Former NASCAR champions hoping for the best

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- When it comes to good times and bad times, NASCAR's King has seen it all.

With the United States facing the worst economic downturn since the Depression and the possible collapse of the domestic auto industry, Richard Petty sees hard times on the horizon for his sport.

And he's convinced NASCAR will survive.

Rex White, who won his only championship in 1960 long before NASCAR's big paydays, stressed that money has always been a problem for teams -- especially the have-nots.

"We had a problem with money every day, every week, with meeting payroll or winning enough money to race on and being able to finance the car and buy the pieces and parts that you need to go there and win the race," White said Thursday. "So money is always a big problem when you race. Racing has never really paid its way properly maybe until today. Not even today. Without the sponsors, they couldn't even race today."

Seven-time points champion Petty agreed it's sponsorship woes, moreso than the automakers' angst, that worry a midpack team such as Petty Enterprises.

The team's signature No. 43 car has only partial sponsorship for 2009.

"Back in the 70s, we depended entirely on the technology that the factories had," Petty said. "The teams now have started hiring their own engineers and doing a bunch of stuff. ... If the factories all went home, the general public up in the grandstand probably wouldn't know the difference, if we had sponsorship for the cars."

Petty doesn't deny the team has talked about a possible merger. On Wednesday, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing announced they will combine teams next season.

Earlier this year, Petty sold majority ownership in Petty Enterprises, the team started by his father more than 50 years ago, to Boston Ventures, an investment banking firm.

"We talk to everybody about everything that we've been talking about, and we're still standing here independent," Petty said. "But we're not wanting to take on somebody else's bad because we have enough of our own."

Petty and White were two of several former champions who gathered Thursday to celebrate the season's final week, with Jimmie Johnson trying to wrap up a record-tying third straight Sprint Cup title Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

None of the champions imagined a future that doesn't include NASCAR.

"I think it'll go on, and NASCAR will survive it because people that are race fans, they'll come to see some kind of racing," White said. "It might not be the same as it is today, but racing will continue on."

But former champions Dale Jarrett and Darrell Waltrip acknowledged the nation's economic woes are bound to cause some major changes in the sport.

"Right now, you're not seeing the effects of the economy so much because a lot of the things that are happening right now were already budgeted and paid for," Waltrip said. "It's next year when we're going to see the problems. I think when we get to Daytona (in February) and beyond, that's when we're going to see people that don't have jobs, they can't charge stuff on their credit cars. I think that's when we're going to really see a negative effect on the sport."

Fans aren't the only ones who might have to change their spending habits.

Jarrett suggested the days of teams getting on a private jet and flying to tracks might be coming to an end.

"I'm talking about crew members that have no idea what it's like to get in a van and drive to Dover, Del., for the races," Jarrett said. "Hopefully, we can just do some cutbacks until things get a little bit better, and we don't lose any of the manufacturers."

The Sprint Cup series currently features Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge and Toyota vehicles.

No matter the possible cutbacks, 2004 champion Kurt Busch is focused on the long term, calling today's troubles "a blip in the road."

"Listening to what Richard says, it's given me the perception that he's been through a category 5 hurricane, survived it and he's seen the series and NASCAR get hit by storms and survive it," Busch said. "Teams will have to scale back, but the series will survive. And we'll still be here to collect a trophy on Sunday."


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Johnson, Edwards gear up for final race

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Jimmie Johnson sat before nine former NASCAR champions, too respectful to reflect on his own place in history. In just a few more days, he'll likely have a third championship that will speak volumes to his legacy.

But until he wins that third consecutive Cup title -- which should come with an easy Sunday drive at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- Johnson refuses to contemplate tying Cale Yarborough's 30-year record as the last driver to win three straight championships.

"Well, first you've got to do it," Johnson said Thursday at a news conference to discuss his championship race with Carl Edwards. "And two, I don't think I have, or any driver, has the right to proclaim their spot in history. That's not for that person to decide. That's for the fan base, the guys that have done it and are in that club and were accepted into that club."

