Tony Stewart glances at the new logo that bears his name after becoming co-owner of, and driver for, Stewart Haas racing next season.

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General Motors cutting back on NASCAR spending

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Troubled General Motors has notified two racetracks that run NASCAR events that their current contracts will not be renewed as part of an overall $10 billion cost-cutting program.

That seems to be just the first step in what could be a huge drop in support by GM, Ford and Chrysler for tracks and teams in NASCAR's top three professional divisions, the NHRA and other racing series in the face of the weakest U.S. auto sales in a decade.

GM announced Tuesday that it had suspended its stock dividend and will sell up to $4 billion in assets, moves made necessary by the downturn in sales and the rising cost of gas.

Motor sports sponsorships will not be exempt from the cutbacks.

"Like all areas of the business, these areas have not gone without a certain level of scrutiny, and there will be modifications and changes in our promotional footprint in all of those areas," Troy Clarke, president of GM North America, said Tuesday. "We're not going to talk about the details today, and specifically NASCAR, but all those areas have been reviewed and will continue to be as we work these action plans through."

Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns eight tracks that hold NASCAR events, already has been told GM will not renew contracts at two tracks — New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Scott Cooper, vice president of communications for SMI, said nobody is panicking.

"We've seen bad times with the economy before, and we'll likely see them again," Cooper said Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, we've still got a sport that pairs up well with the American car manufacturers. We believe the sport will continue to have tight relations with those manufacturers."

GM has contracts with 12 of the 22 tracks where NASCAR's top Sprint Cup series races, and is the title sponsor for the fall race at Richmond International Raceway.

Cooper said SMI expects GM and the other American car companies to continue purchasing hospitality, suites and track displays, although perhaps not at the same level.

● Dale Earnhardt Jr. has dipped his toe into team ownership with JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, so he has a bit of an understanding of what friend and competitor Tony Stewart is getting himself into by buying into the Haas-CNC team that will be known next season as Stewart Haas Racing.

"He is taking such a risk, but that is his style, man," Earnhardt said. "I mean, a lot of people may look at that team and go, 'Well, the caliber isn't correct. It doesn't match up. Why would he do such a thing?' But he will make it the way he wants it, you know.

"He has done that with everything. That racetrack he owns (Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio) is superb. The race teams he owns, the sprints and whatnot, are first class. Everything he does, he gets the right people and he gets them motivated and he is a good guy. He is fun to be with, fun to work for."

● IndyCar Series rookie E.J. Viso was kept out of a race at Nashville last week after contracting mumps. The Brazilian said he wasn't sure where he picked up the illness.

"We travel so much, I really don't know," he said. "It could have been an airport, a restaurant. It's a virus. You can get it anywhere."

Viso, who drives for HVM Racing, fell to 17th in the standings with 190 points. He heads into Sunday's Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course fourth among the nine drivers making the transition from the defunct Champ Car World Series to IndyCar.

● Danica Patrick said she enjoyed her role as a presenter Wednesday night at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

Even though the IndyCar star nominated for her first win earlier this year didn't win any awards, there were benefits to being at the ceremony.

"I sat next to David Beckham," she said, grinning.