What Would Happen If Chevy, Dodge Pulled Out Of NASCAR?

As GM considers bankruptcy, and Car and Driver publishes hoax articles about Dodge and Chevy being ordered out of NASCAR, I asked myself what would happen if Dodge and or Chevy pulled out of NASCAR.

The answer? Probably not much would happen.

While NASCAR touted the safety aspects, the savings, and the closer competition as reasons for the new car design, I think that the Car of Tomorrow also freed NASCAR from the mercy of the carmakers.

Sprint Cup cars are made by teams individually. There are no NASCAR factories that crank out COTs like GM or Chrysler plants. These cars are custom built in race shops by Sprint Cup teams. I imagine that other than providing parts, the carmakers have little to do with production or maintenance.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that carmakers provide support for their cars. But, if that support goes away, the make wouldn’t necessarily.

Last year, Dodge announced it would pull its factory support from what is now the Camping world Truck Series. At the time, Mike Delahanty, senior manager of Dodge Motorsports, said:

We’ll have no factory-funded teams. When times are tough, there are certain things that are lower on the priority list than others. There’s a lot of Dodge trucks, engines and parts out there, [teams] may choose to run them. We just won’t be writing the checks to any teams.

I’m sure that any carmaker that left the sport at this point would take the same stance.

Sure, some teams might stop using their cars. But, teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports would continue building their race cars, and would still compete.

Large sponsorships would, most likely, keep the bigger players in the sport. And the relatively low cost of competing these days, with the testing ban, would keep most of the smaller teams in the sport.

So, even if Dodge and Chevy were to leave, the sport would find a way to survive. After all, this isn’t the first time automaker support was in jeopardy.

GEM Rumored To Be Buying BDR

Rumors have been surfacing that George Gillett, of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, may buy Bill Davis Racing, including the No. 22 team, the Toyota affiliation, TRD and the engine shop.

Mike Delahanty, of Dodge Motorsports, refuted the rumors that GEM would leave Dodge. He said:

Dodge and Gillett Evernham have a long history that dates to our return to Sprint Cup racing (2001). Dodge and GEM have a long-term contract in place. We plan to continue as partners in NASCAR. We’re aware and have had discussion about GEM’s interest in adding a fourth car, but there’s never been discussion about running anything but a Dodge. Anything beyond that, we classify as pure speculation.

Patrick Carpentier is officially a free agent. GEM informed Carpentier that the team could not secure sponsorship for next season. While GEM could still find a sponsor, it’s not likely.

Dodge Will Not Fund Any Truck Teams In ’09

Falling on hard economic times, Dodge announced that next season, the automaker will not fund any Craftsman Truck Series teams, according to a report by ESPN.

While teams can still field Dodge trucks next season, the carmaker will not provide any financial support, said Mike Delahanty, senior manager of Dodge Motorsports.

This will not affect the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series teams, Delahanty said.

Currently, Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia’s No. 18, driven by Dennis Setzer, is the only full time racing team that receives financial support from Dodge. BHR-VA fielded two trucks since the beginning of the season, but one team folded prior to last weekend’s Camping World 200 presented by Honda Power Equipment due to financial constraints.

The other full time Dodge team, the No. 08 of SS Racing/Greenlight Racing, driven by Jason White, received no financial support from Dodge.

BHR-VA has talked to Chevy, Ford, and Toyota about switching next season.

Delahanty told ESPN:

We’ll have no factory-funded teams. When times are tough, there are certain things that are lower on the priority list than others. There’s a lot of Dodge trucks, engines and parts out there, [teams] may choose to run them. We just won’t be writing the checks to any teams.