With a healthy 141-point lead, Johnson simply needs to finish 36th or better on Sunday to tie Yarborough's mark. So this entire weekend is almost a formality -- a coronation for a 33-year-old driver who is rapidly moving up the chart of all-time NASCAR greats.

So as he gazed across the room Thursday and saw Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Rex White, Ned and Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte and Darrell Waltrip, one almost thought Johnson grew emotional.

He later debunked that theory, but expressed the utmost respect for the champions who came before him.

"I feel I can speak on behalf of a lot of the drivers that these guys are the heroes of the sport and made it what it is today," Johnson said. "And we've got a big responsibility on our shoulders to not screw it up and to help it continue to grow. It's a cool sport that we love, and we're trying to do our best with it."

That's why Edwards won't concede, determined that despite his overwhelming deficit, he can make one final gasp for his first Sprint Cup title.

Edwards knows Jeff Gordon had a motor problem last week at Phoenix, and hopes those same bad parts get moved across the Hendrick Motorsports shop and into Johnson's car. Or maybe Johnson will have an early problem that will take him out of contention.

There's also wishful thinking.

"I'm hoping Jimmie forgets how to drive," said Edwards, "or has some sort of trouble between now and Sunday."

Short of that, Edwards will simply focus on his race and hope for another strong finish in south Florida. In four career starts at Homestead, Edwards has three-top 10s and his lowest finish was 14th in his 2004 debut. So his plan is to be up front, just in case catastrophe strikes Johnson.

"If something like that were to happen, we just have to make sure that we're there to capitalize," Edwards said. "If (Johnson) were to go out there and have trouble on the first lap, the most excruciating thing would be to finish eighth or ninth and still not go make it happen.

"We have to go out there to try to win this thing, and that's our plan: to go lead the most laps and win the race. That's what we're hoping for."

In the 156 times Johnson and Edwards have raced each other, Edwards has never made up 141 points on Johnson in a single race. He did close in 127 points at Homestead in 2005.

"Have you heard that statistic?" Edwards asked Johnson. "You'd better be nervous. This is racing. We've all raced long enough to know that anything can happen. That's a good confidence booster for me."

Because anything can happen, Johnson isn't ready to proclaim the championship his.

"The thing I'm focused on the most is how we could lose this championship," he said. "I feel good about things, but at the same time, I know that that possibility exists. This is motorsports. Things do happen. Like they say in football, you've still got to go play the game.

"We've still got to go run the race. I know that."


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Johnson, Edwards gear up for one final race

Johnson, Edwards gear up for one final race

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Jimmie Johnson sat before nine former NASCAR champions, too respectful to reflect on his own place in history. In just a few more days, he'll likely have a third championship that will speak volumes to his legacy.

But until he wins that third consecutive Cup title -- which should come with an easy Sunday drive at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- Johnson refuses to contemplate tying Cale Yarborough's 30-year record as the last driver to win three straight championships.

"Well, first you've got to do it," Johnson said Thursday at a news conference to discuss his championship race with Carl Edwards. "And two, I don't think I have, or any driver, has the right to proclaim their spot in history. That's not for that person to decide. That's for the fan base, the guys that have done it and are in that club and were accepted into that club."

With a healthy 141-point lead, Johnson simply needs to finish 36th or better on Sunday to tie Yarborough's mark. So this entire weekend is almost a formality -- a coronation for a 33-year-old driver who is rapidly moving up the chart of all-time NASCAR greats.

So as he gazed across the room Thursday and saw Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Rex White, Ned and Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Darrel Waltrip, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte and Darrell Waltrip, one almost thought Johnson grew emotional.

He later debunked that theory, but expressed the utmost respect for the champions who came before him.

"I feel I can speak on behalf of a lot of the drivers that these guys are the heroes of the sport and made it what it is today," Johnson said. "And we've got a big responsibility on our shoulders to not screw it up and to help it continue to grow. It's a cool sport that we love, and we're trying to do our best with it."

