As many as 60 employees were layed off from Roush Fenway Racing as the need for fabricators is shrinking and its Nationwide program contracting.
Jack Roush plans to only run three Nationwide teams next season. Carl Edwards and Trevor Bayne will have the full-time rides, but at the moment they are unsure if they can give 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie Of The Year, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a ride. It really all comes down to sponsorship for the young driver.
With its affiliate team Richard Petty Motorsports downsizing from a a four car team to a two car team, Roush is plenty overstaffed especially when it comes to building the race cars that they ship to Petty. Roush ran four Nationwide cars this season.
With the departure of Paul Menard, it was a hard knock to take for Roush. Menard drove an RPM car, but drove a Roush car in the Nationwide Series. They both had sponsorship from Menard’s, his father’s home improvement business. Sadly, Roush lost the sponsorship for both cars and will have to search again for a sponsor for 2011.
