Watkins Glen Searching For New Title Sponsor For Cup Race

Centurion Boats Out As Title Sponsor Of NASCAR Sprint Cup Race At Watkins Glen

THUNDER ROAD: In N.Y., Susanna Hamner wrote a front-page business section story under the header, "NASCAR's Sponsors, Hit By Sticker Shock." When the '09 season starts in February, there are "likely to be more empty seats in the stands, fewer cars on the tracks, blank spots on cars where logos used to flash, and smaller crews in the pits." Chevrolet has said that it is reducing its advertising and sponsorships with 12 NASCAR tracks, while Ford is "trimming NASCAR spending" by 20%, Toyota by 10-20% and Chrysler by 30%. But automakers "aren't the only ones pulling out," as "longtime sponsors -- including Kodak, Texaco and Domino's Pizza -- are abandoning" the sport. Analysts said that in order to "avert a collapse of the sport," NASCAR must "push through sweeping changes to its business model, like reducing sponsorship rates, cutting back the number of races and trimming the distances of some of them." Some analysts suggested that NASCAR "take cues from the NFL and explore placing sponsor dollars in an officials pool, with each team receiving an equal share." Some also "suggest a salary cap." Meanwhile Hamner noted NASCAR gave Camping World a "substantial discount" in its deal to title sponsor the truck series, as the company will pay about $2M annually, approximately half of what previous title sponsor Craftsman is "estimated to have paid." While it is "gaining as well as losing sponsors, NASCAR expects its take from title sponsorships to drop 20[%] next year" to about $150M (N.Y. TIMES, 12/14).

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