That's why Edwards won't concede, determined that despite his overwhelming deficit, he can make one final gasp for his first Sprint Cup title.

Edwards knows Jeff Gordon had a motor problem last week at Phoenix, and hopes those same bad parts get moved across the Hendrick Motorsports shop and into Johnson's car. Or maybe Johnson will have an early problem that will take him out of contention.

There's also wishful thinking.

"I'm hoping Jimmie forgets how to drive," said Edwards, "or has some sort of trouble between now and Sunday."

Short of that, Edwards will simply focus on his race and hope for another strong finish in south Florida. In four career starts at Homestead, Edwards has three-top 10s and his lowest finish was 14th in his 2004 debut. So his plan is to be up front, just in case catastrophe strikes Johnson.

"If something like that were to happen, we just have to make sure that we're there to capitalize," Edwards said. "If (Johnson) were to go out there and have trouble on the first lap, the most excruciating thing would be to finish eighth or ninth and still not go make it happen.

"We have to go out there to try to win this thing, and that's our plan: to go lead the most laps and win the race. That's what we're hoping for."

In the 156 times Johnson and Edwards have raced each other, Edwards has never made up 141 points on Johnson in a single race. He did close in 127 points at Homestead in 2005.

"Have you heard that statistic?" Edwards asked Johnson. "You'd better be nervous. This is racing. We've all raced long enough to know that anything can happen. That's a good confidence booster for me."

Because anything can happen, Johnson isn't ready to proclaim the championship his.

"The thing I'm focused on the most is how we could lose this championship," he said. "I feel good about things, but at the same time, I know that that possibility exists. This is motorsports. Things do happen. Like they say in football, you've still got to go play the game.

"We've still got to go run the race. I know that."


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Johnson, Edwards gear up for final race

DEI, Ganassi agree to combine teams

MIAMI (AP) -- Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi will combine their sponsorship-strapped race teams next season, an effort to stabilize their organizations in a tough economic time.

The combined team will be called Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and will field cars for Martin Truex, Aric Almirola, Juan Pablo Montoya and a driver yet to be named.

"In this ultra-competitive era of NASCAR, it is necessary to build and sustain the strongest team possible, and our combining with the people and equipment at Dale Earnhardt Inc. will help create a strong four-car program for years to come," Ganassi said Wednesday in a statement. "This is a win-win for both organizations as well as all of our partners."

Both organizations have struggled to secure sponsorship this season, forcing the teams to pool resources. Although neither team was in imminent danger of collapse, both were searching for additional funds to shore up competition and stability.

Ganassi shuttered his No. 40 team in July when he couldn't find sponsorship for former Indy Racing League champion Dario Franchitti, who has since returned to that series.

That move forced Ganassi to lay off 71 people, and he was hopeful he could avoid more cutbacks after joining forces with Earnhardt. DEI, however, was expected to reduce its staff with the new venture.

Both teams said details of the new organization will be announced later.

Among the remaining issues is what manufacturer the team will use. DEI has a contract with General Motors, and Ganassi uses Dodges. The new team is expected to use Chevrolets.

If that happens, engine supply details must be ironed out. Ganassi has his own engine shop, but DEI has an engine partnership with Richard Childress Racing.

Founded by the late Dale Earnhardt, DEI has been reeling since Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s departure at the end of last season. DEI swallowed cash-strapped Ginn Racing in July 2007 to acquire shop space and owner points that would push Paul Menard's car into the top 35.

It started this season as a solid four-car operation -- only rookie Regan Smith's car lacked full sponsorship -- but has quickly crumbled. Mark Martin is moving to Hendrick Motorsports next season, and the U.S. Army is moving its sponsorship to Tony Stewart's new team.

Then Menard said he was leaving and taking sponsorship from his father's hardware store with him to Yates Racing.

It left DEI with sponsorship next year only for Truex, who recently signed a one-year extension through 2009. DEI has been committed to Almirola, but there's no indication Smith is part of long-term plans.

Ganassi has half of next season sponsored by Wrigley's for Montoya, and full sponsorship from Target on his No. 41 car. That's the only car inside the top 35 with full funding that has an open seat.

