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Nascar and Racing

Drivers Under Pressure to Cash In

Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:29AM By Holly Cain (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Joe Nemechek, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Sponsors

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Joe Nemechek (above) is renting a race crew for his pit stops and driving a hand-me down Toyota with no corporate logo on its hood with only the No. 87 on its doors.

A year ago the 45-year-old veteran was starting on the front row of the Gatorade Duel qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway, a shoe-in for the Daytona 500.

In Thursday's qualifying race, he's desperately competing for one of the four remaining starting spots in Sunday's Daytona 500 and he's doing it with a five-person team using equipment he got only three weeks ago.

But last place in NASCAR's Big Show paid $256,735 last year and that translates into tires and a new engine for Nemechek -- the lifeline to the next race for a driver who once drove for the famed Hendrick Motorsports team and is now trying to go it on his own.

"We've had fans send us a $100 check here, a $2,000 check. ... it's been crazy what's happening,'' said Nemechek, a four-time Sprint Cup winner.

"Fans are really wanting me to do well. And in this day and time, it means a lot. They like the underdog.''

And it's a crowded kennel this week.

A half dozen start-up teams with no sponsorship are vying for a spot in the Daytona 500. Several are like Nemechek, trying it out as an owner/driver. And their fate is tied to the two 150-mile qualifying races, which are typically unpredictable and high-action. It's a tenuous entry, but it could make all the difference to someone like Nemechek who has sponsor interest, but nothing on the dotted line.

Times are tough for the big teams, so imagine what it's like for these organizations.


"If they are able to get into the Daytona 500, that is a huge accomplishment for any race team, especially somebody who is underfunded or under-personnelled (sic)," said Clint Bowyer, who is driving for Richard Childress Racing. "If they can accomplish that, and there is a big group of them this year, not just one or two. ... whoever is in the show on Sunday, I think it is going to be awesome.

"I think there are a lot of teams that are going under right now and there is room for this sport to have some new ones. If some of those guys can make the Daytona 500, prove to a sponsor that they can make these races and be competitive, they might be in business.''

Nemechek has two top-10 finishes in the last six Daytona 500s, won a pole for the summer race here and boasts two wins in the Nationwide Series at the track. But none would mean more than making it on his own.

"It's always an uphill battle,'' Nemechek said. "But I'm having fun right now. We've gotten such great response from being here. Everyone in the garage seems to be happy we're here and real helpful. I've been trying to get all the favors I can to get this program going.

"People appreciate a good effort and we're swinging for the fences.''

Tags: fanhouseindaytona, joe+nemechek, JoeNemechek

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