Long-time sponsor DuPont will be dramatically reducing its program this year as part of its companywide cost cutting.
Instead of entertaining guests at the 37 races it had last year it will be only present at six races in 2009.
DuPont, which has been on Jeff Gordon's car since 1993, has been the only primary sponsor the four times champion has known at Hendrick Motorsports and together they own the longest driver-sponsor-owner streak in the sport.
Even thought, DuPont's current contract with Hendrick Motorsports runs through the end of the 2010 season this new situation is, for many observers, a very bad sign of things to come.
One of the best known sponsors in NASCAR could be going the way of Tide, GM Goodwrench and other long-time sponsors that just got priced out of the sport.
DuPont's six races this season will be the two Daytona events, two at Dover, one at Las Vegas and one at Kansas Speedway. Those venues were selected because they are among the tracks where DuPont is committed to buying tickets as part of long-term deals.
Instead of entertaining guests at the 37 races it had last year it will be only present at six races in 2009.
DuPont, which has been on Jeff Gordon's car since 1993, has been the only primary sponsor the four times champion has known at Hendrick Motorsports and together they own the longest driver-sponsor-owner streak in the sport.
Even thought, DuPont's current contract with Hendrick Motorsports runs through the end of the 2010 season this new situation is, for many observers, a very bad sign of things to come.
One of the best known sponsors in NASCAR could be going the way of Tide, GM Goodwrench and other long-time sponsors that just got priced out of the sport.
DuPont's six races this season will be the two Daytona events, two at Dover, one at Las Vegas and one at Kansas Speedway. Those venues were selected because they are among the tracks where DuPont is committed to buying tickets as part of long-term deals.