Dodge-ing the question

The 'Big Three' automakers are well represented in NASCAR. But for how long?

General Motors with its Chevrolet brand has been the top dog in NASCAR for a while now with Ford not too far behind. But Dodge seems to be quietly heading for the exit.

In 2001, Dodge made a triumphant return to NASCAR after nearly 30 years out of the sport, but only seven years later, it looks like they may go back into hibernation. It was announced recently that Chip Ganassi Racing, who fielded Dodges in 2008, will merge with Dale Earnhardt Inc., who fields Chevrolets, for 2009. With the move, the team will likely switch to Chevy, and two Dodges will disappear from the field. This is in addition to Ganassi already axing a third team midway through the '08 season. But they're not alone.

Petty Enterprises, who, along with Ganassi, joined the Dodge brigade in 2001, will close up and merge with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. GEM already fields Dodges, but the move will close out one car, turning five cars into four. And now it appears that Robby Gordon Motorsports, a single-car effort, will make the switch from Dodge to Toyota for the upcoming season.

This is already after Daimler-Chrysler said it is backing out completely from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for next season. Dodge was already down to less than a handful of trucks. They were one of the original three to pioneer the series back in 1995.

2008 was already a tough year for the manufacturer as they claimed victory just four times in 36 races (Ryan Newman-Daytona, Kurt Busch-New Hampshire, Kasey Kahne-Charlotte, Pocono) and placed none of its drivers in The Chase.

This leaves just a limited number of Ram-headed teams in the Cup Series. Penske Racing South, who switched to the Dodge brand in 2003, fields three teams to go with GEM's four cars for 2009. That's a far cry from when Dodge re-splashed into NASCAR in 2001 with Sterling Marlin as a championship contender and in 2002 when the manufacturer won the Daytona 500 with Ward Burton.

It won't be long before Dodge is out of NASCAR for good. But the bigger question is, with the recession, will they be making cars at all in a few years?

NASCAR's last tradition may be gone

In the past 10 years, NASCAR has stopped racing at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, lost its main-stay sponsor in Winston, changed how the champion is crowned in the Sprint Cup Series and drastically changed the look of its race cars. But there were two constants in NASCAR from its early days. Petty Enterprises and the Wood Brothers. Now both may be gone as we know them.

Petty Enterprises, who has nine Cup championship between founder Lee Petty and his son, Richard, sold most of itself to Boston Ventures. Major teams selling interest to marketing agencies is becoming prevalent, even for the big teams. Jack Roush sold 50 percent of his Roush Racing organization to Fenway Marketing and owner John Henry, who is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox. Ray Evernham did the same thing with his team.

But Petty's team may not enjoy the same fate as the other two organizations. It was leaked last week that Boston Ventures is looking to sell, or merge is the popular term, Petty Enterprises to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. That move could keep the famous No. 43 out of NASCAR. Maybe for good.

The Pettys and Boston Ventures lost their sponsorship for Bobby Labonte and the No. 43 car for 2009 to Richard Childress Racing. They also have no sure driver or sponsorship for the team's second car. So Petty Enterprises may be sold to GEM to form a four-car operation.

Also a fall from grace is the Wood Brothers organization. The Wood Brothers famous No. 21 car was a coveted ride through the 60s, 70s and 80s. Some of NASCAR's best drivers have driven for the team including David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, A.J. Foyt, Buddy Baker and Dale Jarrett.

The Woods announced just days after the Petty rumor arised, that the No. 21 team will cut its schedule to running just 12 of the schedule's 36 races. Part-time driver since 2004, Bill Elliott, will pilot the car in those races.

NASCAR has changed a lot in its 60 years of existence, but none of the changes have been more obvious than those made in the past decade. Now that the famed No. 43 and No. 21 cars may be gone; NASCAR's links to the past may be disappearing with them.