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A look at the real stories of 2009

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Lee Spencer

Lee Spencer is the senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com. She has provided award-winning coverage of auto racing over the last 15 years. Spencer has lent her expertise to both television and radio and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM Radio and the Performance Racing Network.

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Updated Feb 2, 2009 5:07 PM ET
     
 
The road to Daytona is paved with good intentions. But if the Money Grab 500 — er, the Daytona 500 — is any indication of how the 2009 season will unfold, then the sport is in for a wild ride. How many teams are likely to enter the Great American Race? With the last-place finisher earning a minimum check of $260,000 from the purse, TV money and Gatorade Duel prize, it's no wonder that 50-plus entries is the latest guesstimate. Money like that will make even the faintest of hopefuls get inside second-hand cars during Speedweeks. Now that's back-to-basics racing. It's a new year with new opportunities and even more new storylines. Let's take a look at what we'll be talking about throughout the 2009 season.

The State of NASCAR

Certainly topping the list of unknowns has to be how many teams will be left standing when the Cup tour returns to Daytona in July. Better yet, which teams will drag their haulers to Fontana, Calif., or Las Vegas at the end of February? In all fairness, some teams just come out to play at Daytona and Indianapolis where the purses more than cover expenses with a bit of gravy for leftovers. Despite NASCAR Chairman Brian France's giddiness over announcing an additional 15 new teams entering the various tours during his state of the union two weeks ago, how many will actually go the distance to the season finale in Homestead? And of those 15 teams, how many are fully funded?
  • After months of scrambling, Camping World wrote a low-seven-figure check, threw in a few motor homes and won the right to name the truck series. For the $2 million Craftsman donated to NASCAR to continue as the official tool of the sport, wouldn't it have made more sense for the sanctioning body to show the 12-year partner a little love and keep continuity with the naming rights of the truck series? Don't be surprised if Craftsman doesn't return as the title sponsor by season's end.
  • Speaking of support series, the addition of the Grand American Sports Car Series under the NASCAR banner has many wondering if the sports cars will replace the truck or Nationwide series. Truck purchases are down considerably, but the truck series remains the most competitive of the sport's top three tours even though there were perhaps a dozen teams looking to race at season's end. The Nationwide Series has transformed into Cup Lite. Without the support of top-name drivers in NNS, attendance wanes. Even though publicly, team owners appear to be on board with building the Nationwide Car of Tomorrow — at least from a safety standpoint — financially, it will be the death of teams outside of the "Big Four" (Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing).

    The Talent

    The season-long story will be whether Jimmie Johnson will four-peat or if this is Carl Edwards' year to win the title. My money is on Edwards, who admittedly has learned from his mistakes and strives for perfection. But if he doesn't, expect results similar to last year as the aforementioned "Big Four" juggernauts will prevail. The resources of these companies set the standard for the sport.
  • The new alliances — Stewart-Haas Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Hall of Fame Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing — will elevate these programs considerably. Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are extremely happy, which wasn't always the case with their former employees. The combination of Hendrick support and a fresh start will aid the Hoosiers tremendously. HoFR's rent-a-ride for Bobby Labonte offers a reunion with Todd Parrott and Yates/Roush equipment. This is the best opportunity for the 2000 champ since leaving Gibbs in 2005.
    The stability AJ Allmendinger finds at RPM will allow him to thrive. Allmendinger offered a preview of his potential at the end of last year but his instant rapport with Kasey Kahne will elevate this program. Juan Pablo Montoya is the big winner of the Earnhardt-Ganassi merger. Although JPM has limited experience with Earnhardt Childress Racing Technology engines, he is extremely encouraged by the added horsepower and expects to be a regular contender.
  • Speaking of Montoya, both he and teammate Martin Truex Jr. have contracts up for renewal this year. The musical-chairs driver scenario should keep reporters busy and fans clamoring for more information throughout 2009. Roush Fenway Racing nipped any rumors about Matt Kenseth's departure by re-signing the former champ in November, although long-time sponsor DeWalt will have to be replaced beyond 2009. However, Roush teammate Jamie McMurray's future is not as clear. RFR must scale its main operation down to four cars for 2010 and with Kenseth, Edwards, Greg Biffle and David Ragan all re-upped in 2008, the math would indicate that Mac was the odd man out. However, McMurray's reunion with crew chief Donnie Wingo will offer the affable driver his best opportunity to prove his worth. Kevin Harvick's contract is also reportedly up for renewal, but given his relationship with Richard Childress and the success of the No. 29 Chevrolet it's doubtful that Happy would contemplate going anywhere. Other drivers on the free-agent radar include Brian Vickers and David Reutimann. Expect results from these Toyota racers who will undoubtedly be auditioning as the season rolls on.

    The Real Estate

    In 2008, the souring economy and rising gas prices were major factors in the poor attendance figures at racetracks across the country. For the facilities that don't serve multiple purposes, the road ahead is dire. One of the first track stories of the season occurred Friday when Dover Motorsports agreed to sell the stock of its subsidiary Memphis International Motorsports Corporation to Gulf Coast Entertainment. Although GCE's complex won't be operational until 2011, expect the Memphis dates to move to Mobile, Ala., when the track is completed. With talk of tracks attempting to be free of sanctioning agreements, primarily for the companion events, new venues will at least create a buzz.
  • Kudos to the venues that continue to invest in and renew their properties, particularly in this economic climate. Chief among this group has to be Texas Motor Speedway with its Burnout Alley and Backstretch Buster sections. TMS appealed to both ends of the economic spectrum by developing a VIP package for the fan/RV enthusiast, which incorporates a parking spot for the motorcoach along with an outdoor suite experience. Bleacher seats were also added on the backstretch to offer reasonably priced tickets for fans who might not otherwise be able to afford enjoy the events.
  • International Speedway Corporation, the France family's track operational arm, has reduced prices on more than 150,000 seats on the Cup grandstand inventory and taken a page out of Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports' book by offering value-priced meals and souvenirs. While Lowe's Motor Speedway was the first track to work with community hotels for affordable lodging during race weekends, Daytona has adopted a similar approach with local establishments for Speedweeks that have agreed to lower minimum-night stays and rates. Those are positive steps forward, but more has to be done. Everybody involved in the sport, from the governing body to the drivers, must remember one basic tenet this season: In times of difficulties like these, fans must always come first.
    • Tagged: Juan Pablo Montoya, David Reutimann, David Ragan, Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Labonte, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, A J Allmendinger, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr.

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