As Automakers Flounder, NASCAR Job Cuts Expected To Continue, Expand

[hatrack]

The moves by big team owners Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs in the past few days to start paring their giant rosters of crewmen have set off a wave of frantic job searching by a large number of crewmen at Phoenix International Raceway. The fear is that next week, after the Homestead finale to the 10-month season, even more NASCAR job cuts will be made.

That, plus glum economics news from Detroit's carmakers in the past few days, brought NASCAR CEO Brian France to the dais yesterday, and he said he has made rounds to the very top corporate officers of Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Chrysler and has been reassured that NASCAR is very important in their marketing plans.

"We have been told directly, by each of these companies, that one of the things that works best for them is NASCAR," France said. "Each went out of his way to make the point that, despite having to make cuts to meet these challenging times, they will not abandon something that works so well.

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France said that NASCAR is stepping up efforts to try to cut the costs of running a team. "The cost model we have, with the rules packages, that we have control over, we need to be more aggressive than we've ever been in taking costs out of the system." However, France said that the various marketing programs that NASCAR has launched during the past few years, such as the Drive for Diversity, will not be cut: "All the initiatives NASCAR has set up -- from the diversity program, the youth programs, the expansion of digital opportunities in our Media Group -- are areas that will ultimately grow the fan base. So looking past a tough economy, we are going to be very careful not to cut those."

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http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/nov/10/widespread-job-cuts-expected-in-nascar/

[quidam56]

1. Sorry NA$CAR Dad's you voted for him !

END MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL ! http://www.wisecountyissues.com

[One_Life_To_Give]

2. It's been coming

Not just the slowdown by the auto manufacturers but the drying up of sponsors in the lower tier series. Such as Sears and Annhauser Busch dropping sponsorships of entire series. Chevron no longer putting Havoline sponsorships, etc. The top series with it's huge fan base will continue to run. But for now anyways there will be lean times in the supporting series.