I am tired of this whole economic mess.  It has definitely put a major monkey wrench into some of my vacation plans this year and perhaps even next year.  I wanted to head out to the fall race at TMS this year, but due to some of the economic woes I am facing right now, the money that was going to be set aside for this weekend, has to be used for other things.  I know I could go to just the Cup race and sit on the backstretch for a mere $20, but I like to experience more than just the race on Sunday.  Even if I decide to make the trip and sit in the backstretch, I still have to get there, find a hotel, and well, I can’t leave without souvenirs since my driver has completely changed teams and numbers.  I have none of the new stuff except on t-shirt.  Plus we have to pay for food and drinks.  I am sure I could pinch those pennies and manage to save up, but at what cost?  This would mean I would have to sacrifice things for Little Smoke and if you know Little Smoke, that is not going to happen any time soon.  So until I get through all this exonomic turmoil, I will just have to be content with sitting in my recliner watching the races.

Looks like NASCAR sponsors are also feeling the pinch in these economic times.  I read on NASCAR.com today, Sprint Nextel is going to elminate 8,000 jobs by the end of March.  I can’t even imagine what it must be like not knowing if you will have a job tomorrow.  I have worked for a government agency for most working years.  It’s a pretty stable environment and sometimes the pay isn’t all that great, but it has been comforting to know through the several months, I have a job.  I know my father worked in the Aerospace industry all his life and it pretty much ran on contracts from the government.  There were times he wasn’t sure where he was headed.  I remember one day coming home saying he had been laid off and didn’t know when he would be asked to return.  Several months later they closed the plant where he had worked for almost 9 years.  It was pretty scary.  Sprint Nextel isn’t the only big sponsor in NASCAR to get hit.  The auto industry has been hit hard…kind of  like hitting the wall at 180 mph in a race car. Home Depot (former sponsor of Smoke) is closing stores over the next several months as well as #31 sponsor Caterpillar.  They will be forced to eliminate 20,000 jobs which equals 18% of its workforce.  That’s way too many people out there losing jobs and perhaps other things along the way.  

I guess we are all going to have to tighten our belts until we ride this economic train to nowhere. 

Speaking of sponsors, this is one way not to win and influence your sponsor.

That would be the Joe Gibbs in the #20 Home Depot car and Mr. Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate batteries.  Apparently during intermission at Arean Racing USA’s Hampton Races, the two racing one another.  And well, let’s just say #20 got loose and the result was a ride worthy of something at Disney World.  Of course, you gotta do what it takes to win a race I say.