Phoenix Racing Owner James Finch has been "unable to find a long-term sponsor for his Sprint Cup team," and he is thinking about an "exit from racing all together," according to Jason Shoot of the Panama City NEWS HERALD. Finch said that his team "will not enter any races after the Brickyard 400 scheduled for July 28." He added that he "intends to wrap up team operations before the Chase for the Cup begins in September." Finch said of his sponsorship search, "I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it." Shoot reports Finch's decision "comes in the midst of one of his most successful seasons as an owner." Finch currently is "tied for 13th in NASCAR's owner points standings." However, Phoenix Racing's "success, which includes a pair of Top-10 finishes and five Top-15 results, did not appear to help the team find a full-time sponsor." The team has "found sponsors for individual or small blocks of races, but the lack of a permanent sponsor has forced Finch to cover his team's considerable costs on his own." Finch: "I don't want to lose everything I've got trying to outrun people. I can't do that. It's time to do something else and go from there" (Panama City NEWS HERALD, 5/7).
