IMSA: Bob Stallings shuts down for remainder of 2014

The devastating crash that injured driver Memo Gidley and destroyed GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing's Corvette DP during the Rolex 24 at Daytona has dealt one final blow to the two-time Grand-Am Rolex Series champions.

"It is with great regret that we will have to suspend operations for the balance of the 2014 season," Stallings confirmed Monday morning. "Since Daytona, priority one for us has been on Memo's recovery. Everyone on the team has been focused on his care and comfort, and it has meant the world to see such support from the fans and the racing community at large.

"Even though Memo has a long road ahead, the worst is behind him, and it has allowed us to step back and take a look at the program at large. With both the personal and economic strain this has put on us, we feel it's in the best interest of everyone to sit out this year, with a firm focus on a return in 2015."

The decision wasn't completely unexpected. Funding for a full season of TUDOR United SportsCar Championship activity was pared down to a four-race program, leading Stallings to limit the calendar to contest the North American Endurance Cup rounds, plus the team's home race in Texas at Circuit of The Americas, with drivers Jon Fogarty, Alex Gurney, and a mix of Gidley and Darren Law for the longer events.

Losing more than a $500,000 in equipment at Daytona, not to mention the need to miss Round 2 of the NAEC at Sebring on March 15, left Stallings and sponsor GAINSCO to table their plans for the remainder of the year. Where that leaves the team, its drivers, and the realistic resumption of the program in 2015 is a major question mark.

"GAINSCO has been my home for many years and has been my focus. We've won a lot of championships together, a lot of races, a lot of poles," Fogarty (LEFT) told RACER. "The timing of it couldn't be worse, and with Sebring so close on the horizon, people already have their lineups set, so it makes it almost impossible to find something."

With Fogarty and his wife getting ready for a new addition to the family, he's anxious to find employment with another team as soon as possible.

"Of the opportunities out there right now, the options are minimal; there could be some things mid-season as new teams come together in other series. But of the desirable seats, those teams have longer term plans and have their deals figured out," he said. "I want to drive, and we showed at Daytona that we're still on top of our game and I'll continue searching for a job. Alex [Gurney] and I have kicked around some other ideas together outside of racing – we're still together – and in a perfect world, we'd also continue racing for someone this year.

"Our hope is that we get to keep going with Bob next year, and you totally understand and respect the decision that's been made. We also have families and need to support them so that's where my emphasis will be and I know it will be the same for Alex. We'll keep pulling for Bob, and for Memo, and I'm sure we're all going to pull out of this crash and these changes in a better place."​