Kenny Bruce: End of the NASCAR season doesn’t always bring answers

By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor

Saturday, November 21, 2009

NASCAR journeyman Mike Bliss has competed for six different teams in the Nationwide Series this year.

Wayne Ebinger
NASCAR Scene

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Jamie McMurray looking forward to next season at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing

COMMENTARY

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Jimmie Johnson and Lowe’s announced contract extensions with Hendrick Motorsports, teammate Jeff Gordon says he’s feeling much better, thank you, and retirement likely won’t be anytime soon. And Jamie McMurray, who walked away from Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of 2005, made an appearance in the media center, along with soon-to-be team owner Chip Ganassi and crew chief Kevin Manion, to announce that “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”

All in all, it was just your typical kickoff to the season-ending event here at Homestead-Miami Speedway under warm, sunny skies in southern Florida.

Forget, if you can, for a moment about the Chase For The Sprint Cup. There are other things afoot in this sport that bear attention. Some big, some small, some falling in between.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France says, among other things, that the sanctioning body’s sales group, is “starting to feel the ice thaw” with regard to sponsors, potential sponsors and just the curious “Thanks, but I’m just looking” crowd.

“My sense is that it will be difficult, but it’s going to be fine,” France said. “It will get better, because we still have the best value proposition in sports.”

Unfortunately, that “thawing” may not come soon enough for some folks.

Not long after France wrapped up his comments, Mike Bliss sat outside a radio room here at the track, waiting to take his turn as a guest on Sirius Satellite Radio. Bliss has had, by most accounts, a rather remarkable season. Not championship-winning stuff, but remarkable just the same.

Bliss, 44, has driven for nearly a half-dozen Nationwide Series teams this year, and despite all the jumping around from team to team, heads into today’s Ford 300 eighth in points. The majority of those ahead of him in the standings are competing with the aid and the resources of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series organization.

There was a time when Cup-affiliated teams were the minority. That still may be the case today, but only in terms of car count. Start totaling up who won what, when and where, and it’s a different story.

Bliss says he doesn’t know what 2010 will bring.

“It’s just tough, you know,” he says. “It’s tough for a lot of people. There just aren’t that many options out there. You hear of one opening, and there are already 10 or 12 people trying to get that one ride.”

There’s no such thing as a driver and sponsor looking for an open seat. If you’ve got the money, somebody’s got the time, and the equipment.

Bliss isn’t the only one facing an uncertain future. There are plenty of teams in all three of NASCAR’s national series that are no better off today than they were at the end of the 2008 season. Granted, it’s a scenario that plays itself out at the end of every year. That doesn’t make it any easier to swallow, though.

NASCAR isn’t the sport of the rich. Sometimes, though, it sure seems that way.

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Comments

2 responses to "Kenny Bruce: End of the NASCAR season doesn’t always bring answers". Post a Comment.

1

jerryswiatek said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 11:01 AM
I,m sorry Mr. Bliss but as I have said for the last two years Brian France and team are trying hard to make Nascar only for the wealthy. Think about it, first the prices went through the roof, and just like I said the wealthy will not be real fans just a passing fancy and then be gone, too bad now they have stupidly run off the real hard core fans, the ones that have to buy from Lowes, inexpensive beer and soda, aarons etc. how stupid could he be and be so lucky to have all this dumped into his lap. these fans hate all this crap. the point system, the cars, the front running celebrity pretty boys, the dragging the Carl Longs and Mayfields through the mud. And with all that TV money that was suppossed to help the sport and other teams not line the pockets of the rulers.I could go on, He made a fortune. Fan here since 1968 is now just sick!
2

goober22 said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Thank Brian France. He is turning into a scripted "SHOW" (entertainment as he puts it) instead of a sport. Even the talking heads at Fox/Speed had drank the kool-aid. I'll be dropping Trackpass this year and renewing my DirecTV Sunday Ticket next year. As a fan of Nascar since '79, I'll be putting them on the back burner for the first time since 1985 and watching the NFL again fulltime. I'll record the races to watch later just like have been doing with football. Hope you are happy Brian!