Economy's slowdown opens doors for NASCAR's 'little guys'

Last year the four richest teams controlled the 12 spots in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, a 10-race playoff-style format at the end of the racing season. The price tag for running a championship contender seemed to be at least $20 million.

But this year the recession has hit NASCAR in ways that will change what fans see on the track. Some sponsors — whose money is the lifeblood of race teams — have cut spending or dropped out, forcing teams to lay off crewmembers and trim operations. The four dominant teams — Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing — are as potent as ever, with big-name drivers such as three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick.