California nightmare on such a winters day

By Mike Harper

My apologies to the Mamas & The Papas for messing up their lyrics, but heading into this weekend there’s many topics that are falling below the mainstream media’s radar screen that deserve some attention and even better, some of our opinions.

Lets get started with the Harvick-Shell v. NASCAR-Sunoco situation. This is one of those corporate political situations that tend to drive me up a wall. In reality it’s the dark side of NASCAR sponsorship.

In 2003, NASCAR signed a deal with Sunoco for 10 years to be the official fuel supplier. Under the agreement, NASCAR will not allow new fuel suppliers to sponsor cars. However, automotive lubricant companies are allowed in the sport and this is why Mobil One and Texaco Havoline have sponsorships – even though both companies are fuel suppliers too.

Shell-Pennzoil joined Kevin Harvick and his RCR team for the 2007 season and the Shell logo was all over Harvick’s helmet and driver suit. The bad news for NASCAR, Sunoco didn’t like it and asked Harvick to wear a jacket during the pre-race ceremonies at Daytona. What made the situation even worst for Sunoco, Harvick won both Busch and Cup races at Daytona and the Shell logo was in Victory Lane and on the television for the world to see.

Going to California, Harvick will begin wearing a different driver suit and helmet.

This is where I feel NASCAR has gone wrong with sponsorships. To compete in this sport you need sponsors and when NASCAR handcuffs team owners and doesn’t allow them to secure sponsors, ultimately it will hurt the teams. Today’s fuel and/or oil industry is an extremely profitable industry with many sponsorship prospects. But NASCAR, thanks to their relationship with Sunoco limits teams to zero opportunities with the exception of automotive lubricants.

We find the same situation with Nextel this year regarding AT&T and their Cingular brand and we’ve seen it in the past like the nasty situation a few years ago with Powerade in Victory Lane.

In my opinion, NASCAR’s official sponsors are no more special than each team’s sponsors. NASCAR needs the teams, teams need the sponsors, and all three need the fans. While I understand this is NASCAR’s baby, I think contracts should have clauses allowing competitor sponsors into the sport. However put limits on the amount of signage allowed at a NASCAR event, but give owners the ability to secure sponsors and not limit what a driver can wear at the track. It’s just crazy.

What’s next – sponsors buying the naming rights to tracks and not allowing their business competitors to race or sell merchandise at their track? Oops, I guess a part of that question has happened in the past too.

Again, it’s just crazy!

The Busch Series takes a punch in the gut. 43 cars can race in the Busch Series right? But 43 aren’t on the entry list for California this weekend – there’s less. I hope this isn’t the sign of the times for the Busch Series, but many of us feel that the number of Cup teams jumping down to the Busch Series is straining the series. Let’s face it, Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw bolted from the series at the end of last season because of his frustration with the smaller Busch teams missing out on sponsorship and revenue opportunities.

The Busch Series is no longer the development series for Cup. It’s also no longer a series for new car owners to come into the sport. While NASCAR hits the microphone hard about increasing diversity in the sport, they should also add ownership opportunities to the mix because driver’s owning teams and Cup owner’s jumping down to the Busch Series is only closing the box on the sport.

It’s big business and when Busch teams are placing drivers like Mark Martin, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick in their cars, why would a non-Cup owner or new owner invest in a no-win situation? I know I wouldn’t with the few million I have sitting around. Bottom line, the low car counts could be a sign of troubled times in Busch.

Michael Waltrip finishes 30th, but is 43rd in the standings. How does this work? I understand how he’s 43rd in the standings, because of his 100-point penalty from Daytona, Waltrip has –27 points. But wouldn’t you think that teams that tried to make the race, but didn’t make the race like Red Bull Racing and Jeremy Mayfield would be in front of Waltrip since they have zero points? I know, I know – they didn’t race and NASCAR will only recognize the cars that made the race. I’m just trying to make a point.

Have a great weekend!