Now that the 2008 season has mercifully reached an end, the economic realities of today are hitting hard in NASCAR.  Very, very hard.  Although the governing body itself insists it continues to sail sweet, those who put together what people actually come to see as a race -- you know, race cars and drivers and stuff like that -- aren't so much wielding a scalpel in order to cut expenses as swinging a none-too sharp axe.  The talk is we could see over a thousand people losing their jobs at different teams as they either trim the fat, dramatically cut payroll as they scale back operations, or simply lock the doors and walk away.

The reasons for this are numerous and well-known.  Given the current dour environment for business, sponsors willing to pony up even a fraction of what it takes to operate a four-wheel pony are becoming a very rare commodity.  When even a Dale Earnhardt Jr. has trouble landing sponsorship for his Nationwide team, you know money's tighter than an overwound spring on an ancient wristwatch.  Add to this the costs of fuel and materials, throw in how manufacturers are slicing team support money as they teeter on the edge of either going bankrupt or folding, toss in the growing fan apathy stemming from both an increasing number of utterly uninteresting races and how the economy is putting a hurting on once current now former ticket buyers, and what you've got is trouble.  Big trouble.

How this will all shake out for next year is a mystery to all.  We could see more mergers a la Ganassi and DEI, we could see one or more teams call it a day, we could see less than full fields in Cup as we've already seen this year in Nationwide and trucks.  We could see manufacturers drop out before Daytona or as the season progresses.  No one knows.  This, though, is known: I'll be blogging it all.

But not here.

Next Tuesday is my last here at RPT and with SportsBlogs Nation as a whole.  Leaving was not an easy decision, and I cannot overemphasize I am not doing so because of any dissatisfaction with SBN or the people thereof.  Indeed, I could not ask for a better group with whom to be associated.  My reasons for leaving are the growing demands on my time at the workplace along with other writing, such as the book I've almost completed.  Also, over the past several months I have felt a growing need to start focusing more on the spiritual topics contained in my writing.  It would be inappropriate for me to use SBN as a venue for this.

I can never say thank you enough to everyone at SBN for making me feel like a welcome member of the finest group of sports bloggers on the planet bar none.  It was an honor I will always cherish; something I can point to with justifiable pride as a sign of acceptance by my peers.  There are those who sneer at NASCAR as being something other than a genuine sport.  The people of SBN said otherwise by inviting me to join their ranks.  It felt good then.  It feels good now.

As to NASCAR, I've dusted off the old site at diecast-dude.com and hope to have it repopulated with its back catalog of posts from August 2003 forward before the season starts next February at Daytona.  As that work takes place in the background, it will be where my modest musings on all things NASCAR and related topics (sometimes very distantly related... but I digress) will be housed going forward.  Stop by and say hi if you're so inclined.

And now it's time to go.  To everyone at SBN, again I say thank you.  It's been a terrific ride, and I will be cheering you on every step of the way as you assume your rightful place as not only the preeminent sports blogs confederation but a legitimate force in sports journalism period.  I regret I won't be there with how.  However, the still small voice has whispered, and I must go where it leads.  Time for me to unbuckle my harness and seat belt, unlatch the window screen, climb out, and walk the road less traveled.  This journey has ended.  The next one awaits.