DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A few years ago, the chance for a company to associate itself with NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. might have triggered a stampede.
As of this week, however, the Earnhardt family's JR Motorsports team has sponsorship contracts in hand for only 12 of 35 races for its No. 88 car in the Nationwide series.
Economic woes haven't completely chased corporate America away from NASCAR. With the season revving up this week at Daytona International Speedway, there are signs that interest is picking back up.
But in sharp contrast to the NASCAR boom of the mid-2000s, companies are spending more carefully and demanding more for their money. NASCAR chief marketing officer Steve Phelps is optimistic about 2010, forecasting increased spending on advertising and corporate hospitality.
