PR - Martins Motorsports Announces Full Time Xfinity Team

Former NASCAR Truck Series team Martins Motorsports will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series full time in 2020, with Tommy Joe Martins as the primary driver for the number #44 Chevrolet. Long time sponsor & family friend Rodney Riessen will join Craig Martins as co-owners of the Mooresville based organization.

“It’s so exciting,” driver Tommy Joe Martins said, “Extremely nerve wracking but also really exciting. We’ve learned so much over these last few years about this series & the business as a whole. I’ve improved a lot as a driver. Having Rodney [Riessen] as a partner in this thing is a game changer. He’s just as passionate about the success of this team as dad & I are.”

The 2020 campaign will mark a return to the national series level for Martins Motorsports after the team ceased operations in 2017 following a partial season in the NASCAR Truck Series with Martins, Austin Wayne Self, & Matt Mills as drivers. The team also attempted a full season effort in 2014, but shut down mid-season after a series of DNQ’s.

Martins has run part time in the Xfinity Series since 2017, running 46 total races for both BJ McLeod Motorsports & MBM Motorsports with a best finish of 11th at Iowa Speedway in 2017 for BJMM. Martins’ last race for MBM came at Phoenix in 2019 where he finished 17th.

“We’ve done this before. We know how hard it is,” Martins said. “We’ve done it right & we’ve done it wrong. The biggest difference this time is my experience & the school of hard knocks both my dad & Rodney have had to learn from to get to this point. We’ve also got some great partners with Diamond Gusset, AAN Adjusters, & a few others that hopefully we’ll be announcing very soon. Everyone is all in to make this thing work.”

Martins #44 will carry the familiar silver & blue colors of his long time sponsor, Diamond Gusset Jeans. The Bon Aqua, TN based American apparel company has been a staunch supporter of Martins since his first Xfinity efforts in 2014. The total number of races hasn’t yet been confirmed.

“Having David [Hall – DG owner] & Diamond Gusset as a part of this is special. They’re family. They’re as much a part of this as anyone on this team,” Martins said.

When asked about getting out of the seat if a funded driver was to come along, Martins was his usual outspoken self.

“Oh absolutely,” Martins laughed. “I’d gladly step out. I love driving these cars, but the best thing financially for this race team is to have me as a part time driver, not a full time one. Right now I just want to focus on starting this year strong, getting us up in the points, & proving to everyone this is a competitive race team. I think everything takes care of itself from that point on.”

A crew chief has not been named yet, but when asked about it Tommy Joe said the team is in, “discussions,” and wants to confirm the position after the first of the year. The team will run Rob Fisher Engines (formerly Collins Engines), & utilize a combination of GMS & KBM chassis.

The team has already hired some full time staff but is still looking for both full time & part time employees to fill out their organization. Open positions include car chief, mechanic, public relations, spotter, truck driver, & others. Volunteers are encouraged. Interested parties are encouraged to email resumes to martinsmotorsports@gmail.com for more information.

“Without a doubt, we’re going to be a small team,” Martins said. “We just want to be a good team. That starts with good people. We think we’re headed down the right path. This thing will succeed or fail based on the personnel we have involved.”

Martins is also realistic about their goals as a new team in the series.

“We just want to qualify for 33 races. That’s the goal right now,” Martins said. “Show up every week with a well prepared car & finish races. If we do that 33 times that will be a successful season. I’ve proven I can drive at this level. This team needs to prove we can be one of those 36 cars week in and week out.”

Fans can follow along with the team all season long on twitter @TeamMartins & @TommyJoeMartins on twitter, instagram, & facebook. More information about Diamond Gusset Jeans can be found at gusset.com.

PR - Martins Moves to MBM, Ends 3 Year Run With BJMM

July, 23 – NASCAR veteran Tommy Joe Martins has run his final race for BJ McLeod Motorsports. At a press conference at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martins announced he would be moving to the #66 car for Motorsports Business Management for a six race schedule beginning next week at Watkins Glen.

“This is a bittersweet day for me,” Martins said at the press conference. “As a driver for a small team, I feel like I’ve found an identity with BJ. He’s created a lot of opportunities for me, & I just want to say thank you to him and the whole team. I feel like I’ve been the face of the team for a few years. To make the move, it’s tough, it’s really tough to say goodbye to everybody.”

