With raised speculation in recent weeks regarding driver Tyler Walker's status, car owner Doug Stringer said on Friday in Michigan that nothing has changed from the beginning of the year. "Kasey and Tyler are the drivers," he said and that "Every week is an evaluation." Yet Stringer also went on to say that the lack of performance and the team's sour position in the standings is unsettling and added that a decision regarding the team's future will be made "within the next 48 hours." (08-19-05) UPDATE: Akins Motorsports has announced the release of Tyler Walker, driver of the No. 38 Great Clips Dodge in the NASCAR Busch Series effective August 22. “Tyler Walker has done everything that this team and I have asked of him,” said team owner Doug Stringer. “He is a very determined and talented driver that deserves an opportunity to work with a NASCAR Busch or NEXTEL Cup team that has the financial wherewithal to support an-up-and coming rookie driver. This weekend Mike Wallace will drive the No. 38 Great Clips Dodge for the running of the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway. In 17 starts at the .533-mile short track, Wallace has posted one top-five and four top-10's in the NASCAR Busch Series. (Akins PR) (08-22-05)Compliments of:

Kind of didnt want this to happen, but I saw it coming last week on nbs 24/7.

:(

:grrrr

Lauren's shit list:
1. Doug Stringer

:hand

Edit: Yay Mike Wallace!

Hmm...that sucks for him. Kinda saw it comin though

No not Tyler!

Doug = :grrrr

Oh crap! I really didn't want to see this!

:(

Aww :(

At least was man enough to admitt this. I know that it is little conselation to Tyler right now.

We all know that Kasey will keep him racing in his cars. Another chance will come for him.

Sometimes what seems like the worst thing that could happen can turn into something better.

Now Tyler is free to find a team that has the financial support to give him the best equipment that will show all the talent that we know Tyler has.

It sounds like Tyler was fulfilling obligations and is a decent driver, but Akins does not have the resources to support a "rookie development" driver. And it certainly takes resources--namely bad finishes. I didn't think Great Clips would be too happy with Tyler--he has no hair! With Kasey, they at least got a good-looking driver to market and a hairstyle to show. That wasn't quite so with Tyler.

Maybe we'll see Kasey running more races in the Great Clips car this year than what was originally planned?

Single-car teams are on their way out. It's the nature of the economics involved. There are economies of scale involved, so that will naturally push the teams to form multi-car companies.

I don't know how "possible" this is, but an idea:
Merge Akins into EMS. That would basically give Ray the extra Busch Program to have Kasey & Erin in "Full-time" Busch rides next year. I think it could work.

David

Doug :grrrr

:(

Im under the assumption that Evernham already has some kind of relationship with Akins. I just dont know how far that goes.

Sure Tyler didnt do that great, but I think he would have done better if he had someone to "lean on" and to show him the ropes. I think he has a tendancy to overdrive and be a little bit more aggressive than he should. He really just needed to learn patience. Plus I dont think its beneificial to any driver to be in a seat part time like he was.

And I really cant believe they are putting Mike Wallace in the car this week in his place....... I just dont like him AT ALL. And not to mention I cant imagine that he's got the "look" that great clips would benifit from.

I can't be mad at Doug... I mean he said that Tyler was doing all that he could BUT the team couldn't back him up...

I think it's kind of showing lately that it's not the driver it's the team that isn't backing the driver up. It seems like weather it's Kasey or Tyler in the care it goes no where... that's just an observation... I could be wrong...

any who sucks for Tyler but I'm sure another deal will be comming for him.

I thought that Evernham provides Akins' engines.

I think that's what Kasey said when he ran a Busch race with the 38 crew...

I think Doug did the right thing. They are a small team and in order to produce good results every week, you need a a driver with experience.I hope Tyler finds another ride.

Your right if you go to Akins website and look under team it says that they use EMS engines.


On a bit of a side note: at the silver crown race on the 20th Tyler finished 4th.

*gasp*

wow i'm actually surprised...

hope to see kasey get more time in the GC car<3

yay for mike wallace! love the wallaces!

I knew it was coming.......but like I've said, Doug has never been one of my favorite people and like I've said before.....go back and look at Kasey's rookie record in Busch, wasn't that great either.

I hope to heck Tyler gets the shot he deserves in a good ride.

dude that sucks
i hope tyler gets another ride
personally im sick of the akins and 38 team
i think kasey would be better off if he drove the ems busch car more often
but thats just what i think...

poor tyler :(

i'm gonna miss tyler :(

Just looking at last week's NBS 24/7 you could see this coming. I not surprised or sad. Tyler, to put it franky, wrecked a lot of cars. Not to mention he missed that driver's meeting. Tyler needs to go to ARCA or something and get experience. We know the cars aren't bad, Kasey does great in them.

