The economic downturn has reverberated across the sports world, but perhaps has caused the most damage in the sponsors-driven NASCAR circuit.“Times are tough,” said driver Clint Bower. “We are losing sponsors left and right. We are down to 743 now. It’s troublesome. I can actually see small slivers of decal-free paints on my car.”Fellow driver Denny Hamlin says his team has been hit hard, too.“I don’t have a soft drink sponsor anymore. I don’t even have a beverage sponsor,” he said. “What am I supposed to drink now immediately following a victory? A drink of my choice that quenches my thirst and not one I have to drink just to meet a contractual obligation? That’s madne- … actually, that’s pretty cool.”
