[BiscuitMan]

Tell me how the bad economy has hurt the NASCAR teams. They had sponsorship deals through the end of this season, the race purses have not been reduced, and NASCAR’s payouts at the end of the season were an all time high.

I don’t see these guys hurting right now. They are laying off people, selling their expensive jets, planning on reducing their testing time and some are even selling their race shops.

What I do see is race teams posturing themselves for next year. They are jocking their sponsors from car to car spreading the available money for next year. They are getting their budgets in line. Some will not be “fully funded” and will have to adjust with less people and/or less equipment.

These are all smart business men and will position themselves to make a sizable profit. It may not be the size profit as past years, but it will be a profit.

If anyone is going to be hurt in 2009 it will be the track owners and the NASCAR organization itself. When I say “hurt” – it doesn’t mean they’ll loose money. They just won’t make the same enormous profits as in past years.

I see 2009 being one of those years in NASCAR racing with the strong teams becoming stronger and the weak teams becoming weaker.

Only time will tell.

[Racer Duck]

good observations, B-Man.

unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the weak will not survive.

somehow that's supposed to make the sport stronger, but I can't see it as long as the sanctioning body continues to pander to the "haves".

NASCAR will still be around when the "good times" cycle back. problem is, will it be leaner and more agile or will it continue to be overweight and bumbling?

reminds me of the story of the wealthy land owners of ancient times who didn't care if there was a famine or how it affected his peasants, just that his table didn't suffer, i.e., the only important thing is the survival of the lord.

[Bob Tanner]

You make some very valid points, B-Man. Yes, like you I think 2010 will be the "make-or-break" year and the teams are now trying to set themselves up to be on the "make" side of that theory.

However, I, personally, don't think the economy has hurt the teams nearly as much as NA__AR itself has. It's been evident to most of us that, for the last decade-and-a-half, NA__AR has systematically threw the smaller team to the wolves in favor of the larger, more profitable [to NA__AR?] mega-teams. However, once the ball got rolling it was like a snowball rolling down hill, just getting bigger, destroying more and more in front of it, and now it's effecting the mega-teams themselves. The movement against small teams has now taken on a life of its own, and is out of control.

Three examples:

• Allowing team owners like Hendrick and Roush to have an unlimited number of teams, thus taking resources, sponsors and drivers away from lesser teams.

• Creating this new race car, causing small teams to literally go broke maintaining, effectively two complete different race teams, increased inventory, and increased testing costs.

• Maintaining the low-tech engines. For example, Toyota, in order to play in NA__AR little game, had to develop a totally new normally aspirated, push rod engine. Nothing like this was available on the street. There is virtually no technological knowledge being gained by this type of engine for any of the manufacturers. It would help both the manufacturers and the teams to go with power plants which are available to the public (fuel injection, OHC, etc., etc). Working with those engines and not having to produce specially made engines which relate to little available to the general buyers would surely reduce costs on multiple levels.

But then, what do I know? I'm just an old Indiana country boy.

[DOF_power]

How about also giving them more revenues ?!
How is it today, 70% NASCAR 30% all the teams ?!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

How about also giving them more revenues ?!
How is it today, 70% NASCAR 30% all the teams ?!

I'm not sure what the split is. I've heard everything from 60:40 to 90:10. Since NASCAR keeps its books closed and double super-secret, who knows?

I look at this as a strictly business deal. No one is holding a gun to Jack Roush's or Rick Hendrick's head to stay in NA__AR. If they don't like how NA__AR treats them, then go to ARCA, or switch to IRL or ALMS.

If NA__AR wants to be philanthropic and change the ratio, good for them. But, I have no faith in NA__AR. The split will undoubtedly favor the ones who need it the least.

I'm a free market kind of guy and dislike price regulation by any governmental body.I know that if I were Mr. NASCAR and someone told me how much money I could keep and how much money I would be forced to give my contracted workers, I'd be a bit North of ☻☻☻☻ed off.

[Kiante']

I think that the ewak are going to get weaker and the stronger are going to get stronger. For example, Petty Enterprises might go under unless they quickly merge with another team. Times are hard and these teams that are on the bottom need to find a place or just ship out... Its that simple really. Things can get better or worse...

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Kiante'

I think that the ewak are going to get weaker and the stronger are going to get stronger. For example, Petty Enterprises might go under unless they quickly merge with another team. Times are hard and these teams that are on the bottom need to find a place or just ship out... Its that simple really. Things can get better or worse...

They don't have to get worse. Or, if they get worse, the degree can be lessened . But NA__AR continues to go down the same path they've taken to get the sport in the position it's currently in.

There are times to be pro-active and time to be reactive. NA__AR has let the time to be pro-active go by, thus putting themselves in an crisis management mode. Seldom does any good comes from that.

There is an old saying:
When in trouble,
Or in doubt,
Run in circles,
Scream,
And shout.

The screaming and shouting, coming from NA__AR, is becoming deafening.

[jks812]

I've said for awhile now that in a few years the only owners will be Hendrick, Roush, Childress, Gibbs and Penske. Seems like thats were it's headed to.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by jks812

I've said for awhile now that in a few years the only owners will be Hendrick, Roush, Childress, Gibbs and Penske. Seems like thats were it's headed to.

Yep. Just the way Bill Jr. [probably] envisioned it.