George Gillett is a businessman and he sees fit to do with his money as he pleases. His stake in Evernham was just an investment and it’s no surprise that he dumped his share when an interested party came knocking, it happens every day on Wall Street and Main Street.

That said the thing that won’t sit well with fans is realization that the days of familial ownership are over. Portions of a team can be bought and sold and the current owner may bear no ties which prevent him from selling his stake and he may do so with little care of the long term effect on the sport.

As a fan of many forms for motor racing I understand that while these cars run on gasoline the teams run on money, and lots of it. The dependence upon sponsorship and rich benefactors will always be a part of motorsports. Some folks believe that “any money is good money” and I don’t begrudge them for that belief, however I feel that they should carefully consider the source their funds.

When you enter into a business relationship you associate yourself with them. Be it a Saudi royal, Texas oil man, or good ole boy in Kannapolis, you and your reputation as a team will be judged by the company you keep. To see this look no further than GM and Chrysler who’ve experienced double digit declines in sales after bankruptcy and bail outs compared to Ford who thus far has avoided government aid.

At the end of the day fans will look at these teams with multiple stake holders and ask themselves if this is the NASCAR they know and love. Unfortunately some fans will not like what they see and will drift away from the sport. The question that this raises in my mind is whether this new era of ownership will attract new fans. In my opinion it will not, but it will sustain the sport through these dark times. If RPM is Richard Petty in name only then so be it, at least it will keep cars on the track. However don’t be surprised when fans turn elsewhere.

Janet: there are always going to be nuts on the fringe of any activity, please don’t tar us all because some resort to knee-jerk xenophobia.

Some may see fresh money coming into the sport. I see NASCAR as a whole – sanctioning body, owners, teams and to an extent, drivers – prostituting themselves for *any* penny they can lay their hands on. Everyday something happens that takes away a little piece from the days when racing was racing and not this glossy primped up WWE/Disney-ified crap that’s showcased on Sunday afternoons or the occasional Saturday night.

Everyday, every little bit of what could be defined as “America” is sold off piecemeal. Jobs going to China (and to a lesser extent Mexico) and the Saudi’s buying up our remnants. Everyday, the average Joe Schmoe American has less and less to identify with and even NASCAR is selling their portion to the highest bidder. Real Americans don’t trust big corporations and big money – even now more than ever with the economic problems caused by corporate greed – and that is exactly what NASCAR has become.

Now read what I wrote, think about it, then get back to me about why NASCAR’s ratings are slipping and the empty seats at the track despite Brian France’s “What, me worry?” tense smile.

Journo- You (and others) missed the point completely that Steve and I were trying to make. Let’s let it go…as you said, this isn’t the site for a foreign policy debate.

But you did sort of ask for it.. lol

I think that you hit the nail on the head. Some of the comments that I have read on different RPM fan sites and other places make me shudder at what people have said.

I am a longtime Petty fan and am thankful that you have said what I and many others are thinking.

Peace,
Janet

Zieke- Thank you.