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Pennzoil Owner Chuck Rider Not Ready To "Team Up" |
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Richard Childress, Jack Roush, and Rick Hendrick may do it, but chuck Rider says in the long run it's not best for his team. And, he plans on sticking by his guns.
The prominent trio of Winston Cup owners have added additional teams to their racing stables in recent years to maximize the amount of test days, increase information sharing, and enjoy the financing of new sponsorship dollars with reduced overhead.
But, Bahari' owner Chuck rider remains steadfast in his belief that a one-car operation is best for his Pennzoil-sponsored team. He understands the advertised benefits, but Rider's belief in the power of a one-car team is based on his understanding of human psychology.
"Proponents say the advantages are the additional test dates and information sharing, but I'm skeptical. It seems that an owner would have a difficult time convincing two engine builders, or two crew chiefs to share specific, detailed information. Each of those individuals want to be the best and that may mean keeping secrets that set themselves above the other guy."
Another problem with multi-car teams is keeping all of the drivers happy, something Rider said would be very difficult to manage.
"Each driver wants a team that is behind him 100 percent, willing to give him every secret, every idea and every resource. For us, we are not even considering another team. Our job is to win races and become a dominant team," Rider explained.
Instead of expansion, the 56-year-old Rider prefers to put all of Bahari' Racing's resources behind 1996 Rookie of the year Johnny Benson. The team has added personnel and in the last four months has spent $500,000 on capital improvements, including facility expansion, engine machines, and research and development tools. He feels the investments ultimately will prove their worth on the track.
"Each team owner has to continue making capital improvements to just stay where they were last year. Those who want to gain positions have to double up on those capital expenditures as well as invest in people," he said. "To get that extra edge is difficult in this sport and to do it you have to do it through people and capital expenditures."
Rider knows business. His history parallels those of many American success stories. His father owned grocery stores and auto dealerships in southeastern Pennsylvania, but Chuck started near the bottom of the corporate ladder as a sales manager at Automotive Electric Associates (AEA). The company sold and marketed its automotive parts through more than 160 All Pro Auto Parts stores in the Southeast.
Rider became president and chief executive officer of AEA in 1984. Rider and partner Lowrance Harry built AEA into one of the most successful auto parts warehouses in the United States. In 1992, Rider became chairman and president of AMA a purchasing and identity group for All Pro Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts stores in 41 states.
After enjoying car and race sponsorship ventures at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Rider and Harry became partners with Dick Bahre who owned a Winston Cup race team. In 1987, the new partners formed the Bahari' team name by using the first two letters in each of their family names. Rider and Harry bought Bahre's share of the partnership months later, but kept the name and most of the team. The team continued to lease Bahre's Statesville, N.C. race ship until February 1989 when they built a modern 40,000-square foot shop in Mooresville, N.C. that houses Pennzoil's cars, parts and 31 employees.
Rider and Harry sold their interests in AEA in 1993, but still remain partners in the race team and Preferred Power Inc., a central distributor of Briggs & Stratton engines and parts.
Rider said he has developed philosophies on mental attitude, purchasing equipment, and establishing short-and long-term goals. These are key ingredients in the leadership he provides the Pennzoil team.
"This sport is a lot more volatile than the business world," Rider said. "The highs and lows come so much quicker here. IN business, you usually a trend that moves slowly up or slowly down."
Despite several poles and victories in non-points races with driver Michael Waltrip and a sterling rookie year by Johnny Benson that also included a pole and some near wins, the Pennzoil Winston Cup team has yet to visit victory lane in a points-paying race. That impatience for a victory sometimes make Rider's influence on the team's mental attitude extra important.
"In this sport and in the business world, you cannot deal with the negatives," Rider said. "it's going to be a pretty phenomenal feeling when we get to victory lane. I know on the outside I will be bubbling, but on the inside I will be crying, knowing how hard the team has worked and how difficult the victory was to obtain."
Rider said crew chief Doug Hewitt and engine builder Ron Puryear have adapted well to the business practices he has implemented at the Bahari' operation.
Goal setting and long-range planning, along with positive attitudes and proper equipment, are fundamental to the operation of any Rider endeavor. He writes a list before the season with the name of each track and the goals for the team. In 1997, Rider expect two victories and a top-12 finish in the points race.
"We think we are going to be better because Johnny has a year under his belt and he knows us and we know him now," Rider said. "Plus we are more familiar with the Pontiac body style and we have a jump on the year as far as building cars that we didn't have last year."
Few Winston Cup operations employ the principles of running a business more strictly than the Bahari' team. Rider believes fans will start seeing their results in victory lane as the Pennzoil Pontiac battles the multi-car teams.
