Dodge teams still hopeful in wake of Chrysler filing

RICHMOND, Va. -- For the first time in more than a year, a Dodge driver sits atop the point standings in NASCAR's premier series. Kurt Busch holds that position this week at Richmond International Raceway, ending a drought that goes back to Ryan Newman winning the 2008 Daytona 500 in a Penske-powered car.

Strangely, that achievement comes at a time when Busch's car manufacturer is in desperate financial straits. Chrysler, the parent company of the Dodge nameplate that has won 202 races on NASCAR's premier division, filed for bankruptcy protection Thursday and may close as many as five manufacturing plants before the end of next year. The carmaker has also established an agreement in principle to form a new car company through an alliance with the Italian manufacturer Fiat.

• Purchase tickets
• Book your travel

Despite the negative connotation of a bankruptcy filing, both Chrysler and the White House believe the company could emerge healthier after a bankruptcy period that could be as short as 60 to 90 days. The carmaker's NASCAR teams believe there will be no change as far as the support that Dodge extends to them.

"What we've been told is that Dodge plans to continue to be in NASCAR, and it's an important part of their overall marketing program. We've been told by Dodge that they plan to continue with the relationship. So our expectations are that things will continue accordingly," said Tom Reddin, chief executive officer of Richard Petty Motorsports, which fields four Dodge entries in the Sprint Cup Series.

"My understanding of this is that this is a reorganization of their balance sheet and the structure of the organization, but that the employees are continuing to show up, and they're continuing to operate as they were the day before they announced this, with the exception of some things like furlough they've announced. But they're continuing operations."

Mike Accavitti, Chrysler's director of brand marketing and strategy, said in a statement that his company will continue to support its NASCAR efforts. "NASCAR is a strategic part of our marketing plan and the Dodge brand," he said. "We plan to continue our Dodge sponsorship and relationship into the foreseeable future."

That's positive news to Busch, in the points lead for the first time since after the Las Vegas race in March 2005, a span of 149 races. His team, Penske Racing, fields three Dodges on NASCAR's premier series.

"We haven't heard much of the inside and the full scoop of what's going on, but for us with Penske Racing and here in NASCAR, we feel comfortable with the relationship we have with everyone in Detroit," Busch said. "Seeing Chrysler in the position they've put themselves in, and Fiat's coming in, all I can do is read the news and listen to Roger Penske on what he has to say. Yet I feel confident that what's transpired will still allow us to race. It will still bring in the support that we have from Dodge, because they're one of the main sponsors of Penske Racing. We should be able to go business as usual for the short term, and then we'll have to see how things adjust as things get into the future, and that could be after our contract expires, which is many years from now."

Busch is trying to do his part; he said he's purchased three Dodge vehicles this year, and his foundation is raffling off a fully loaded 2009 Challenger to benefit an indoor sports facility at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C.

"I'm doing what I can to help move Dodge product and keep people working on the assembly line," Busch said.