"Having a partner like Chip who is heavily involved on the competition side of the business is an ideal situation for DEI," Teresa Earnhardt said in a statement. "He has a long history of managing championship teams in the IndyCar and Rolex Grand-Am Series, and I share his passion and goals of winning races and ultimately championships in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I think this is a case where we are stronger together than we are apart."


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Chevy, Ford sticking with NASCAR

The idea of NASCAR racing without Chevrolets and Fords on the track once would have been unthinkable.

But that possibility is no longer farfetched as the continuing economic meltdown puts the already struggling automakers in even greater jeopardy.

U.S. auto sales have plummeted in recent months, and Ford and General Motors, along with Chrysler, are fighting for survival amid the crisis. The three Detroit manufacturers -- along with recent addition Toyota -- are the cornerstones of NASCAR.

NASCAR boss Brian France, speaking over the weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, acknowledged that the auto manufacturers "play a very important role in lots of ways with supporting teams, the branding and heritage."

But he also said NASCAR can survive without one or more of them, if it has to.

On Friday, GM and Ford revealed multibillion-dollar losses for the third quarter of 2008, and GM warned it could run out of cash in 2009. It also suspended acquisition talks with Chrysler.

Still for those companies to remain viable, they need to sell cars and trucks -- and NASCAR remains a key marketing tool for each of them.

Terry Dolan, manager of racing for GM's Chevrolet brand, said the sport remains an attractive partner despite the company's struggles.

"We actually operate with three core principals," Dolan said in a telephone interview. "We race to win; we want to make sure the audience that follows racing is relative to the products we sell, and we must get a return on investment. We're working diligently to make sure we've got all three of those balanced.

"The plus is when you look at the NASCAR fan base. It really does align with the Chevy product portfolio and there's some tremendous loyalty to our brand that's helped us to sell vehicles to this audience for many, many years."

Brian Wolfe, director of North America Motorsports for Ford, has a similar outlook.

"We're doing what we can, both on and off the track, to try and support the company," Wolfe said. "On the track, we're winning races and contending for championships ... we're creating a winning image for our products. Off the track, our drivers and teams in NASCAR and NHRA have been working hard to get the word out about our products."

Wolfe pointed out that Ford is in the midst of a seven-week online campaign in which its top NASCAR and NHRA stars test drive new products and blog about them.

"We're using their popularity to reach their fan bases, and help sell more cars and trucks," he said.

Toward that end, Ford will unveil its new Fusion Hybrid -- three days before the official launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show -- as a pace car at this week's NASCAR finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

"That's what racing should do," Wolfe said.

But with the economy stumbling, unemployment climbing and just about everyone in the U.S. nervous about the future, race teams are feeling the effects.

Some of the biggest teams with the most resources have begun laying off employees, and smaller teams are finding the search for sponsorship growing more difficult by the day.

Teams without full sponsorship for 2009 in all three of NASCAR's top professional series -- Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Trucks -- are trying to find multiple companies to fill up the quarterpanels, hoods and rear decks of their entries -- 10 races here, 15 races there -- hoping to get enough for a full season.

Partnerships are another possibility, and on Wednesday The Associated Press learned that Chip Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. will combine their teams next year.

It's another sign of auto racing's rapidly changing landscape.

"The cost to run a team on an annual basis, a quality program, is in the $20-25 million range per car, per year," Dolan said. "And the resources available from corporate America, having rapidly contracted with the economy, is just placing pressure on teams to look at alternatives as to how they can continue to manage and run their businesses.

"And, unfortunately, in some cases that's causing teams to look for efficiency by joining forces with other organizations and, quite frankly, making some pretty severe changes in what the sport will look like even 12 months from now."

Rick Hendrick is owner of the elite Hendrick Motorsports team that is on the verge of winning its eighth Cup title and third in a row -- with Jimmie Johnson and Chevrolet-- as well as the head off a sprawling auto dealership empire.

