Posted on 02/09/2010 11:48:45 AM PST by NormsRevenge
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – With the NASCAR season revving up at Daytona International Speedway this week, companies still have a chance to associate themselves with the sport's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And they can do so at the relative bargain-bin prices found in NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide series.
In happier economic times a few years ago, the possibility of such a deal would have triggered a stampede of potential sponsors tradin' paint with briefcases as they raced from the boardroom to the track. But as of this week, the Earnhardt family's JR Motorsports team had sponsorship contracts in hand for only 12 of 35 races for its main No. 88 car; the team has struck separate deals for Danica Patrick to run a part-time schedule in a second car.
Earnhardt Jr.'s sister Kelley, who leads the team's sponsorship search, is frustrated but not surprised at how difficult the process has been.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
See ya at Daytona!
/sarc
Hyundai :-)
I can’t wait for Honda or Isuzu
NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, of the number 29 car, celebrates in the victory lane with his crew following his win at the Budweiser Shoot out at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, February 6, 2010. REUTERS/Brian Blanco (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT MOTOR RACING)
Were the NASCAR Camrys included in the recall? ;-)
Looking for the SMART car series.....THAT should be exciting. At your local go kart track!
Spring’s coming.
Wherever you live, there’s probably a local speedway. It could be asphalt or dirt, but there are scores of local heroes who race every week for a few bucks and a trophy.
They’re sponsored by local businesses.
NASCAR is fine but, for a small fraction of what a Sprint Cup race costs to attend (plus travel, lodging, meals), you can grab a seat, make friends (who, most likely, attend every week), ask questions, and have a great time.
After the race, you won’t need a stack of expensive credentials to visit the pits. Just visit the pits and meet your local drivers.
Local, grassroots racing is alive and well in the U.S., but could always use a few more butts in the seats.
Don’t know where your local track is? Go here: http://www.chasinracin.com/
See you at the races!
Jr. has sucked for the last couple of years. certainly he is popular, but popular doesnt get the job done. Sponsorsjip likes winners and Jr. hasnt been one since he almost burned up in that Corvette.
If he doesnt do better in the first half of this year he should get out of the car and let someone else get in. That’s my feeling, and I like the guy, He is my favorite.
As for Danica, I know I will get sick of hearing announcers pushing her name every time she shows up. I guess we will soon see how she does against the big boys who arent quite so polite as the Formula drivers.
I am also tired of hearing it being called Nascar, there ist a stock car in the bunch , the only thing stock is the name tag. It’s time they stopped calling it Nascar.
I don't know how well that Danica might do, but I look to Juan Pablo Montoya as an example. It took him a couple of years to look comfortable in a stock car and to earn the respect of the other drivers. He fits right in now.
And yes, NASCAR rammed JPM down our throats every Sunday for 2 years solid. I'm glad for him that he's one of the top drivers.
Thanks for the reminder!
Racing is truly a universal sport and there are a lot of local tracks that deliver a solid racing product.
I have a nephew racing SuperStock at a local track in Minnesota, clay/dirt track. They still pack ‘em in Saturday nights.
Love racing but wouldn’t give two hoots in hell for a ringside seat at any NASCAR event. Way too much money involved and way too much ego, and they have priced themselves out of sponserships etc. Give me a dirt track, and couple of guys fighting in the pits with their teammates all watching, instead of some lilly-liver driver jetting away from the race in his private aircraft. Ugh!!
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