Fuel decides Martin's win, but how much economic fuel does NASCAR have left?

BROOKLYN, Mich. -– Sunday's Lifelock 400 at Michigan International Speedway was the 15th race of the 2009 season. Mark Martin scored the victory but with all due respect that was not the lead story of the weekend.

A second straight race decided by fuel mileage, although intriguing and providing at least a spark of drama in an otherwise sedate affair, could not overshadow the overwhelming feeling that the tough economic climate is tightening its grip on the sport.

After all the doom and gloom talk this last offseason about how the economy would affect the NASCAR world, that reality finally hit home here in the shadows of the Motor City.

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This weekend's talk at Michigan wasn't as much about who would win Sunday, Tony Stewart's point lead and the impressive start for his new team, Kyle Busch's latest cracks or Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s continued struggles as it was on the future of the sport.

General Motors' announcement that it would cut back support of the lower tier Nationwide and Truck series circuits is being viewed as the first step in an American automobile manufacturer retreat from NASCAR necessitated by the economic pressures on GM, Chrysler and Ford.

That tidal wave has been building and now it appears ready to crash against the NASCAR shoreline.

NASCAR officials saw it coming and have discussed possible remedies with the "Big Three" since last year.

"We have been," said NASCAR CEO Brian France. "We've been talking with them all along. I went over to talk with all the manufacturers last fall, with [president] Mike Helton, and [NASCAR VP] Jim France and others. We've been in constant contact with them. They are an integral part of what we do."

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But France and NASCAR cannot control the financial fortunes of these companies who in turn pour millions of dollars into the sport of stock car racing.

While there have been other times in NASCAR history when manufacturers were forced to curtail their involvement for economic reasons and the sport went on, it's a scenario that would certainly rock the sanctioning body today.

NASCAR is not immune from the economic troubles plaguing the country. (Getty Images)

Toyota's recent entry could open the door for other foreign-based manufacturers to enter the sport and while France acknowledges companies like Honda or Volkswagen -- which field successful motorsports efforts in other forms of racing -- might consider NASCAR participation, the development process would be a long one.

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"We have been talking with people, off and on, for a long time," France said. "These are decisions, in terms of a new manufacturer joining the sport, that would take a long time to evaluate and actually enter. That's not something we can just turn the light-switch on."

"But we are the pre-eminent place in North America for car manufacturers to build their business with an auto racing group. So clearly there are some companies that are going to look at opportunities that might not have been there in the past but may be in the future."

However even the possibility of new manufacturers entering the sport presents a potential downside -- backlash from long-time fans who consider any kind of foreign invasion a deterrent for their interest.

France believes that like Toyota, any of these companies who may be headquartered on foreign soil will be embraced by fans if vehicles are produced in the United States.

"Now listen, we'll have our own philosophical approach to that -- when a new company comes in, like Toyota, it is under a very clear set of circumstances," France explained. "And that will not change. I won't name names, but we have companies that are interested in developing the North American market as robustly as they can. And there are lots of foreign manufacturers producing cars in North America, like Toyota. And we are the pre-eminent place to promote that."

But the manufacturer picture isn't the only dark cloud on the horizon. Sponsors bailing out and shrinking attendance, as was evident by the lower than usual turnout Sunday in an area that is one of the hardest hit in the country, have also forced NASCAR to tighten up its business plan.

"The idea that NASCAR can cruise around and do business in every state and not have some effect from this economy ... and be so tied to sponsors and be tied to the manufacturers the way we are, that would be unrealistic," France said. "But we are doing better than most. And I look at this every day. We are doing better than most industries and most sports."

"We're not perfect, we have our issues, and we have some spots to improve on, a lot of spots to improve on. But we will get through a tough time. And our fans are the most loyal in sports. And we will do what we've always done -– put on the best racing in the world. And that's what will be the deciding factor long after the economy turns the corner."

Right now however, like Mark Martin on Sunday, NASCAR is hoping there's enough gas in the economic tank to keep motoring along.