If NASCAR needed more fans to quit watching...

[TimCollier]

...seeing the Nascar legal department file a $100 million lawsuit against AT&T for sponsoring Jeff Burton's car, which is in direct conflict with Nextel's sponsorship of the series....

Oh, and if that's not bad enough....

The suit also asks that NASCAR be granted the right to kick AT&T -- and all telecommunications companies other than Nextel -- out of its top series in 2008.

That would include Alltel's removal as well of course....

So, again the MIGHTY F****** DOLLAR is what rules the roost in NASCAR. Just like we saw it coming years ago....but this just sums it up.

Read all about it at http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/head....ap/index.html

That's why I follow ALMS and Rolex....the rest can kiss my ass.

[mufasa3]

Tell us how you really feel Tim. I do think NASCAR is going a bit too far with this one. AT&T bought Cingular. I don't think they can let Burton's car drive around with a logo that won't exist at some point. I would think that since they bought them they'd have the same right to be in the series as Cingular, which they now own, did.

[Mike Tribble]

I would think that since they bought them they'd have the same right to be in the series as Cingular, which they now own, did.

Ditto.

It's a shame that Tim hasn't learned to fully express himself. Maybe he needs some assertiveness training!

[Ron_Schuermann]

That is what the lawsuit is all about. They would not let Cingular change their car this year, because there cannot be any other phone companies other that those already racing in the Nextel series. NASCAR claims AT&T would be a new company.

It's just awful!!!! When they are struggling to get sponsors for 43 cars each week, they are going to turn away potential sponsors.

[Kinger]

NASCAR is not stuggling to get sponsors. They have them all. They have taken all the major sponsors from other series and make it very difficult for other series to grow. I have read that even some of the conditions of sponsorship is that they have to also sponsor in the GrandAm series or they encourage them to sponsor GA until they can afford Nascar. It seems ludicris to me that a team now needs 50mil to run a team, given that they are using 1970's technology. Just another example of a monopoly such as Walmart that is sucking all the life out of us.

[Ron_Schuermann]

If they aren't struggling for sponsors, then why is Matt Kenseth, etc. have 2 primary sponsors for 1/3 year apiece. (DeWalt, R&L Trucks, and Smirnoff). Jeff Gordon (Pepsi and DuPont). Robby Gordon (Jim Beam, Harrah's Casino). There just aren't as many sponsors that have a 20+ million dollar marketing budget, so you get smaller companies, and sign them to 1/2 year or 1/3 year or single race contracts.

They also have trouble putting 43 drivers at some tracks.

That just says to me they are having trouble getting major sponsors for cars.