The U.S. government is notorious for overspending for items such as hammers and toliet seats. While our troops don’t have the proper equipment to fight a war, and cities such as New Orleans and Greensburg, Kansas struggle to receive federal assisstance after natural disasters, Uncle Sam has found a good way to spend 100 million dollars a year… NASCAR.
The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines National Guard all sponsor teams in either the Nextel Cup or Busch Series. Drivers Casey Mears (National Guard), Mark Martin/Regan Smith (Army) and Ken Schrader (Air Force) all race military sponsored cars in the Nextel Cup. Shane Huffman (Navy) races in the Busch Series. No big deal right? Wrong when you consider that the cost of a primary team sponsorhip is getting close to $30mil per year if you believe this article, or close to $20mil per year if you go with this story.
Either way, the United States government shouldn’t be handing out $50-$100mil a year to support Nascar teams. NASCAR gets a ton of eyes focused on it’s products, at the track and on tv, but the declining enlistment rates do more to discourage rather than justify the huge bill being footed by the Gov’t.
The military in Nascar. Courtesy of Military.com
NASCAR Nation’s Big Story: The Cost of Racing. Courtesy of FoxSports.com
Cost vs. return key factor in series title sponsorship. Courtesy of Nascar.com
AP: U.S. Military at Breaking Point, Pentagon Study Shows. Courtesy of the AP via Editor and Publisher
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