Will NASCAR Survive?

This week's Senate hearings on a potential bail out plan for the Big Three auto makers will play a massive role in NASCAR's future, or lack there of. You don't need an economics degree to understand the devistating blow NASCAR would be dealt if any of the Big Three go under. The furture already looks bleak as big name teams are combining resources to save money. Smaller teams are holding on for dear life. Forget about finding a sponser. They are about as available as republicans in Congress. NASCAR is doing away with off season testing, which costs teams about a million dollars. Change is already here.

So, what will happen if the Senate tells the automakers to take a hike? Can NASCAR survive? I believe it can, but we are talking about sending the sport back about 30 years. Can you picture Jerry's Auto Detailing and Joe's Garage once again gracing the hoods? Most teams will have probably have one car in the garage. And chances are it will be a Toyota or, dare I say, a Saturn? Ohh boy. Heck, it might 1986 Monte Carlo. Who knows?

The schedule would dwindle to about half of it currently is today. TV contracts will be severly altered. No sponsers=no money=no tv!

Globally, we are already seeing the effects the economy is having on racing. Honda announced it will pull out of Formula One, thanks to an anticipated 40 percent drop in sales.

Make no mistake, even if the government bails out Detriot, NASCAR as we know it will change.
The 64,000 dollar question is; what can it do to weather the storm?