Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Check out Dietz Motorsports twitter page. Phillip and his wife are going to be owners of a new team #14 with PPM driving a limited schedule.

You can tell an ass... but, you can't tell 'em much

After reading about this new pairing on Sprint Car Unlimited, it sounds like PPM is moving the similar arrangement he had with Bernie and Indy Race Parts to Phil Dietz with a 40 to 45 race schedule, primarily with the Woo. Phil will be the owner of the new #14 with PPM having his own seperate crew and Phil will still be the crew chief for the JJR #41 with Gravel as the driver. 

I did a little Google jumping and now have more questions than answers so back to rhe source.

I saw that Lance DeWease raced for Deitz, is this the same guy?

The forum talked about the JJR team packing it in but now seems to be expanding , what type of affiliation does the Deitz team have with JJR other than mutual team members? Any money shared to aquire development info etc. ??

One story made it sound like this is a new team, or is it an old team that didnt race for a few years and coming back?

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Not the same Dietz that Lance used to race for. That team was based in Central Pa. This is Phil Dietz, relative and long time crew chief for Jason Johnson......

Not expanding. This year will more than likely be the swan song for JJR and Phil will shift his attention to his own team in 2021. Allowing Gravel to run a limited schedule and not replace him with someone who's sole focus is on a WOO championship, coupled with Phil starting his own team unfortunately, but understandably, signfies the end for JJR after this year.

You couldn't be more wrong haha.

In 2020 Gravel will only miss 8 - 12 WoO races and they aren't major ones.      JJR would be foolish to let him go after their great 2019 season.    How on earth does that signify the end of JJR ??    I don't understand your logic at all.    Please explain.     

Hope I am wrong. It just makes no sense that Phil would need to start his own team, with him already having a full plate with JJR. There would be no need for it, unless it were to have something to build and transition into full time, in the near future. There was some talk when I was down at PRI, that Bobbi was understandably not going to do this forever. I know everyone here thinks they have to go on because they owe it to everyones entertainment to be out there, but thats not how life works. This will be in all likileyhood, Gravels last year on dirt as well. It all just makes sense. Roast me if you want, but I predict in 2021, JJR and the equipment, is absorbed by Dietz Motorsports.

i dont think its set in stone that this will be Gravels last year on dirt. If hes not good on asphault, he will be back 

I agree, thats why I say in all likelyhood. With what he looks like last week in the ARCA car and being coached by Jeff Gordon with backing by Axalta in the trucks.... can never say never, but I would assume he will find a permanant home in Nascar. The one aspect that interests me the most, is how trying to run that crazy WOO schedule on top of concentrating on and progressing towards Nascar, will go. Will be interesting to see if it helps or hurt him, as even Larson wasnt chasing a full WOO tour on top of breaking in.

So this is just your own reasoning, right? No "inside information"???

Everyone was calling for the end of JJR at 2019 because they had a "clean race shop" before hosting fans the day of the Jason Johnson Classic. They'll keep finding excuses to hate on Bobbi, and JJR will continue to win races.

JJR will be a full time team on the tour while Dietz Motorsports will be a part time team racing at the same races as JJR. It's that simple.

I also have to ask what is the purpose behind starting the Dietz team.

JJR was probably the hottest team and scored the most points from the middle of 2019 WoO season.

So why then start another team to split the focus.  What happens if the performance drops for JJR and that is when the questions will start to be asked about commitment and being stretched thin.  Plus isn't JJR looking for crew members, a tire guy and car chief.   What happens if Dietz finds crew guys first ; because they also need crew, and JJR is still looking.    I am sure Dietz is doing the hiring so which team gets the first choice the guys being interviewed? 

Just wondering? 

Whoa... no one is hating on Bobbi. She is a hell of a strong person and one of the greatest contributors to the sport hands down. One has to think at some point her personal and home life with her son will want to be lived outside constantly being on the road. She herself said it was year to year. She owes nothing to anyone. Its just a personal opinion with a bit of information at PRI, Phil is building his future post JJR. Wait and see.

Here is my uneducated guess. Ppm needs a ride for as many races as possible. JJR will need a good driver when gravel not available.  So Dietz starts a team, then JJR has a good driver available  to stay in owner points race, rather simple , same chassis motor and crew chief

There lookkng for a car cheif for phillips team. JJR has Clyde knipp as car cheif.