[Don]

In the current racing environment, is it the make of car which attracts the fans or the individual driver, i.e., would Dale JR still be the most popular driver in NASCAR if he drove a Ford rather than a Chev ? Or, did Tony Stewart lose any fans when Gibbs switched to Toyota, even though Tony preferred a Chev ?

With the similarity of car design, the constant debates back and forth, accusations of not being treated fairly etc., or NASCAR favoring a specific brand or a Team that used a specific brand , has been eliminated.

Times change, as an example from AutoWeek:

" Ray Evernham, who left Hendrick Motorsports in 2000 to bring Dodge back into NASCAR and start his own team, soon will leave his post.

The three-time Cup-winning crew chief for Jeff Gordon said that he will sell his remaining 20 percent interest in Gillett Evernham Motorsports. He said he is no longer deeply involved with the struggling organization that features Elliott Sadler, Kasey Kahne and A. J. Allmendinger. (Reed Sorenson will come aboard next year.)

Evernham also said that he does not want to own another team and does not foresee having a management role with any team. "



" Jeff Burton, on comparisons of his career with Jeff Gordon's. "I told Jeff that he and I were the same with the exception of four championships, 50 wins and 70 poles. Other than that, we've done everything the same "