300 lost jobs in Cup garage ... and counting

For some today's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be a celebration, a celebration of the end of the season and the celebration of a historic points race -- either Jimmie Johnson wins his record-tying third crown in a row or Carl Edwards completes the greatest comeback to win a Cup title.

 

But not everyone is happy in the garage. Today marks not only the final race of the season but possibly the final day at the track for many crew members. Many experts predict the economy will get worse next year before it improves and NASCAR and teams are already tightening their belts.

 

Chatting with a few folks in the media center, the estimates are that there have already been 300 team members in the Cup series who have lost their jobs this season.

 

116 were let go at DEI after its merger with Chip Ganassi Racing this week. 70 lost their jobs at Chip Ganassi earlier this year when it shut down the 40 car of Dario Franchitti. A dozen or so have already lost jobs at Hendrick Motorsports, Jr. Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing. Layoffs also have taken place at Bill Davis Racing and Roush Fenway Racing.  Then there were layoffs at BAM Racing, which started the season before fading away. Furniture Row Racing is going to a partial schedule next year and that will cost jobs. And on and on it goes.

 

People are describing tomorrow as "Black Monday'' as the day when many more layoffs will take place throughout NASCAR from Cup to Nationwide and Truck teams. Estimates put the total losing their jobs at around 1,000. That's small compared to what is going on nationally, but again, it's a sign of the times and a troubling time that NASCAR has not faced in years. Some suggest this is the toughest period for NASCAR since the gas shortage in the 70s or even when the automakers pulled out before then.

 

So, while either the 48 or 99 team will be celebrating, many other team members will be lamenting the end of the season, knowing they might not be back with their team at the track next year or even back in the sport.

 

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# Quick update from Homestead. Very breezy conditions this morning. If it continues, it will be interseting to see how it might impact the racing and the cars. Guess is the wind is strong enough right now to move cars a bit.

 

# Landon Cassill was named rookie of the year for Nationwide series. Colin Braun won the honor in the Truck series this weekend. Cassill did not compete in Saturday's Nationwide race. He was on the spotter stand spotting for David Green.

 

# Jack Roush has a novel idea on testing _ everyone should agree not to do any.

 

"If we could organize a situation where all the established teams would hold hands and resolve not to test outside of the NASCAR mandated or approved testing, not go to the skid pads, not go to Canada, not to go to Pikes Peak or any of the places they're checking on, I'd be happier with that than to skirt around,'' Roush said. "If everybody else does it, we may have to do it, too, but that's certainly not in the spirit of trying to save the teams money and trying to operate in these severe economic circumstances."

 

 

 

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