The Business of NASCAR

2011 Sprint Cup Schedule may look quite different

The 2011 36 race NASCAR Sprint Cup series schedule may look quite different from the 2010 version. The two biggest track operating companies Speedway Motor Sports and International Speedway Corporation have both petitioned the governing body for changes to the schedule. Using NASCAR rules the companies are allowed to move race dates to the other tracks they own. That likely means that the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana California will lose one of its two dates, the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway are likely to lose one of their two race dates, and finally there might be a Sprint Cup series race at the Kentucky Motor Speedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns #3 car to Daytona victroy lane

The next era of the NASCAR Nationwide Series got off to a start tonight with homage to an earlier era. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the first ever NASCAR Nationwide Series race with the COT program in a #3 car painted up to resemble the car that made his father one of NASCAR largest stars. Junior has stated that this will be his last run in a number 3 car, and it feels pretty safe to say that this car will not ever return to the NASCAR Cup series, but it may just come back in the Nationwide Series one day.

NASCAR announces second list of Hall of Fame nominees

As with most things NASCAR does, I disagree with how they are going about nominating people for their Hall of Fame. Even though the 2010 class which included: Bill France junior and senior, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and Junior Johnson, and for the most part seemed pretty appropriate. There are just too many people in NASCAR’s history that deserve consideration. The current model calls for 25 people to be nominated each year, and for five to be enshrined. However I think that NASCAR should break that down a bit more.

NASCAR and it’s teams look to centralize licensing business

While taking a walk through you local Wal Mart, or Racing Collectibles store many NASCAR fans start to see that there is a wide imbalance of products offered for different drivers, teams and manufacturers. While there maybe many products featuring Kasey Kahne, or Jeff Gordon, there may be little to no products featuring Matt Kenseth or Kurt Busch.

Kansas close to a second Sprint Cup date

International Speedway Corporation came a step closer to getting a second date for its Kansas track this week. The track management company has been trying to secure a license to build a casino at the track, a move that would necessitate a second date at the track located in Kansas City.

ISC reports net loss for first six months of fiscal year

International Speedway Corporation, a company controlled by the France family but which is separate from the company of NASCAR, has reported a net loss for the first six months of its current fiscal year.

What does it cost to run a team in NASCAR?

The saying is if one wants to make a little money in NASCAR racing they should start with a lot of money. In the ultra secretive world of NASCAR it is often extremely difficult to nail down what it cost to actually field a team in the premier Sprint Cup series. Of course once people get to suing each other a lot of things become public knowledge.

GM cuts support to its Nationwide, Truck series teams

General Motors has followed its Detroit rivals, Ford Motor Company and Dodge, in cutting off its financial support to it NASCAR teams that operate outside of NASCAR’s premier division the Sprint Cup series.

How vital is a Nationwide Series team to the success of a Sprint Cup organization?

Running teams in the Nationwide series adds value to a racing organization in many key ways. Some of them can be measured in dollars and sense, some of them can be measured in performance, and a lot of them cannot be measured at all. However many of these immeasurable benefits are why so many cup teams run teams in NASCAR’s Triple A Series.

Atlanta Motor Speedway sues Pep Boys

Lawsuits really are the Sports business reporters’ best friend. They are also a valuable tool when trying to find information on the financial side of the NASCAR universe. For the most part the people associated with NASCAR try their hardest to keep information about the financial side of the sports locked away from public consumption.

State Water Heaters alters their approach to NASCAR Sponsorship

In these economic tough times companies the world over are looking to cut costs while still attracting new customers to their products. Naturally many of these companies turn to NASCAR as car sponsor to help bring in a lot of attention. State Water Heaters is going to the other direction. What they have done is not only brilliant but a highly effective, rather inexpensive way to remain part of the NASCAR world without spending top dollar sponsoring a race car.

Dot Com Sponsorships work

In this week’s Business of racing column we are going to take a look at the success dot com’s can have sponsoring NASCAR race cars. For the most part dot com success is measured in traffic, and NASCAR sponsorship can certainly bring in boat loads of traffic.

Bruton Smith at it again

Bruton Smith, the Chairman of Speedway Motor sports, is rallying against NASCAR to move the NASCAR season finale from Homestead to his track at Las Vegas. Once aging Burton will come off, and be labeled by NASCAR, as a loud mouth jerk, however this plan makes a whole lot of sense in a number of different ways.

The Business of Racing: Too many unsponsored Race trucks

I noticed something startling today watching Camping World Truck series practice. The thing I noticed is there are far too many unsponsored trucks out there for any of us: Fans; Team owners; and NASCAR to feel comfortable.

NASCAR needs to readjust the first month of their schedule

The first five races of the three major divisions of NASCAR need to be addressed. The season starts off with a big event like Daytona and then seems to limp along through March and April. For the Truck series who have three weeks off in March and April the season gets no chance to gain any momentum.

The business of racing: sponsorship woes

One of the benefits of having the second Sprint Cup race of the year in California is it affords the owners the chance to smooze with big time West Coast sponsors. They get them out to the track, hopefully run well, and play let’s make a deal. This is exactly what happened last week while the cars were circling the track at the Auto Club Speedway.

The Business of Racing: Driver Gear

I think most NASCAR fans know that Motor sports Authentics is the single company that makes most of the NASCAR merchandise we all want to buy, Everything from Hats, glasses, sleepwear, die-casts, and other little knick knacks featuring our favorite drivers. What most people don’t know is how this company came to have such a monopoly on the NASCAR industry and why it is failing to make money.

Owners points for sale, is this what is wrong with NASCAR?

In a story over at Jayski we learn that Penske Racing South has now become Penske Championship racing. Apparently Penske has merged his operation with that of Bill Davis, what really happened here is Penske made Davis a part owner of the new team to skirt the rules about using the #22 owner’s points from a year ago to lock #77 Sam Hornish into the first five 2009 races

How Should NASCAR fix the Truck Series?

Let us be real honest here, the Truck series looks to be dying on the vine. There are something like 15 teams committed to the full season right now, with a few others still piecing together sponsorship. Today as I was cruising around the NASCAR blogosphere I came aross a few articles about NASCAR pulling out all the stops to try and help this series owners save some money.

NASCAR’s #1 Public Enemy: Bruton Smith

As a general rule I take anything coming out of Speedway Motor sport Incorporated Chairman Bruton Smith with a huge grain of salt. However sometimes he is right and we mustn’t let the messenger detract from the message, especially if the messenger actually has a good idea.

Is NASCAR a sport?

So last night I am hanging out with my friends at the local 7-11, talking sports, listening to JT the Brick on the radio.  And of course I, NASCAR idiot that I am, get into a big argument with everyone else over whether or not NASCAR is a sport.