by Darrell Waltrip

Based on the way things are going right now with the economy and lack of sponsorship — teams struggling and the auto makers in the worse shape that I have seen in my lifetime — things are definitely going to be a little bit different as we go into the 2009 season.

I have said this before, but I will say it again. Our sport is not self-sustaining. We can't make it on the purse money. We can't make it on the point money. We can't make it on the money that NASCAR distributes with the various plans they have for the teams. It is just not adequate to sustain these teams, particularly at the size they have become with the number of employees they have and the way we do business.

If you have been watching the congressional hearings, you've heard Congressmen tell the Big Three automakers that their model needs to be restructured because it isn't working. I think we have reached the point where we have to say the same thing about our sport.

When you look at the history of Audi in the American Le Mans Series, or the history of Honda in Formula One — when they say they can't race next year — that's a pretty sad scenario with what we are faced with in 2009. Money buys speed, and if Banjo were alive right now, he would probably say, "Well, we aren't going to go that fast right now."

Last Friday evening at the NASCAR Banquet, all the point fund checks have been handed out. Right now, until we show up in Daytona in February, is the toughest time for a race team to exist. Right now you have no income — it's all out-going. You face all the same expenses, like salaries, to keep your team together. Additionally, you have to start preparing for the 2009 season.

The biggest issue, obviously, for all teams is cash flow.

The first thing you have to do with the money you just got from NASCAR is pay all those bonuses you promised your team. Every team has some kind of bonus program at the end of the year. Then you got your normal operating expenses. The goal is to keep everything afloat until you get to Daytona and the purse money starts to flow back in.

This is a very tough time for a number of race teams, and I think some are in trouble, especially in this bad economy. The thing is, unlike our government right now, I don't see NASCAR going around and offering bailout packages or bridge loans until things turn the corner. They've never done it before, and I don't think they will start now.

But let's face it. Teams are still faced with the same expenses right now just to get ready. They have to make hotel, rental car and plane reservations. You also have to figure out where and when you can do some testing at non-NASCAR sanctioned tracks — which remain legal under the new testing rules. You have new uniforms to pay for, new paint schemes for the cars, a new wrap job for the hauler, etc. All this takes money, and it's just not something you can call a timeout on.

Daytona is coming and just around the corner. The sponsor expects you to roll in there on a high note and be ready to go. That means everything from new racecars to equipment to press kits. An owner can sit down even this early in the offseason and come up with a laundry list of things that he has got to get down before we head to Daytona if you want to maximize and capitalize on every area that you can.

It's going to be tough. I am not envious of anybody who has a race team right now. I think it is going to be a learning experience for a lot of people because they have never had to deal with hard times and tight budgets. The guy that can do that and come out on the other side will be better for it.

Some of these teams now have 400-500 employees, and they may find they don't need that many people to win races. Don't get me wrong — it's terribly sad for those who possibly may lose their jobs, but it may come to that to keep everybody in business for awhile.

Tough times for tough people. That's the challenges that are ahead for us.

Oh, by the way

I felt the NASCAR Awards Banquet last Friday night was one of the best ones they have ever had. I was absolutely thrilled to see Cale Yarborough there. That was the highlight of any banquet I have seen for quite some time. Congratulations to NASCAR for pulling that off because it was very special.

I have said this many times, Yarborough was the most tenacious racer I ever competed against. We used to go tooth and nail with each other. Yes, he was the one that gave me the nickname Jaws, but he was also the one who came to me toward the end of 1980 and told me he wasn't coming back to Junior Johnson's team in 1981. He told me that Junior was interested in me and I better go talk to him. So, I have Cale to thank for that because trust me, it was the best advice I ever got.