Tough times ahead for some Nationwide teams
Independent Nationwide Series teams are in dire straits. With the U.S. economy struggling and advertisers holding on to their money like misers, some teams won’t make it through the 2009 season.
So it’s time for NASCAR to step in. After talking with some drivers and team owners last week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, it appears there’s a feeling NASCAR could help loosen the wallets of some companies who might be willing to spend a few million dollars.
NASCAR and its marketing people have tried to help some teams but with limited success. NASCAR’s “help” to some teams included sending a list of 10 companies who might be interested in sponsoring a car. And that’s it.
It’s one thing for guys such as Jay Robinson or Gary Baker or Tad Geschickter or Derrike Cope – all independent team owners – to walk into a boardroom and ask for money. Usually, the answer is, “We’ll get back to you.”
It’s quite another for NASCAR’s marketing bigwigs to do the same. Usually, the answer then is, “Where do we sign?”
So why can’t NASCAR help line up sponsorship for its teams instead of itself? Sure, NASCAR loves to make money, and no one faults the sanctioning body for that. But if enough teams out there run out of money, the Nationwide Series will be 15 cars fielded by Sprint Cup teams and 25 start-and-park teams.
One interesting idea floated in the Nationwide garage was for a team to hire NASCAR, as it were, as its sponsorship search agent. NASCAR would then get a cut of whatever sponsorship it could rustle up for independent teams, and the teams could survive. Everybody’s happy.
Sounds like a good idea to me.
