The four drivers eligible for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title appeared on CNBC this afternoon. Host Brian Sullivan said NASCAR’s business is a “cruel game,” as some cars have “different vinyl and paint schemes every week.” Martin Truex Jr. said of what a championship provides as far as sponsor stability, particularly for his smaller Furniture Row Racing team, “We’re solid through next year. But a championship this year would make putting together 2019 a whole lot easier.”
Kevin Harvick said his team is in a “fortunate position” with Busch, Mobil 1 and Jimmy John’s on the car through ’19, but a "lot of the reason we got to this point is because we won the championship in 2014.” Brad Keselowski noted it takes about $1M to run a race, and “when you look at the revenues, from what you earn on the race track, about 25% comes off of purse winnings. ... You have a lot of Fortune 500 companies to make the wheels go ‘round, and when you can show success to them, that solidifies your future” ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 11/14).
