Nextel Cup franchising is inevitable
By GREG ZYLA

A pack of Nextel Cup cars, led by Greg Biffle, races around Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)

As a longtime advocate of franchising teams in NASCAR's Nextel Cup division, I am going out on a limb and predicting that within five years, NASCAR's top 38 teams will all be franchised, and possibly all 43.

The pros and cons of franchising Nextel Cup teams are debatable, but rest assured that franchising is a reality that is closer than ever. As owners work diligently to keep their teams fully funded, a team franchise structure is needed to protect the owners and guarantee what now is missing - a return on investment. At stake is the continued existence of Cup owners who helped raise NASCAR to its present stature.

A Cup franchise system would eliminate the sad but so true "auction liquidations" that plague owners who are either forced out of the sport due to funding problems or decide to retire.

Team franchising would protect the integrity of the sport. Previous fly-by-night "owners" would find it difficult to do what some have done in the past: supporting teams until funds run out, bills and promises go unpaid, or the egotistic need for self-promotion dissolves.

Next year, there are going to be almost 50 Cup teams looking to qualify for 43 spots, including the new Toyota teams. Some of the teams will go home each week, a now

common and expected happening. Franchising 43 teams, which would fill a starting field, may have merit, maybe not. The number "38" might be the one that works best.

The Cup's current top-35- in-owner-points guarantee is a good start, but it's still a rotating program at best. The top 35 guarantees only the first five starts of the new year. After that, if you are out of the 35, you must qualify on speed.

Entry into the top division still would be possible, but guaranteeing a spot would necessitate working with or buying out a current owner. This would also eliminate most of the past Cup "pennies on the dollar" race-team liquidation auctions.

Perhaps NASCAR Nextel Cup is no longer an open competition/ sweepstakes type of affair. It takes millions to compete, and team owners who make the grade should be rewarded with some type of safety cushion. This scenario also applies to the sponsors that rely on television exposure, atthe track hospitality and the all important product movement.

And speaking of the sponsors, those "out of the top 35" teams know the liabilities involved in explaining to multimillion dollar sponsors that their highly financed race car might not make the race. Talk about a downer! (Especially when 100 or so sponsor guests are all seated in a corporate suite, toasting to the great time they are going to have cheering on the company car.)

Additionally, there are too many other loopholes in the current system. The past champion provisionals (already being addressed) and the ability to buy into a race when failing to qualify are most glaring.

Currently, there are several Nextel Cup teams that are struggling. It would be a bush-league shame to see once major-league teams forced to shut their doors. Yet, if things keep going the way they are for teams in a state of flux, one of which is a multitime Daytona 500 winner, franchising could be the best answer. It would keep these deserving teams in the game, or at least allow a dignified exodus.

Write to Greg Zyla in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475, or send an e-mail to letters.kfws@hearstsc.com.

(c) 2006 King Features Synd., Inc.