2008 NASCAR running thread

Kodak is pulling out of NASCAR to focus on professional golf.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2008-10-27-1946718160_x.htm

 

Can't they have both?

 

Kyle Petty nearly has his 2009 ride lined up and two of his main sponsors, Wells Fargo and Coca Cola, apparently are going with him.

























It's a BMW.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Speed/Sprint/racSPEED01102908.htm

 

Ed Hinton has a heck of a good column on ESPN.com right now.


http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/columns/story?columnist=hinton_ed&id=3673003

 

Junior rips NASCAR: schedule's overstuffed and the quest for another dollar has hurt the sport. Ho-hum, we agree. See also: Hinton, one post above.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=jb-junior103108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Thrown in by Bonkowski:"With rumors swirling that current Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series teams will lay off close to 1,000 employees at season's end, as well as reports that several teams across the sport's top three series are likely to close their doors or merge with others, this is one of the most challenging times NASCAR has ever faced."

DEI's shuttering two teams (and selling the 01's owner points to RCR for the 33), MWR has dropped a team, Ganassi has already dropped one team and may be working a merger with Petty Enterprises Boston Ventures (and if true, that means they still only have one sponsor between them), Bill Davis' Cup operation appears to be toast, Dodge's future is up in the air due to the GM merger ... you have to figure 43-car fields will be an impossibility at several races next year.

 

Morgan Shepherd and Kirk Shelmerdine to the white courtesy phone, please.

 

Even then.

Personally, I'd love to see them go back to 36-car fields at Bristol and Martinsville.

 

Terrific piece.

 

Almost time to boogity, boogity, boogity.

Second place in the Chase is up for grabs -- only 2 points apart. Go Carl!

 

This is just ridiculous ... amazing fuel conservation and only 106 behind JJ for the title.

Two races to go! Go Carl Edwards!

 

WHOOOOOOO! GO CARL!

 

I'm not even sure who's the lesser of two evils in that situation...