Hendrick is trying to remain optimistic about both NASCAR and the auto industry.

"We've had some cutbacks because we ran four (Cup) teams, a (Nationwide) team and then we brought Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) in and we didn't cut anybody back," said Hendrick, who added that his team will cut back on the number of cars it runs outside of Cup next year. "It's all sponsor driven. There are also (personnel) changes you make to make everybody a little better. So, you have a little bit of both going on right now."

But he noted, for now, it's business as usual on the auto dealership side.

"Absolutely," Hendrick said. "I talk to (GM) on both sides because I'm also a dealer. They've been very upfront and open about what they are trying to do. I think they will be fine."

Likewise, GM and Ford remain confident they will stick with NASCAR for at least the immediate future.

"From a NASCAR standpoint, we're fully committed to fulfill the agreements we have in place," Dolan said. "We've built a program over the years that has paid some quality dividends back to General Motors, between winning races and winning championships and having a strong alliance with the fan base, it's a good platform for Chevrolet and a tool to sell vehicles.

"What has to happen, though, I think, whether it's us or any other key sponsor looking at the sport, is to determine if the current cost that it takes to participate is consistent with other opportunities in the marketplace? If not, we have to look at ways to become more cost efficient."

Wolfe said Ford will also watch the bottom line closely.

"Certainly, the economic issues facing the entire auto industry have to be of concern to everyone involved in racing," he explained. "Ford's racing program falls under marketing and sales, and when revenues are down, the budgets for all marketing programs are down, including racing. We're not immune, nor should we be."

So, despite all the gloom and doom, there will continue to be Chevys and Fords on track -- for now.

------

AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer contributed to this report


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Tight championship battle in Trucks Series

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) -- When Ron Hornaday crashed on the first lap at Phoenix, Johnny Benson finally had the Truck Series championship in his grasp.

All he needed was a clean race last weekend to shake Hornaday loose and grab his first series title.

That would have been way too easy.

Benson wrecked not once -- not twice -- but four different times Friday night to add yet another twist to the most compelling championship race in NASCAR this season. He wound up finishing 26th -- one spot BEHIND Hornaday -- and lost any chance of widening his lead in the standings.

"We're just trying to make it exciting. I don't know what else to say," said Benson, who could have stretched his lead to about 50 points if he'd stayed out of trouble.

But that wouldn't have been nearly as exciting.

"Johnny and I said we're going to go fishing and whoever catches a fish first wins the championship, because we definitely don't want to win it on the track," Hornaday said.

Boy, he wasn't kidding. The two now head into Friday's finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway separated by just three points in the tightest championship race in series history. It's also the only true championship race of the weekend: Jimmie Johnson has the Sprint Cup title all but wrapped up and Clint Bowyer simply needs a clean race to clinch the Nationwide Series title.

That leaves all the excitement for Friday night's event.

"I'm glad they both pulled a bonehead move on the same night," Kevin Harvick, Hornaday's truck owner, said of the Phoenix fiasco. "They both could have had opportunities to put daggers in each other."

But neither has been able to put the other one away this season, as the two NASCAR veterans have swapped the series lead five times. Hornaday stormed back from a 119-point deficit to turn it into an epic battle, using a three-week stretch -- back-to-back wins in September at Gateway and New Hampshire, then a fifth-place finish at Las Vegas -- to close the gap to a single point.

Now he'll try to pass Benson and grab a series record fourth championship, which would tie Jeff Gordon for third on the career championships list in NASCAR's top three divisions. Hornaday will likely reflect on last season, when he entered the finale down 27 points to leader Mike Skinner but won the title by 54 points when Skinner finished second-to-last.

But the 50-year-old Hornaday doubts that experience will come in handy.

"Nobody has the advantage anymore in this point battle," he said. "I think this championship is going to go to the guy that has the least amount of bad luck. I've been saying for the past few weeks that this thing is going to come down to Homestead and here we are. We know what we have to do and we just need to treat this week like it's just another race."

