We all know that times are tough in NASCAR. Everyone, with the possible exception of Hendrick, is feeling the financial pinch.
For the last few years, team ownership has undergone drastic changes. In the past, the majority of team owners were people who had been in and around racing long term. Many were former drivers, who, when they hung up their helmets, stayed in the sport as owners.
To be successful long term, an owner needed two things: First, a team that was competitive. It didn’t necessarily have to be a winner, just competitive.
Secondly, at the end of the season, he needed enough money to pay the bills and put some in his pocket.
If an owner’s means of support is his race team, and he is unable to make it, support him. You don’t have to be a financial wizard to foresee the outcome.
This is what has been happening to owners for quite some time. Some have coped with it by taking on partners- “Money men,” who for various reasons want to be associated with racing.
Some have just given up the fight, closed their doors, and left the sport with nothing more than a lot of memories, and maybe a few trophies. Their only financial reward being what their shops, and equipment brought at auction. Usually, even in better times, Only pennies on the dollar.
A few, not only in Cup, but in other series as well, have been driven to try illegal means to survive, and have paid, and are paying the price. The France family has grown tremendously rich. While the owners seem to be viewed as disposable. I could cite name after name, but if you’ve followed the sport for any length of time, you can supply your own.
Junior Johnson, the man who brought R. J. Reynolds into NASCAR, should be at the top of everyone’s list.
The France’s with NASCAR, ISC, NASCAR Licensing, and Motorsports Authentics, may be down, they are never going to be down and out.
With the number of cars showing up every week being what they are, this would seem like the perfect time to franchise the teams. NASCAR has stoutly resisted franchising. Fearing what? Stronger owners perhaps. Owners who wouldn’t knuckle under as easily. With things being as they are. Stronger owners is probably a good thing.
If, for example, NASCAR were to announce now, that at the end of the 2010 season, the top 43 teams would be awarded a Cup franchise, then the” race for a place” would be bigger than the race for the Chase. This would add excitement in a season that might need it desperately. Just a guess, but this should take care of the “start and park” charade that we’ve been seeing this season. With a 4 car cap, I’d think that any of the multi-car team owners that don’t currently have four cars would pull out all the stops to put four cars on track next season.
To help level the playing field, the Past Champion’s Provisional would need to go. Franchising works well for F1, and I think it would work equally well in Cup.
When a small business owner gets ready to retire, the bulk of his or her retirement is from the sale of the business. This would afford team owners the same opportunity. This is long overdue, and I feel for the long time owners who were left with very little. It’s too late for them, but there owners that need help now.
I think this is the right thing to do, and the right time to do it.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
The France family would be foolish to Franchise and allow someone else to have a say in their business. Why would they even think about it. The reason everyone says to do this is to have a team owner be able to have a return on his investment. I would start a pension plan for each team who makes a race and deposit $5,000 a race into a retirement plan and when they retire they could take it out and when they do they are done and can’t come back and with intrest and dividends they could walk away with alot of money for them and their employees and if an employee leaves and goes to another team he can take his account with him. But give up a say and part of my business no way.