It's Decision Time: NASCAR wants Fernandez ... very badly

[Turn13]

Link

Fernandez, an Indy-car star from Mexico City, signed on with NASCAR, Rick Hendrick and sponsor Lowe's earlier this year to headline NASCAR's new marketing foray into the Hispanic world. Fernandez figured to get a little pub, maybe pick up some more sponsorship for his own Indy Racing League operation, revitalize his career, and have a little fun at this roundy-round stuff in these awkward stock cars.

But now he's found himself sucked into the NASCAR vortex. During these next two weeks he'll have to face one of the biggest decisions of his career. Does he really want to jump into NASCAR whole-heartedly, or, at 42 and freshly married, would he rather simply step back and enjoy the richly comfortable world he has created for himself during 24 years as a racer, and one of Mexico's most famous sports figures?

[Cali]

Well if he wants $$$ then I think we all know where he'll go cause there's none in open wheel.

[Indyknut]

It would seem the future of his race team is a big question mark for next season but at 42?

[chrisg]

Consider the source...

The Winston-Salem Journal is the NASCAR Bureau of Misinformation and Mike Mulhern is the Minister of Misinformation .......Believe anything you read in that column when you see it. I am not saying he is always wrong but he is more often wrong than right....

[Cygni]

I believe Fernandez himself said earlier that he is too old to run 36+ races a year, and too old to learn the new tricks involved with running a heavy stock car. Then again, if the sponsors want em...

[BlueStang]

Well if he wants $$$ then I think we all know where he'll go cause there's none in open wheel.

What about all the Yen that Honda was supposedly throwning at him??

[sadler21]

He should do whats best for his sponsors... O wait, they already left him

[logjammer]

What about all the Yen that Honda was supposedly throwning at him??

Along came AGR.

[Lee Roy]

I feel sorry for the poor guys in the body shop that will have to keep repairing all the cars he backs into the wall.

[redmist]

I feel sorry for the poor guys in the body shop that will have to keep repairing all the cars he backs into the wall.

why? they get paid.

[Brantoc]

The Winston-Salem Journal is the NASCAR Bureau of Misinformation and Mike Mulhern is the Minister of Misinformation .......Believe anything you read in that column when you see it. I am not saying he is always wrong but he is more often wrong than right....

Chrisg is right on a lot of things.. maybe this is one..

[TimHub]

The big question here is not whether or not Fernandez will drive in NASCAR, but rather Who Cares?

[Firefox]

Is it as illuminative to anyone as it is me that NAS craves the presense of a Mexican auto racing star in order to get Mexicans to give a damn about their existence?

[Tara]

Is it as illuminative to anyone as it is me that NAS craves the presense of a Mexican auto racing star in order to get Mexicans to give a damn about their existence?

And the IRL doesn't. Why isn't the IRL working hard to get sponsors like Lowes to sponsor Adrian in the IRL. Or maybe a better asked question, why isn't the IRL PR department working.

[damilt]

Maybe not necessarily NASCAR, but Lowe's looks like THEY want him.