Old Nascars rock!

Kind of like the saying that some things get meaner as they get older. Vintage Nascars were much cooler than their counterparts of today. Take a look at this photo from the fine folks over at Hemmings Motor News. This shot taken in 1956 at the Holman-Moody shop in Charlotte, NC. This shows the then new, and essentially stock 1956 Fords campaigned that year. Two sedans and two convertibles. This was when stock car racing was really exciting since you could go and buy the same cars you saw tearing up the tracks. Things were so much simpler then.

Source: Hemmings Motor News

Motorsports being shaken to the core. Not stirred

If there is not a further sign that our economy is in peril, then look no further than to the motor sports community. In the last couple weeks we have seen most major forms changed. We have Honda pulling out of Formula 1. Then Suzuki pulls their World Rally Championship program. Followed a few days later by Subaru.

Next Audi and Porsche suspend racing in the American LeMans Series, with a triple blow by the announcement canceling the 2009 Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix after its short two year stint after nearly a decade off the circuit.

Nascar is pretty much in shambles because of the Detroit Big 3 cutting spending.

And now off road racing is feeling the effects. Land Rover is canceling the G4 Challenge.

While we do hate to see this happen. But given the current economic conditions it is understandable to see major changes like this. Especially since that is the reason given in each case. Hopefully 2009 will be prosperous for the economy and many of these series will resume to normal operating procedures.