Is it Time for Nascar to look into salary caps?

(Nascar Roundup)

Nascar has restricted everything in the sport from cars fitting templates, weight limits, gear ratios, spoiler heights and so on. Nascar has restricted to the teams to a limit of four. Now it's time for Nascar to make the racing really equal, limit the sponsorship packages per team.

I'm sure your first reaction is "No way! Never!' but, if Nascar doesn't create balance in the most important factor of competition, then Nascar will slowly one-by one loose teams. Half the field will be "start & park" teams in a few years, or running limited schedules. If Nascar did an investiagtion on what a team needs to spend to compete for a full Cup season and placed a cap on a team, then we would have great racing, including alot more than 43 cars atempting to make a race (with intent to race). The biggest disadvantage in Nascar is the money teams have to spend. At the rate Nascar is heading, gone will be the days a James Finch can win at Talladgea or a David Reutiman can win driving for Michael Waltrip Racing. Most teams are just a sponsorship loss from closing it's doors, and the mighty aren't immune, RCR shut the #07 down when Jack Daniels Left. Other teams have scaled back when sponsors didn't renew. Tony Stewart will loose Old Spice next year and still hasn't secured additional sponsorship for Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon is looking for additional partners, and so on.

Can you buy a Championship? That answer is a loud "No!" Two of the biggest spenders, fork out tons of money to Dale Earnhardt Jr (AMP) and David Ragan (UPS)...both are have poor results, and neither will be in The Chase.

If Nascar would cap each team it would make for some great racing. Which would fill those empty seats back up, and bump those TV ratings back up too.

However, Jack Roush & Rick Hendrick will likely boil before letting Nascar break up their dynasty teams. In a few years, each manufacturer will likely have only 2 organizations each that will compete for wins. Wait...that's already here today!

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Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on August 10, 2010 at 1:30am

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Permalink Reply by dastexan on August 10, 2010 at 5:40pm

The bigger issue is the exclusivity given to 'official' sponsors effectively squeezing out a number of companies that would be on the hood's of a number of other cars.

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Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on August 10, 2010 at 5:49pm

WINNER WINNER!!!

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Permalink Reply by vak7 on August 10, 2010 at 5:58pm

Yep! That makes a huge impact. Also look at some fees that have gotten out of hand. Merchandise trailers for one. Each track has a different fee but they're all outrageous. The Daytona 500 this year had half the number of trailers it usually has, and that's the premier event. Saves teams a ton of money if they're not hauling the merchy.

Anybody seen the monstrosity NASCAR built as new headquarters near the Daytona track? Lower level has high-end shops and restaurants, it's a shopping mall for big spenders. The building is pure decadence. Money should have gone to supply tires or templates for the teams. They dictate what can be used, they should provide it. Just a couple other thoughts here.... every little bit helps!

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Permalink Reply by Dave-O on August 10, 2010 at 8:15pm

Rearrange the deal with goodyear to supply all teams with tires at no cost, and let go of the goodyear sponsorship $$ funnelling into the France family pockets.