Loss of Plan Money: Car owner Andy Petree’s decision not to bring his unsponsored #33 car this weekend takes that car off a few bonus plans and could cost the team as much as $750,000. Car owners Travis Carter [#’s 26/66] and Brett Bodine [#11] also face similar dilemmas as their teams search for sponsorship and may miss races later this year. NASCAR offers a variety of special payment plans to teams but those are all contingent on those teams being at the track and attempting to qualify. Petree’s #33 car was in the top 30 in owner points last year, so it was guaranteed $8,000 a race — $288,000 a year. It also was in a program where some of the TV money is distributed based on how well a team — no more than two per organization — has done the past three years. Petree’s team could earn as much as about $15,000 per race on that plan, meaning the team could have earned $23,000 through these programs per race. Since the team did not make an attempt this weekend, it is no longer eligible for such money if it returns. Under current rules, that team must now run for three years before it can be eligible for such money, according to Kevin Triplett, NASCAR’s managing director of business operations. If the Carter teams of Todd Bodine and Joe Nemechek don’t go to Atlanta next weekend, both cars will be taken off their bonus plans. Nemechek’s [#26] car with Jimmy Spencer in it last year finished in the top 30 in owner points and it is guaranteed $8,000 a race. Bodine [#66] finished outside the top 30 in owner points last year.(News and Record)(3-2-2002)
