by KEVIN PROVENCHER, New Hampshire Union Leader , The Union Leader

"Right now with the way the economy is, it's really tough," said Joey Polewarcyk, 18, of Hudson, who is hoping to make a move up from the American-Canadian Tour to the NASCAR Camping World East Series. "This is probably the toughest it's been yet."

Car owner Mike Olsen of North Haverhill, a past two-time champion of the NASCAR Camping World East, said he wants to put a young driver in his stock cars. It costs between $400,000 and $600,000.

"I get lots of calls from local guys," said Olsen. "And I was in that position at one time too. But I'm not in a position to fund somebody ... If I'm going to do it with my own money, I'm going to drive it."

So pony up or perish.

Mainer Andy Santerre, who operates his NASCAR Camping World East team out of stock car central in Harrisburg, N.C., recently signed 16-year-old Brett Moffitt for 2009. Don't be embarrassed because you don't know Moffitt. He is from Grimes, Iowa, and was the ASA Late Model rookie of the year. A regional racer, he has a deck full of talent, but not enough chips. Right now he only has money to drive the first half of the season for Santerre.

This from the news Andy Santerre Motorsports (ASM) news release: "Moffitt, who is currently searching out a sponsor for the second half of the East season, hopes to extend his contract with ASM to include all the races on the schedule."

Sources say the deal to run half the season with ASM costs more than a million dollars. The Camping World East Series is considered a feeder for richer, better-known NASCAR stock car and truck racing. In the end, the only feeder now might be a big bank account.

"We're trying to broaden our horizons but it's tough to get anything," said Adam Bates of Warner, a multi-time winner and second-year driver in the Pro All-Stars Series late model stock cars. "No one wants to let go of their money right now."

At 20 years old, Bates is starting to feel like time is running out on his dream to race at the top level of NASCAR.

"I'm almost over the hill," he said. "It's weird saying that but it's true ... You've got to spend so much money to get there and you have to spend money to get the money you need to get there. It's sad to say it's all about the money. I wish it wasn't like that."

"I went the ownership route to help young drivers," said Olsen. "I guess it's bad timing ... it's pretty tough out there. If we were racing right now, it would be back how I started racing (20 years ago). The only difference being the cost is a lot more than it was back then and the purses are pretty much what they were back then. I have a lot of equipment in this series. Right now's not a good time to sell it, either. I'll just keep plugging along and if I don't get a driver, I'll pick and choose the races I would enjoy running myself."

Polewarczyk said his family team will more than likely return to regional ACT racing where they were a threat to win every weekend. Bates will be back in PASS running for the championship and he will run some races in North Carolina to gain further notice. Polewarzcyk is also working to put together a more modest deal to run the minor league Camping World East races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he might catch the eye of a superfunded NASCAR team.

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