NASCAR upheaval -- more to come?

NASCAR, like so many others, is hurting from the current economic chaos. Races feature grandstands with patches of empty seats. Fans can't afford to attend. Corporate sponsors are skittish about spending more cash on stock-car racing.

It could get worse.

In the aftermath of the near meltdown in financial markets last week, General Motors reportedly has held separate merger talks with both Ford and Chrysler.

Those three, along with Toyota, are the car makes used in NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup Series, and combining any of them would raise the obvious question: Would their involvement in NASCAR stay the same or be cut back? (Jeff Burton won last night's Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a GM Chevrolet.)

That's not all. There are rumors in the NASCAR garage that the sanctioning body is mulling whether to cut the field for Cup races to 36 cars from the current 43 sometime in the future, Bob Margolis of Yahoo Sports reports.

--Jim Peltz

Photo: Casey Mears (5) leads Patrick Carpentier (10) in front of bleachers with plenty of empty seats at the Pepsi 500 at California Speedway on Aug. 31. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire

Comments

[Frank]

You picked a poor photo example to help sell your bad economic conditions connection. During the best of times the California track does not sell out.

[Bubba]

The day Dale Earnhardt died so did Nascar . It has gone down ever since . Just sayin look back ....

[J. Perez]

Brian France is killing Nascar, period.

[KCRacin]

Just like everything, changes come and they go. Do you think there would be the draw today if guys pulled their '08 Malibu or Monte Carlo in with some work to the engine and doin' what you could peaking out at about 130MPH, Do you think there would be more than a handful at the races. Take a look at the Midwest and all their dirt tracks, they don't pull in thousands each weekend they race, but they do pull in people who like to watch a good race and enjoy themselves. That is a very special fan who goes to those races, Some of them think NASCAR is too commercial. Most of them go to Lakeside Speedway on Friday Night and Then Kansas Speedway for Sat & Sun. WHY, THEY LIKE TO WATCH RACING, they don't get all wrapped up in the politics that the Frances and Helton orchestrate, But you guys do. Ya see so there is a nitch for you too in NASCAR and if you don't like it that doesn't mean the Venue is doomed, it just means There are just as many whiney fans as there are drivers. NASCAR will never be what it was. So close that book and look at the new direction this sport has to go. But then if you don't like it then change channels, Don't go to the races. So then when you are old(er) you can say ya those were the days.....