August 10, 2008 - Neises Makes Suprise Appearance on Local Radio Station:
Dateline: Wichita, KS
Witnesses say the personalities face was full of suprise when he answered the buzzer at the front doors of KGSO Sports Radio in Wichita earlier this evening. JGR's elusive owner/driver Rob Neises stopped at the station after work. Neises was invited to go on air, and agreed.
Neises, said he had to miss the AKM Sunday Cup race at Watkins Glen due to a work need, and thought he might as well stop by. He said he was planning on heading out early in the morning to qualify for ECT's Spoiler's Aero race at Pocono. He apologized to all the fans and media for his self-described ducking of the media the last month or so.
He admitted that even though he made history, Daytona turned out to be a financial debacle. Ron Jon's did not sign a big contract as he's hoped, and the team ended up taking itself out, only one of the five finished in the Top 10. And he said getting called to the big red trailer after the race was just the icing on the cake. He said that is why he let go a bunch of staff, and cut down to three full-time cars. He said he was starting to doubt himself, especially when Jarett Foulds asked to be immediately released the next week after Chicagoland. "I just felt like everything I was doing was turning to poop," Neises admitted. He said personal financial issues, and the impending re-seperation of him and his wife just heaped on the feelings of self-doubt. All of these things together Neises said caused him to cut back the racing budget, both personally for him at JGR3, and at JGR and JGR2. "I went from running 6-7 nights a week, trying to run my own league, and trying to put 4 cars on the track every week, to being a step away from walking away from it all," Neises said.
He admitted going down to three cars weekly, running only 3-5 nights a week, and putting the MWST on hiatus till October have really helped his outlook. He said he doesn't feel like a dog chasing his tail so much anymore.
When asked about what Neises sees in his future, he admitted a continuance of personal financial woes, moving out to his own place, and running three cars in AKM till at least the Chase. On a bright note, Neises said he has become more of a threat to win at ECT since running less days a week.
As for AKM racing, Neises admitted that reports were correct, he has signed RC Rigdon to finish out the season in the 019 car. He said he hopefully would be announcing a sponsorship deal that will allow him to run four or five cars in the Monday Money series throughout the Chase. "When the Chase starts, the 024 and 57 will be locked into all the races, so I can take some chances and enter 5 or 6 cars at selected tracks - sponsorship dollars allowing," Neises said.
Looking into a crystal ball, Rob said he hoped to announce that Jarett Foulds would be returning soon to JGR, and if that happens, a restructuring of the teams again to align them by relationships, etc. To qualify for the Monday Money race at Talladega - the only attempt planned for the remainder of the '08 season. And finally: one, if not both of his drivers in the Top 5 at the end of the Chase, and maybe even a Championship.
Neises again apologized to the fans and media, then said his goodbye's.