| The 2008 NASCAR season is grinding to a close as | | | | Ford is not in much better shape. It stock recently |
| Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards battle through the | | | | bottomed out at an unheard of $2 a share. The sales |
| last few races. The question many have in mind is | | | | figures for the company are so bad, they are simply |
| how different NASCAR could look in 2009 and | | | | hard to digest. Still, Ford is in better shape than GM to |
| beyond. | | | | the extent the company has built up a lot of cash |
| The time between seasons always brings change. | | | | reserves. That cash will only last so long, however, and |
| From drivers moving to new teams to Toyota entering | | | | Ford appears to be hoarding its money in the |
| the fray, the offseason is a time for ending stories and | | | | expectation of things being bad of years to come. |
| beginning new ones. 2009, however, holds out the | | | | The inclusion of Toyota into NASCAR was a |
| possibility of being a very different year indeed. | | | | controversial decision. The fear of many was Toyota |
| Simply put, NASCAR is facing a brutal economic | | | | would throw so much money around it would simply |
| situation. While attendance at many races is down, the | | | | dominate the races. Well, Toyota is suffering just as |
| more immediate problem has to do with the viability of | | | | much as Ford and GM when it comes to car sales. |
| the manufacturers. The primary question is which | | | | Throw in the fact the company spends $400 million |
| manufacturers will still be viable and supporting teams? | | | | dollars a year in Formula One and it is not hard to see |
| Make no mistake, the manufacturers are in serious | | | | how the powers that be at Toyota must be |
| trouble. The sales figures for everyone from Ford to | | | | reconsidering their commitment to racing. Will the |
| Toyota are ugly. Drops of 30 percent or more are | | | | company leave NASCAR? No, it is more likely that the |
| now normal. It is estimated that as many as 40 | | | | company will leave Formula One. That being said, |
| percent of all auto dealerships in the United States | | | | Toyota is hardly going to be throwing a lot of money |
| may fail. General Motors and Chrysler have discussed | | | | at its teams when vehicle sales are in the tank. |
| merging, but they are in such bad shape that they | | | | So, what does this all mean for NASCAR in 2009? |
| have asked the government for a ten billion dollar loan | | | | Well, things are moving fast in the economy. If any of |
| to make it happen. | | | | the manufacturers, particularly GM, are forced into |
| General Motors is a company that is having particular | | | | bankruptcy, the teams using those cars will be in big |
| trouble. For the last two years, it has staggered along | | | | trouble. Even without the threat of bankruptcy, certain |
| the fine line of needing to file bankruptcy. Ten years | | | | manufacturers certainly are going to look closely at |
| ago, the idea of GM going bankrupt would have been | | | | how much they spend on NASCAR and whether they |
| laughable, but things have changed drastically. GM has | | | | can continue to spend the money. If not, we could see |
| reacted by closing down factories and selling off | | | | the disappearance of some iconic brands from |
| assets as fast as it can. Still, the future is very sketch | | | | NASCAR and a reshuffling of the teams in general. |
| to say the least. | | | | |