Ask the same question to Kevin Lepage, Morgan Shepherd, and that long list of names that frequents the bottom of the speed charts and you might hear a different answer.

In the days of fewer dollars, companies are not jumping at the chance to sponsor a stock car like they did just three years ago, or even this time last year. Entry lists are shrinking with budgets, creating a ripple effect of the economy to NASCAR. But it doesn’t affect everyone.

Following suit with basic economics, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Big names like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards aren’t struggling to find sponsorship. Instead, it’s a fight to keep two and sometimes three different sponsors happy by running a different paint scheme each week.

Sponsorship struggles have proven to be linked more with drivers than owners. Joe Gibbs Racing, winner of eight Sprint Cup races so far in 2008, could not find enough sponsorship to field a fourth team next season. Richard Childress has had similar problems with a fourth car. Both of those teams have found success, but without a proven driver in the seat nobody is willing to lay the money down.

Multiple teams on 2006 and 2007 entry lists have shut their doors or moved down to a more economically viable series for their budget. The new car, new technologies and new marketing methods have run the good ole boys out of racing. NASCAR stock car racing is now a business - not a hobby. Sometimes dedication and hard work can’t turn water into wine, or a 40th place car into a contender with a sponsor.

Remember Larry McClure and Cal Wells? Both were long time owners and supporters of NASCAR, but big business shut them down. Glen Wood and Felix Sabates are headed down the same path if the rumors are true.

In the meantime, the aforementioned Earnhardt is going through his busiest season since his rookie year both on and off the track. Filling sponsorship promises is a weekly task riddled with commercials, promotions and promises. Adidas, Mountain Dew, the Navy, the National Guard and a slew of other sponsors line up for a shot to point a camera at NASCAR’s most popular driver. The guy really knows how to sell a pair of jeans and cheap domain names.

Ray Evernham, Jack Roush and the Petty's have already found business partners to manage their finances and take care of the business side of racing. Business, business, business. Don’t they know these guys just like to put the gas down and race for a few hours every Sunday? It sounds so simple, but nothing is when money gets involved.