Over the last three years, Martins made 37 starts for BJMM, more than any other driver. During that time, Martins’ average finish with the team improved over each season. Even after early season troubles at Atlanta & ISM Raceway, Martins averaged a top-25 finish in the #99 car in 2019, with three top-20’s & a season best 18th place finish at Michigan International Speedway.

“I feel like this move is going to create new opportunities for me,” Martins said. “Like opportunities for more races; Carl [Long – owner of MBM] has 4 cars, so there’s more flexibility when a funded driver comes in for a race. As you know I’ve been very part time this year, and I’d like to be at the track more often.”

Martins also hinted at a move up the NASCAR ladder in his near future.

“Carl has a Cup car. We’ve talked about it. I’m 32. I’m not getting any younger. I’d like to make that move to the Cup level at some point and he can make that happen,” Martins said. “We both know it’s a bottom 5 car at that level, but at the same time I’ve seen guys impress on small teams and get opportunities. I feel like I can do that.”

Martins’ announced schedule included all four NASCAR Xfinity Series road course races (Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Road America, & the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway), as well as Bristol Motor Speedway & Texas Motor Speedway in the fall. But, Martins did leave the door open for additional races to be added.

Martins also announced that his long time sponsor, Diamond Gusset Jeans, would be the primary sponsor on the #66 for his races this season. That prompted a quick question from the bullpen on whether or not sponsorship was the primary reason for the departure from BJMM.

“Absolutely not,” Martins said. “Diamond Gusset has been a long time personal sponsor of mine, but that’s not the reason for the move. Carl just wants me to be a part of his team. Nobody in this garage is recruiting me for my money.”

So why the mid-season move?

“I had an 8 race agreement with BJ to start the year, and that turned into a 9 race deal this weekend,” Martins said. “He’s filled the #99 car out for a while, and I really wasn't sure when my next opportunity would be. Carl’s got an opportunity for me right now.”

Martins finished 25th in the ROXOR 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to close out his career at BJMM. His best career NASCAR finish, 11th, was with the team at iowa Speedway in 2017. 

“The last thing BJ said to me before I left was ‘never say never’,” Martins said with a smile post race. “He told me I’m just moving a few haulers down. It’s not goodbye. But I’m really excited for what’s next in my career.”

PR - TJ & Diamond Gusset Pair Up Again

Tommy Joe Martins & longtime partner Diamond Gusset Jeans are pairing back up for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Rinnai 250. It will be the first sponsorship for Diamond Gusset Jeans in NASCAR since Martins began driving for his current team, BJ McLeod Motorsports.

Diamond Gusset has sponsored Martins since 2014, during his family team’s first run in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. They more famously came aboard during Martins Motorsports tumultuous 2016 campaign in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Since that season, the 32-year-old Como, MS native has garnered a reputation for being a vocal underdog at the highest levels of the sport, but as 2018 proved, NASCAR sponsorship is a tough thing to come by.

“I ran 19 races last year, man, and only 3 of them had a sponsor on the side of the car,” Martins said. “That’s tough. I mean, I’m blessed I have owners like BJ & Jessica who trusted me to drive even when I couldn’t bring a lot financially to the table – but to have a sponsor, especially a long time supporter like David Hall & Diamond Gusset – it just means so much.”

BJ McLeod Motorsports announced last week that Vinnie Miller & Matt Mills will be full time drivers for the team, while Martins will retain a partial season ride in the new, full time, 99 car. When asked about the plans for the year, Martins couldn’t help but reminisce.

“This is going to be the biggest year ever for BJ McLeod Motorsports,” Martins continued. “Seeing where we’ve come from at this team, knowing how long Diamond Gusset has supported me…there have just been so many more downs than ups.” Martins paused & smiled. “It feels like this is all coming full circle, you know? Just really excited to see it all come together.”

Diamond Gusset Jean, Co. is an American made clothing company based in Bon Aqua, Tennessee. Diamond Gusset was founded in 1987 to develop an entirely new jean concept utilizing a gusset for extra durability and enhanced comfort. All Diamond Gusset products are truly American made on the foundations of comfort, craftsmanship, & continual improvement. More information about Diamond Gusset products, as well as sales & pricing can be found at gusset.com.

The Hidden Battle - jeffgluck.com

In each NASCAR Xfinity Series event, you get two races in one: a race for the win and a season-long race for the top 30 in the owners point standings.

Both races matter.

