Post your comment here about this NASCAR fact for 2009:?

This actually helps the smaller teams get sponsorships. Sponsors are reluctant to put up the money when they aren't sure the car will even make the race.

There will be about 35 funded cars by the start of the season. Each race will have a few entrants that are serious competitors along with the 35 funded teams. Field fillers will show up to take any spots left open.

Qualifying will be much easier for those outside the top 35 and those serious teams who have to qualify will find short term and one race sponsors easier to find.

All races will start 43 cars, some races will have 2 or 3 field fillers.

NASCAR in the past has offered small teams (a.k.a. field fillers) incentives to come and race. Whatever it be (money, tire and fuel paid for by NASCAR, whatever), they try to get a full field. I predict that there will be less than 15 go-or-go-homers this year total, most of which will be from Daytona and other big races. NASCAR might have to reduce the field size. Start by taking away the past champions provision. I think each race track should have it's own limit to how many cars race, instead of one number for all. I would like to see about 35 at Bristol and Martinsville (those other 8 just slow down the racing), but think they should up the number on track bigger than 2 miles (including road courses). The only problem is pit stall availability.

I think it would be really cool to have different divisions racing at the same time (like LeMans). That way you can only go for one championship, and the field will alway be full. There are some track that the Nationwide cars make a faster lap than the cup cars. And could you imagine the slingshot you could pull off drafting behind a truck at 'dega? I think racing might be exciting again.

Going to be interesting. I think that this means, those who have the cash will rule and there will be some stroking going on. Also, I think you will see a lot of one or two shot deals with different drivers in the race. I can see a driver,driving for three or four teams next season in those types of deals.

Some small team is going to find a way to run all 36 races with one or two cars and a couple of motors and survive on the purse. I can see it now.

This may get NASCAR back to its roots. Also, remember a place like Bristol up until the 90's only had fields of 36. And who remembers (I think it was 2001) when NASCAR let Frank Kimmel put his ARCA car in a Cup race to fill out the field. Things like that will be happening

I discovered this awhile back on one of the websites (Jayski or Nascar.com not sure where) and thought it was interesting. I am sure if sponsorship dollars can't be secured those 37 committed will dwindle down.....the owners just can't run it out of their pocket...so it could possibly be cut down to 30. I am sure we will see the return of the "field fillers". Teams Nascar has called to fill the field....teams in the past have been Morgan Shepherd; Kirk Shelmerdine; Andy Belmont, I could go on forever. But I think we'll see a few unsponsored cars every week show....run 3 laps of the race, park it, and collect last place cash. The sport will be very interesting to see where it ends up by season's end. Who knows what we'll be talking about by November in 09. Hopefully it won't hurt our sport BUT it has the potential to.

My advice to the France family...is to lower ticket prices, create more value for the sponsors (free mention on TV not "Promotional Consideration has been PAID for by....."); and don't alienate the fans.

They had a similar dilemma in the 70's.....this will definitely test the leadership of NASCAR just like it did back then.

Just an opinion as always.

Part of the problem here is when Sprint and Nationwide both started dictating who can and cannot sponsor a car. How many potential sponsors are going to get chased off by this. All Cingular did was change names, and Sprint had a hissy fit, same with Sunoco and Harvick's Shell logo. Winston and Union 76 didn't have a problem with letting competing products sponsor a car why do Sprint and Nationwide? Here's an idea if someone's willing to shell out the cash to sponsor a car, let them. I mean what happens to the 12 when Alltel gets bought out by Verizon?

it means that the teams who have made up the sport the last few decades are going down the toilet. It means Wood Brothers, Petty, Bill Davis, and even some slightly larger teams like Earnhardt Ganassi and maybe even GEM, are all not going to be around much longer. I wouldn't worry too much about being a fan. My favorite driver is in the average-to-great category, so I doubt he'll lose a ride over with HMS. If you're a fan of a smaller team, get ready. They won't last for 2010.

37, with the financial crisis I'm not surprised. Each time, I hope that teams who is not in the top 35 in points have a heck of a race. I remember at the fall race at Richmond a couple years back, Blaney got a top 5, and Kenny Schrader got a top 10. When my favorite driver is not having a good race, I expect a dark horse to be in the top 10,

Personally, I am worried for the smaller teams. Those teams are needed in the sport and they can't find sponsorship and be able to function properly. Also, I think that franchising will help the sport too. This will help to give the teams more value within their shops so that Petty Enterprises can survive like what other teams do in other sports.

I honestly think it will be nothing more than just smaller fields. Im sure, just like earlier on this decade, you will have the field fillers like come along and get into the field to make their easy money (like Frank Kimmell, Shawana Robinson, and some others did), but I think it will be nothing more than smaller fields, then once the economy gets back up and running, you will have more people willing to field full time teams, and we will go back to 43 car fields again.

You know its always been about the money I think its just more prevelant now. The underfunded cars are being pushed to the wayside while the powerful teams are climbing up. Realistically I wish the underfunded cars would merge together and make a big comeback that would be cool.