship. We want to race this year. We're talking to people about sponsorship but don't have anything yet. We hope to have the money from the outside that will let Dave race. But if we don't, we want to be able to do it ourselves. And having the second car is part of that." Blaney said he talked to some other teams. "I talked to a couple of other small teams like Phil but this turned to be the best," Blaney said. "Phil's trying to get something established and they are heading in the right direction." He said that he inquired about the BAM Racing ride and had not taken a look into an opportunity with Vermont businessman Bill Jenkins, who has purchased Roush Fenway Racing's No. 26 team. "I talked to the BAM people at Homestead in November but I never heard anything from them, so I don't know what they are doing," Blaney said. "I don't know anything about that new team but I would imagine that will go to one of the drivers associated with Roush." Parsons said that no matter the circumstances, Blaney will race the full distance in the Daytona 500 if he qualifies. "Daytona pays enough purse that you can afford to race," Parsons said. "We've got to concentrate on going down there and racing our way in."(High Point Enterprise)
Friday, November 28, 2008
Blaney uncertain of future plans: Dave Blaney at age 46, steering a flamethrower at 200-plus mph is not an option. The uncertainty of his place in NASCAR’s top tier is utmost on his mind. “It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen,” Blaney said of the status of Bill Davis Racing’s No. 22 team, which, following Homestead, laid off most of its employees. “The 22 team is kind of up in the air. It doesn’t have sponsorship for 2009.” If it sounds like the end, that’s understandable, but the door doesn’t appear to have closed completely. “I’d love to keep going. I’d love to have a job and have it done,” he said of a contract that is customarily signed by season’s end. “I’m not even close to thinking about not driving, but if I don’t have any opportunities, I don’t have any opportunities. I’m pretty confident something will happen; I’m just not quite sure what yet.”Blaney said he’d consider the second-tier Nationwide series or Craftsman. (Vindy.com)