On any given weekend, there are roughly 20 Cup-affiliated teams in an Xfinity Series event. Over the course of a 33-race season, those teams are basically guaranteed a top 30 position in the points. The other teams are left scrapping over the remaining 10 spots.

The importance of those spots lies in a $6,000 bonus guaranteed to any team in the top 30 that attempts every race, runs half the race and doesn’t put a Cup driver in its car.

Now, $6,000 on a single weekend doesn’t change much for a race team — but $6,000 for 33 races is close to $200,000. That’s 25 percent of a projected prize money budget for an Xfinity team.

Despite the general perception that you want to run as well as possible in any given race, the truth is where you finish in one race doesn’t matter that much from a money standpoint. The difference between 35th-place purse money and 10th-place money is usually around $2,000.

So is it really worth it to try to chase after 10th place? Think of the money it takes to run 10th against Cup teams! A full allotment of tires at Auto Club Speedway this season would have cost more than $18,000 — and the race paid an average of $23,000 through the field.

The main gain from a good finish is points. They are the most valuable currency in NASCAR.

What makes this tough to follow is points are relative to who you’re racing. It’s why my team can be excited about a 22nd-place finish while JR Motorsports can be mad at finishing 10th.

For example: I could finish 22nd and beat everyone that WE race against. A small team could be 26th in the owner’s standings — like my team, BJ McLeod Motorsports — and basically guarantee itself into every race because it’s ahead of the majority of the other smaller teams. Teams at the back of the standings find themselves in danger of missing races when the field is over 40 cars.

Owning a race team with limited funds is a balancing act. It’s a season-long grinder made up of short and long-term choices. One race weekend won’t ruin your season, but each weekend shapes course of the year.

Take MBM Motorsports, for example. They’ve had a ton of bad luck to begin this 2018 season. They’re near the bottom of the standings of the full-time teams. They’re missing the bonus each race. They just crashed a car last weekend at Texas (it wasn’t Chad Finchum’s fault, it was just a bad deal). And they’re not guaranteed into any race, so they have to qualify into each event on time (top-33) or they might go home.

That’s incredibly difficult to recover from. How do you get any extra funds needed to gain positions in the standings? You never get the bonus. Drivers who bring money want to take their funds to teams with guaranteed spots. Sponsors want teams with guaranteed spots. It’s an uphill slope.

Plus, it’s incredibly difficult to gain points on your direct competition. At Texas, the No. 8 car finished 22nd, four laps down. The No. 45 car finished seven laps down — in 24th! Three extra laps on the racetrack only gained you two extra
points.

So the only chance you really have to gain points is when your competitors run into bad luck. A finish of 36th or worse only gets 1 point.

That said, there are two primary options when it comes to setting out the strategy for your season:

— Outspend the prize money and guarantee yourself a higher position in the points while relying on sponsorship to balance the budget.

— Budget-race as cheaply as possible while putting yourself at risk to miss races.

But at each race, that strategy can come into question.

Do you spend more money on tires to try for a better points day? No guarantees there.

Do you take money from a lesser-skilled, paying driver? It’ll help balance the budget, but could hurt your points position in the long term.

If you struggle in practice, do you start-and-park to preserve the car for another day?

If it’s a high tire wear track and there aren’t any scuff tires available, do you start-and-park to save money?

Do you risk gaining spots on a restart, or drop your driver back to preserve the car for the next race?

Upgrading your motor costs money. Upgrading your car costs money. Upgrading your personnel costs money.

And every choice is about survival.

That’s why I find the race in the midfield so compelling. Each team is doing what it has to do on any given weekend while balancing how each choice affects its position in the bigger picture of the season.

I think my team owner, BJ McLeod, has found a terrific balance between being as competitive as possible without breaking the budget. It’s the only thing that’s allowed me to have the opportunity I have to drive his race cars.

When Bayley Currey stepped into the No. 8 car at Texas and finished 22nd, that was huge a huge boost to our team. With a rookie driver in the seat, that could have been a very rough weekend. Instead, he did a fantastic job surviving a difficult race.

My role at BJMM is to win our race. So far, I feel like I’ve done my job. There are a few racetracks each season that can provide a major shakeup in the standings for small teams — superspeedways, road courses and short tracks. And the next three races on our schedule are Bristol, Richmond and Talladega.

I just received the news I’ll be in the No. 8 car for all three of them. I couldn’t be more excited to get back in the seat and keep building on what’s already been a terrific start to our season.