How Times Have Changed for the Daytona 500...

[ancrdave]

This year there are only 42 entries for the Daytona 500... 40 cars will start and only two teams will not qualify...

Go back just 10 years to 2007 when 43 cars started the race... There were 61 entries in 2007 with 18 teams packing up and leaving after Thursday... Some of the drivers who missed the race that year: Mike Bliss, Ward Burton, Paul Menard, Kenny Wallace, Bill Elliott, James Hylton, Jeremy Mayfield, Derrike Cope, Regan Smith, Brian Vickers, Mike Skinner and A. J. Almendinger...

[jacko241]

I think It will get worse. The cost is just too high. You can't hope to make enough money as an open team with no sponsor.

[OldSchool+]

Here is how I see it:

The Jimmy Means & Bobby Johns of the world have never been able to be competitive in Cup, but the payout for the lower spots is still so much higher than other forms of racing that they think "For about the same $$ to race ARCA or XFINITY, I can go Cup Racing"--and "make" more money.

I don't know if it is necessarily true, but I am guessing that is the mindset.

More recently, I think Tommy Baldwin and possibly BK racing fit into this category. And I think there will be someone next year or the year after to follow the same path.

True, though, there are less of them...

[jacko241]

OS, the problem is now if you don't have a charter, you only get about 30 percent of the purse of what the chartered teams get.

[OldSchool+]

Thank you, sir.

Well then, it would seem that the number of charters should match their target field size.

Or they will probably find out it works that way...

Alternatively, would not the only way to really have full fields (after the "independents" die out) would be if Charter Teams can run an "extra" car or two?

[jacko241]

I believe NASCAR knew the fields were going to get smaller, and this is their way of making it look like that is what they wanted.

[OldSchool+]

Oh well, it is what it is (and it ain't what it was).

Generally, 20 car fields are considered "big" on short tracks.

Annnnd half or better of the field are running in the back half of the field already, and are largely non factors at all for the last 10 races.

But here is a thought--you don't suppose it is not because they will have less teams to pay at all?!

Regardless, look at the field size of other "big time" racing series, and the closeness (or rather, lack of it) in those series.

The way I currently view it is:

>NASCAR knows they are #1 in motorsport in their target market and
>NASCAR knows that there are some of us (probably me) that have a ways to go, threshold wise, until we stop watching it.

--So, all of the above are a "given", and they can do what they want, and

>We are an aging, and therefore dwindling chunk of market share

--Therefore, what to do other than become more NASCAR-X like?

[jacko241]

My understanding is they took the same purse and gave most of it to the charter teams, to make them stronger. I suppose you are right, they don't want us dinosaurs anymore. I sent you a pm.

[OldSchool+]

Oh they want us, they just assume that we are a given and not requiring schmoozing.

Am off to NSS...

[Groundpounder]

...........

[egspeedway]

Sadly, todays racing is not for the checkered flag. It is to obtain a sponsor and without one you can't race.

[OldSchool+]

Yep, but "today" dates back to 1970 or so.

Prior to that the factorys were in, and only a few had the money to do it right then also.

They left, and Reechard brought in STP, and the rest is history.

[luke81]

The Jimmy Means & Bobby Johns of the world have never been able to be competitive in Cup, but the payout for the lower spots is still so much higher than other forms of racing that they think "For about the same $$ to race ARCA or XFINITY, I can go Cup Racing"--and "make" more money.
I don't know if it is necessarily true, but I am guessing that is the mindset.
More recently, I think Tommy Baldwin and possibly BK racing fit into this category. And I think there will be someone next year or the year after to follow the same path.
True, though, there are less of them...

Very, very true. The "payout" in the lower divisions is pathetic when you factor in the cost to compete in those series. Driving all around the country in a rig doesn't cost any less with a truck in there than a Cup car, for example. This is what bred the start-n-parks some years back. But even at the Cup level the actual payout is pretty weak. They cut the point fund in half last year after multiple decreases over the last few years. Last years champ in Cup got something like 2 million bucks. In 2013 is was over 5 million, in 2008 it was over 7 million.
NASCAR is on a totally unsustainable financial path right now. The advertising value to sponsor a car is nowhere near worth what the teams need to get paid to do it.

[zerofor]

While that mainly is true

Its not entirely accurate. The Wood Brothers have always been a competitive group and even as recently as a couple seasons back didn't run the entire schedule. The Charter thing has guaranteed that will no longer be possible. It does concern me that with the demise of all the manufacture's that once participated in NASCAR like Mercury,Olds,Plymouth and recently Dodge that there is no longer the win on Sunday sell on Monday mindset in the auto industry any longer and long storied guys like Petty and the Wood brothers are going to quietly vanish.Johnny Benson took a family owned car to Daytona and led a hell of a lot of laps in what like 2001 or thereabouts? All of NASCAR's moves in the last ten years have been pointed towards becoming the Formula One of America and before too many years you will see that 40 car field shrink down even farther.

[OldSchool+]

Re: The manufacturer thing.

Seems like it was Ford (which includes Mercury) and GM (4 divisions) & Chrysler (2) at best back in the day (well, Bobby Allison blew up a few Ramblers, if you want to count them...). Many times one or two of them would be pouting for one reason or another.

Today we have Ford, GM, and Toyoda, and Darge is reportedly wanting to come back. Additionally there have been rumblings about additional overseas participation from time to time.

Re: Formula 1. Sad to say, I agree with that. And like Formula 1, NASCAR is on a slide.

Eventually they will not be a viable marketing operation for either the manufacturers or the beer companies--at current levels.

But overall I think the series is sustainable. It is all the same to me if Jimbo gets 2 mil or 7.