The two will use the same strategy in pursuit of the title. Not counting lap-leader bonuses, all one has to do is finish higher than the other to win the championship. But Benson likes his odds, is the defending race winner and comfortable at the 1.5-mile track.

"Homestead is a pretty cool track for us. It kind of fits our style," he said. "It's a fun racetrack. I've always run good there in a Cup, Nationwide car and the trucks. It's pretty cool to go to the track knowing you've got a good opportunity to run well."

For Benson, it's his last race with Bill Davis Racing. He's leaving the team at the end of the season, but vowed not to let that effect his final performance.

"It doesn't really change anything. We have the opportunity to try to win a championship and to me the incentive doesn't change," Benson said. "We want to make that happen either way. It would mean a lot to be able to get this for Bill and Gail (Davis). They've been in this sport for a long time."


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NASCAR's France not pleased with ABC bumping race

Jimmie Johnson's dominance may have taken some of the sizzle out of the Sprint Cup Chase for the championship, but that doesn't mean NASCAR chairman Brian France thinks Johnson's last major steps toward a third straight points title had to be relegated to cable TV.

France said Tuesday he wasn't pleased with ABC's decision to bump the final laps of last weekend's race in Phoenix to ABC-owned ESPN2 so the network could air an episode of "America's Funniest Home Videos."

"We didn't like it, that was not what we had anticipated but we have talked to them repeatedly in the last couple days," France said. "There were lots of circumstances that we have to consider. They have their own issues they had to manage around. Unfortunately we got the short end of that."

France, however, says the interests of NASCAR and its television partners are "in line" and that a rare early afternoon storm and a late accident that forced two red-flag stoppages couldn't be helped.

"America's Funniest Home Videos" aired between 7:30-8 p.m. in the Eastern and Central time zones. The race had a rating for 4.6 in the 7-7:30 p.m. spot before the broadcast was moved.

"They did not like the idea of having to pull out of ABC and operate the way they did Sunday," France said. "It is imperative we work closely together with them for scheduling."

Besides, France knows NASCAR has bigger issues. With the U.S. automobile industry crumbling, France softened his stance on the future of Ford, Dodge and General Motors in the sport they helped create.

Days after saying the sport wouldn't "live or die" on the fates of the Big Three, France said NASCAR is working aggressively to make sure the companies remain part of the circuit's foundation. GM's stock dropped to its lowest point in 60 years Monday.

"We have every intention of them being a big part of the sport in the future," France said. "We're going to do everything we can to help them get through a very difficult business cycle."

That includes perhaps eliminating all testing as a cost-cutting measure, an about-face from a few months ago when NASCAR hinted it may expand testing to 24 days a year for all teams.

"Testing is on everyone's short list," France said.

France, however, remains optimistic about the health of the sport despite the economic climate. He pointed out that 90 percent of the Sprint Cup teams have sponsorship for next season and that new advertisers are ready to invest in the series in 2009.

"There are always some unfunded teams," he said. "One of our goals is to have a system where you don't need $26 million to put a competitive team forward. It's one of the things NASCAR has a lot of influence on and we're working all the time to figure it out."

France thinks the advent of the Sprint Cup's new car, which will end its first full season as the baseline model this weekend in Miami, will help teams get through the economic crunch.

"We believe very strongly that this car will deliver cost savings in the long run for sure and for in some cases in the short run," France said. "It will allow us in the future to take cost out of the equation ... Our No. 1 policy along with safety is take cost out of the industry."

Just don't expect NASCAR to shorten its 36-race season. France said eliminating some dates would be "impractical" and shortening some of the races would simply be symbolic and wouldn't help teams save money.

The same goes for the Chase format. Though he admitted he'd love for the points title to come down to a mad dash at Miami, France said there are no plans to tweak the points system even though Johnson enters the season finale with a nearly insurmountable 141-point lead over Carl Edwards.

"I'd love for all 11 drivers to be within 25 points of (the leader) myself," France said. "The reality of it is, that's sports. There are World Series that are not as exciting as others, that's just the nature of a dominant performance quite frankly."


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