:( Hopefully Tyler will find another opportunity soon...

since Kasey's win at Texas name me many times they've had a shot to win a race??? the cars aren't all there......and they've been going down hill even more in the recent weeks since the split off from the 58 team.

Akins doesn't have the resources that many of the teams have..........

and I'm just gonna jump on my soapbox for a moment....

I'm sick of all this "driver development" when you aren't giving the drivers a chance to develop. Not every star is gonna be successful right away, granted you put them in equipment like a Reed or a Truex got put in that is better than any reg Busch team out there.......they'll excel. Clint Bowyer didn't turn to many heads last year in Busch, RC stuck him in a better car and looky what thats done......JJ Yeley wasn't a star in his first starts last year, he's much improved. Paul Menard is the same way.....

Hendrick basically ripped that 5 team apart and through tons of drivers at it and now it looks like he's ditching two of those young drivers when they haven't been given a consistent chance.....give these young drivers a chance to drive something other than just the Busch car every month or so, put them in equipment, really develop them......then if they don't work out, ditch them. But don't ditch them without giving them a good shot.....

maybe someone should take Ray's thoughts slow and consistent.....let the driver develop and adjust instead of just throwing them in the fire.

:nod

AMEN CHRISY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That car has only been competive a few times this season. I don't care how good the driver is, if the equipment isn't good enough to contend then the team ain't going to VL. On the same line, put an ok driver in the best equipment and he will be competitive.

I don't know if anyone Heard What Harvick said During the Busch Race when He was in The Booth...
Kenny and Kevin were talking about How Kenny is doing better this year ..and Kevin Chimed in and Said it is all about the Equipment you are given..Pretty Much everyone one is Equal Out There..Well Pretty Close..I totally agree..

Tyler does get a Little Crazy at times..And maybe wrecks when someone with a little more experience would not have...
I remember on time Kasey was Saying you should have let up..But knowing that comes from experience...
So saying all that ..He deserves a Better Chance and I hope He gets it :)

It sounds like the problem was mostly that Akins doesn't have the resources to devote to a rookie driver--namely wrecked cars. They need a more experienced driver. I'm sure Tyler could do well in another team that has more/different resources.

David

Can't really blame Stringer for letting Walker go... he's crashed 22 cars out of 24... isn't that what Doug said last night on NBS 24/7?

With that being said though... I wish Tyler all the best in whatever he does!

I'm sure that it wasn't ALL driver.

If your equipment sucks, then yeah, you're gonna suck.

Christy said it best, though...

I didn't say it was all the car... but he's CRASHED 22 cars. Does that include mechanical failures or was Doug being over dramatic?

Yeah, Ray's really slow and consistent. What about poor Casey Atwood? Ray stuck him in a cup car when he had hardy any experience and that was a brand new car in a brand new team. Ray lets him go after what, a year? And now poor Casey doesn't have a ride. Ray should of given him a better chance.

I love him but all I can say is, FINALLY!

:lmao

i agree, he's a great guy, but it would sure be great to see that 38 car in victory lane!....best of luck to the guy!

Great Point and I never forget what Ray did.
I don't like Ray Evernham anyway.


Tyler sucked and wasn't all that good. Something about him I really didn't like either. Go back to World of Outlaws.

He's cool and everything, I like Tyler but Doug did the right thing. I saw it coming before Tyler was even born. :lmao

Some of ya'll are really mean.

I do agree that Casey Atwood jumped to Cup too soon, but a lot more happened with Ray and Casey Atwood than what meets the eye. Plus, it was more of Dodge's decision to take Casey out of the 19 than EMS's.

Getting to the point of this thread, I'm sure Tyler will find a good ride with another team.

I was just saying that I wasn't surprised because he crashed all the time. I love Tyler.

Casey Atwood didn't have a driving problem. He had a media/glamor problem. He did not "play" well with the media and pressure. That's why he got the ax. Kasey is far better than Casey was at just about everything.

David

Amen Christy!

I really hope those rumors about Blake and Boston aren't true...they have hardly had any chance.

Ok, I know that I am slow, but I just joined so what can I say....?

I understand that Tyler wasn't the best driver, but he didn't really have a chance. Also, it wasn't all him....it was the team too. I mean when Kasey was in the car it wasn't all that great and we all know how well Kasey can drive! Even with Mike Wallace in the car, it still isn't all that great all the time. I understand where they were coming from with the money thing, but I still don't think that Tyler got the full chance that he deserved! I mean he has promise and talent in him...Kasey even thought so! Ok, there is probably more to that, but I am kinda tired...so, don't want to ramble or anything.

Ok, so there was my 2 cents. :whis