When Verwayne ask about a topic to write about I suggested he dig into the sposorship issues.

How more and more teams need several sponsors to make it a whole season.

i.e. Like Dale Jr. sharing the $$'s between Mountain Dew and National Guard.

Now leaving teams scrambling to get the $$$'s

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/opinion/02...ship/index.html

How's the economy doing? The racecars tell the story
By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
February 6, 2008
11:30 AM EST

The last time the United States suffered through an official economic recession, beginning in late 2001, the downturn was evident every time NASCAR's premier series took to the racetrack. Teams that had won races a season earlier found themselves without primary sponsorship and in danger of shutting down. A host of companies slashed marketing budgets and left the sport. Cars at the rear of the field took the green flag backed by the likes of Lotto South and J.J. Baker Custom Homes, if they managed to find sponsors at all.

Competing in a sport that depends on sponsorship dollars carries with it an inherent risk, one potentially much more damaging than hitting the wall at Darlington or running out of fuel at Michigan. Beyond the skill of a driver or the imagination of a crew chief, it can be the whims of Wall Street that determine whether a race team succeeds, fails, or even leaves the shop to begin with. There's no need for a thick report from the Department of the Treasury -- one look at the starting grid for a Sprint Cup event can provide a startlingly accurate snapshot of the economy as a whole.

Sad......but true!
Well maybe Jimmie boy should have pointed that out to Mr. Bush when he went to the White House to shake hands again this year since Bush still seems to think "our economy is strong" as stated in his recent State of the Union address.

It is a shame that it costs so much to run a team and many are struggling so hard to find and keep sponsors. It sure does not look like the "COT" is going to end up being the money saver car that NASCAR was planning, at least not anytime in the next few years so that does not help either.

Our entire economy and what is going to happen in the next 10 years worries the heck out of me.

No offense but I can't help but point this out.

It's President Bush if you like him or not. I'd tell the media but they don't actually get to see/hear it.

This Mr. crap needs to stop. I see they don't screw up and say Mrs. Clinton. It's crap.

Sorry to bring this up in a thread about something else, but it really bothers me.

The thing about all of this that has me sitting here puzzled somewhat is this question.

What about those of us who are supporting the creation of the NASCAR fan base, by busting our behinds and basically blowing our disposable income in the short track world?

I think we all know that our opportunity for sponsorship is limited at best, and to campaign all year is going to be difficult at best.

In my case, with a nearly $12,000 surgeon bill sitting there waiting to be paid due to my insurance company's recalcitrance to work with Michigan Neurosurgeons in an at least fair manner, my racing this year will likely be predicated on whatever I can scrape up in sponsorship.

Although I know I should not ever rely on sponsorship money to run my race car, for at least the next year or two, that may be what I have to do.

And with the scarcity of those dollars, especially on our level in this state, I've no sympathy for those on the NASCAR level. I'm not envious of them, they earned their right to those dollars. And, given my capitalistic viewpoint on life, I have to live within my means, and if I don't do my job to eek out those rare sponsorship dollars, shame on me, but I also don't view their having to pare back as a tragedy, for anyone, least of all those of us who short track, and again,

create the fan base for NASCAR.

You know, quite frankly, I'd really like to see NASCAR give "us" a shot in the arm with at least a press release/media blitz that gives us a little bit of credit for our "humble" level of racing, and the effort and sacrifices we give, just as they do, and did.

At the least, it may soften my view of NASCAR.

But, I doubt that will ever happen.

have a good day,

schinde

Well excuse me all to heck but I disagree with your opinion, as you disagreed with me to start, and that is fine.

You are correct, I do not like Bush, nor do I like Jimmie Johnson for that matter but I do not think a "title" has to always be used when referring to a person unless using the title is the only way others would know who was being discussed or mentioned. Obviously that was not an issue in this case.

Also, in my mind, just because a person has a title does not mean that they have earned the respect from me to deserve that title, which means I may not always use their title. In this case me actually saying Mr. was nicer and more respectful than I could have been.
Besides which a person is a person first and foremost, not a title, when a person has lost sight of that they have lost sight of themself.

Just my opinion and thinking as to why I referred as I did. Take it or leave it!
Oh yea......currently Mrs. Clinton is Hillary to me.

schinde.......you are correct, getting sponsorship at all levels and types of racing can be tough it seems.
I had a nephew that was into racing, I am not sure what, up until he turned 16, and even getting small town local sponsorship for young kids was work. Matt's cars looked like mini Indy cars.