The View from Here: The Business of NASCAR

Yes, I could enter the fray and give my two cents of philosophy about last Sunday’s fiasco, but I’d rather return to another theme that I brought up a while back — the “F” word — franchise.

Prior to the race on Sunday, I caught some of the pre-race hoopla, and the topic of the diminishing number of single car owners — and merger mania — arrived front and center. Seems there is concern that the single car owner is soon to become history — and that flies in the face of the “good ol’ days” where anyone could arrive at a track and run the race. Seems that economics has gotten in the way of what NASCAR was — RACING!

And, of course, the discussion then turned to the “top 35 rule”, where any owner having at least enough points to be in the top 35 is automatically guaranteed a starting position regardless of what happens during qualifying. That leaves eight slots open for, as it is fond to be said in Southern circles, the “come heres.” Currently, only one single car owner is in the top 35 circle — Robby Gordon.

This discussion naturally led to the topic of NASCAR’s franchising of teams. Teams paying for the franchise would automatically be “in the race” because only 43 teams, at most, would have franchises.

One commentator suggested that NASCAR could ask for up to $100K from a multi-car owner for a franchise. Seems this commentator felt that the owner could then leverage the franchise in some way. Now, it doesn’t take a genius to simply say, “Why give NASCAR a hundred grand when all I have to do is be in the top 35 in points to be assured a starting position on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon?”

Forget franchising — it ain’t gonna happen, guys — the owners are too smart to throw their money away. And that will be one of my predictions for next February. On to Talladega — let’s see what Jacques has in store for #24!

Jon