how tough is it for the go or go home guys as well. unless they make the field and race, no one is getting a pay check. i’m sure driving to the track and just the drive home must get costly for them.
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how tough is it for the go or go home guys as well. unless they make the field and race, no one is getting a pay check. i’m sure driving to the track and just the drive home must get costly for them.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
Snake has it right too, it (the recession) has hit everybody not just the big Nascar teams but the smaller ones too and several of the dirt tracks and drag strips around where I live are being affected. The NHRA is feeling the pinch too. Somebody in DC needs to step up and do something about this gasoline prices and diesel prices too. I cant even to begin to imagine what the teams fuel bill is every week.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
The recession is affecting everyone. From the over $4.00 a gallon cost of diesel fuel to haul the cars and motor coaches around to the price of research and development for the COT, it is getting more expensive to field cup teams. Sponsors feel the same pinch that all of us do. The top 35 lock is impacting teams not in and making it much more difficult for them to secure long term sponsorship. The Nationwide and truck series seem to be fielding fewer and fewer entries almost weekly. I’m sure ticket sales are more sluggish but have not really looked at the numbers yet. Fairly soon there will be only 43 full time teams and a few part time ones that only attempt to qualify for tracks that they do better on or are physically closer to their shop. It will get better after the election year (hopefully) but there may be some teams that close up shop, never to return to cup racing. That’s my opinion anyway.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
The sport of Nascar has always been tough, but combine the economy with the high cost of racing, it’s getting tougher and tougher.
Kenny Wallace on Nascar RaceDay built by The Home Depot, Marty Smith and Mark Ashenfelter on ESPN.com and today Tom Jensen on speedtv.com have all referenced the economic struggles that Nascar is facing. Even the big teams have multiple sponsors rather than one primary sponsor anymore.
Nascar has to get with the program and follow the lead-something they like to do and then take credit for having thought of it first-of other series like the DTM, BTCC, AVESCO, and even the IRL and the now defunct Champ Car series, and find ways to cut the cost of racing without sacrificing the quality of the sport. Each of the above series has rules in place to maintain some semblance of fiscal responsibility while continuing to provide exciting racing. Before anyone says anything, no this is not about parity or trying to equalize the haves and have-nots. Rather, it’s about keeping the sport accessible to as many people as possible.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
Well…..Etyron pretty much said it all and I agree with that.
GO # 9 Kasey Kahne
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
Yes it is a Expensive sport for sure especially the 1 Car teams. That is why the Sponsorships are so important!!!!!!– The Yates team which has been in racing for Decades and cant a Sponsor for Travis Kvapil!!!!!!!
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
If my street stock was ready to race, it would cost me over $100 per event just to tow the car to the track, put fuel in the car, and tow it home. Add in the entry fee and other little costs of racing, and you’ll figure out why I don’t plan on racing anytime soon. Just plain sucks. Every year, even when the economy is good, race teams open and close all the time. Many teams you never even hear about.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
Its tough but tell me one sport that isnt tough when played at the very highest level. The fact that cars ARE sent home each week is a good sign.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
I can’t even count how many times Travis Kvapil was on tv the past 6 weeks and he still doesn’t have a sponser. All the sponsers are taking the cheap way and loading up all on one car. Look at my favorite driver, Elliott Sadler, he has primary sponsership from Best Buy, Stanley, McDonalds, and Garmin. The drivers that are good have a different paint scheme every week and Robert Yates Racing will have to shut down.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
It is the 21st century, you know? Junior Johnson’s not building cars in his barn anymore(he still makes white liquor though)
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
The domino effect has traveled, all the way down to the local dirt tracks too !!!
February 10th, 2010 at 3:18 am
It’s a growing sport that more than 43 teams want to be in. The owners w/ multiple teams are the ones pushing them out if you ask me.. A nice 2 car per team rule would be nice, but it will NEVER happen.