A business decision for Kauffman, too

BRISTOL, TN - AUGUST 21: Team owner Rob Kauffman speaks to the media during a press conference prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 21, 2015 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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BRISTOL, TN - AUGUST 21:  Team owner Rob Kauffman speaks to the media during a press conference prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 21, 2015 in Bristol, Tennessee.  (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 21: Team owner Rob Kauffman speaks to the media during a press conference prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 21, 2015 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

BRISTOL, Tenn. – For the first time since announcing he would buy an interest in Chip Ganassi Racing, Rob Kauffman laid out his reasons for making the move, one that has the unfortunate consequence of idling the Michael Waltrip Racing organization.

It wasn’t personal. It was business. Kauffman said he and co-owner Michael Waltrip remain close, despite the impending split.

“Mike and I are business partners and good personal friends,” Kauffman said. “I think what’s probably missing there is the financial side of the picture. Michael Waltrip Racing really wouldn’t have existed through till today without substantial and continued financial support from me.

“I think that, just from a business standpoint, that didn’t make sense any longer. You can’t have a top-10 budget and top-10 resources and not be in the top 10 for a sustained period of time. It’s a performance-related business. It’s all about performance…

“I’m voting with my wallet as well as heart and continuing to invest in the sport via Chip Ganassi Racing.”

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.