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Per Jayski

GM rethinks Daytona sponsorship: General Motors Corp. has not decided whether to renew a decades-long sponsorship of the Daytona International Speedway and its signature stock car race, the Daytona 500, despite the deal’s expiration in three weeks. GM has a multiyear agreement that ends Dec. 31 to serve as the official car and truck provider of the speedway and the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s most prestigious event, speedway spokesman Andrew Booth said Thursday. The race is Feb. 15. GM said discussions are under way about the Daytona sponsorship but the automaker has not reached an agreement. The Daytona sponsorship dates to the early 1970s. GM provides fire and safety vehicles, pace cars and other vehicles for use during the race, as well as a July race at the track. GM did not disclose how much it spends on the Daytona deal or NASCAR sponsorships. Scaling back motorsports sponsorships is seen as a risky move because the auto industry and racing are closely linked and give automakers a prime marketing opportunity to reach customers who buy domestic vehicles at a rate higher than the national average. Race fans, particularly stock car enthusiasts, are loyal to the sport’s sponsors and advertisers. The heritage and loyalty runs so deep that NASCAR Chairman Brian France recently lobbied Congress to support a financial bailout of the auto industry. NASCAR sponsorships are a wise investment because each race attracts about 120,000 fans, said Terry Dolan, manager of Chevy Racing. GM often creates a showroom environment on the speedway grounds, giving spectators an intimate look at its model lineup. The 2008 Daytona 500 attracted 33.5 million television viewers and is the top-rated motorsports telecast in North America. This year, GM had sponsorships at 12 tracks that feature NASCAR events, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, though three of those sponsorships have not been renewed. Chevrolet also is the official vehicle sponsor of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 held in September at Richmond International Raceway in Virginia. That sponsorship expires next year.(Detroit News)(12-12-2008)

SPENCER: If Dale Was Here
Written by: Jimmy Spencer
12/10/2008 - 10:34 AM

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/spencer-if-dale-was-here

I took an inadvertent trip down memory lane last week that left me wishing we could turn back the clock on this disaster.

When I drove past Dale Earnhardt Inc., or what used to be Dale Earnhardt Inc., a few days ago, I got a lump in my throat and a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. In a matter of seconds, images flashed through my mind of what DEI was under Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s leadership, but I was immediately smacked with the harsh reality of what has become of his company since his death. Old Man Earnhardt never would have let DEI meet the fate it has suffered the past couple of years.

Anyone who knows me or has watched me over the years knows how much I loved and respected Earnhardt, and despite your opinion of me, you cannot deny my admiration for the man I considered a great person and the best race car driver ever.

My impromptu trip past DEI greatly disturbed me and has been eating at me ever since. NASCAR has changed so much in the almost eight years since we lost Earnhardt, and judging by events in recent months, it certainly wasn’t
all for the better.

If only Dale was still here. He was the fearless leader of the garage and the man who could mobilize the drivers, represent them and their car owners, stand up to NASCAR and make things happen.

But now we are without a leader who wields the influence and respect Earnhardt did. For a while, people thought that mantle had passed to Jeff Gordon or Jeff Burton whether they wanted it or not Both men are greatly respected but they’re not Earnhardt and don’t command the admiration and audience he did. Earnhardt’s death left a void in driver and owner representation and I think this is where many of our sport’s current problems lie.

People listened to Earnhardt. Even NASCAR listened to him. On the flip side, how many times this year did someone say NASCAR doesn’t listen to anyone? Probably several. You don’t recall hearing that about Earnhardt, do you? Ever heard stories about NASCAR doing whatever necessary to finish races amidst rain conditions because Earnhardt had plans the next day?

I cannot believe that in barely eight years, Earnhardt’s vision for his company and his legacy is no more. Having known him as well as I did, I am disturbed that people’s egos and pride interfered and allowed DEI to crumble in this manner. The parties involved didn’t consider or appreciate who they were working for and who built the organization, and look what has become of what he entrusted to them. It’s a travesty that DEI is a shell of its former self. Sure, the organization is still in operation but now finds itself amidst significant layoffs and a merger with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

When Dale Earnhardt’s company merges to survive while the Petty family also faces the same move, what’s left of the sport?

If Earnhardt was still around and running his company, do you think DEI would be without sponsors and facing layoffs? Do you think Dale Jr. would have left? Hell no.

I can almost guarantee Earnhardt wouldn’t have merged with Chip Ganassi or anybody else. Earnhardt was a savvy enough businessman and racer to anticipate the direction in which the sport was headed and meet with the owners to formulate a plan to prevent potential problems he saw on the horizon for them and the sport. But there is no owner today willing to step up to the plate in the capacity Earnhardt did.

If it wasn’t for Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We wouldn’t be racing. Unfortunately, The Intimidator is gone and we’ve forced to forge through without him. But we could at least try to figure out what he might have done in these situations, although with Earnhardt, we might not be in this gargantuan mess to begin with.