NASCAR addresses Race Team alliance, drivers could be next

LOUDON, NH - JULY 11: NASCAR President Mike Helton speaks with the media in the garage area prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
LOUDON, NH - JULY 11:  NASCAR President Mike Helton speaks with the media in the garage area prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire.  (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
LOUDON, NH – JULY 11: NASCAR President Mike Helton speaks with the media in the garage area prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
LOUDON, NH - JULY 11:  NASCAR President Mike Helton speaks with the media in the garage area prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire.  (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
LOUDON, NH – JULY 11: NASCAR President Mike Helton speaks with the media in the garage area prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

NASCAR president Mike Helton made the first public comments Friday concerning the announcement earlier in the week that several of the top teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series have formed an alliance.

Current teams who are the executive members of the RTA include Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Hendrick Motor Sports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Richard Petty Motor Sports, Roush Fenway Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske.

The stated purpose of the organization is to “create an open forum for the teams to explore areas of common interest and to work collaboratively on initiatives to help preserve, promote, and grow the sport of stock car racing.” MORE>>>

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.