For all that NASCAR has done in the past few years to establish itself as a major sport in the United States and abroad, there are many, many questions coming forward as to just where the sport will go from here.
Jimmie Johnson’s late-season battle with Carl Edwards has brought a lot of great attention to the sport this season, only building on what has become the growing empire that is NASCAR, but many other questions need some answering, and many others must be addressed, if NASCAR is going to be able to continue to move forward at its current rapid pace.
Here are just some of the big questions and obstacles that will need to be addressed and/or overcome heading into the 2009 season:
Will the American automakers be able to weather the current economic storm?
This may be the most pressing of issues that the Sprint Cup will have to deal with in 2009. The current economic crisis is having a profound effect on the big three (GM, Ford and Chrysler), and talk as of late is not good. Dodge, for one, is in serious trouble, as race teams are already planning for the worst and trying to make a switch in a hurry. Gillett-Evernham Motorsports attempted to get out of its contract with Dodge a couple of weeks back, only to have NASCAR nix the deal, and Chip Ganassi Racing, now part of Earnhardt Racing, looks to be moving into Chevrolets for 2009.
Losing Dodge as a sponsor will hurt NASCAR, as millions of dollars annually are funneled into the sport. Neither GM nor Ford is in the position to pick up the monetary slack at this point, as both automakers have announced cutbacks in sponsorship already.
Will teams in current need of sponsorships be able to pick them up next season?
The financial crisis is also having a profound effect on the mid- and lower-level race teams as a number of race teams are struggling to find sponsorships that will be able to provide the cash infusion needed to fund a team for the entire season. Ganassi was forced into making a merger deal with Dale Earnhardt Inc. over the weekend to be able to stay in the sport, and Bill Davis Racing has been looking, without any luck, for a merger partner for some time. Sponsorships are what drive NASCAR, and with many corporations feeling the effect of the financial crisis, many are deciding to put their money elsewhere.
Let’s face it, NASCAR, just like most other corporations in America in recent years, has been living above its means, with many poorly funded race teams being able to compete, albeit on a low level, for years. Next season could see a drop in the number of fulltime race teams, something that may not be all that bad of an idea. There are many, many teams on NASCAR’s senior circuit that just can’t compete financially, and contraction in 2009 will only mean more sponsorship money for those that can.
Can Tony Stewart be a legitimate threat for a title in 2009?
Tony Stewart made a bold move this season in announcing that he would not be back with Joe Gibbs Racing next season and instead formed his own race team with CNC-Haas Racing. It’s been said that with high risk comes high reward, but in this economic state, high risk could also spell high failure. Stewart will definitely have his work cut out for him this off-season as he moves along in this new venture.
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2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Points Standings
Rank…Driver…Points…Behind
1.…Jimmie Johnson…6684…---
2.…Carl Edwards…6615…69
3.…Greg Biffle…6467…217
4.…Kevin Harvick…6408…276
5.…Clint Bowyer…6381…303
6.…Jeff Burton…6335…349
7.…Jeff Gordon…6316…368
8.…Denny Hamlin…6214…470
9.…Tony Stewart…6202…482
10.…Kyle Busch…6186…498
11.…Matt Kenseth…6184…500
12.…Dale Earnhardt Jr.…6127…557
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