HAMPTON, Ga. -- One day after General Motors announced that it may have to file for bankruptcy to stay in business, Chevrolet drivers voiced their support for the troubled manufacturer at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

They also uniformly expressed their belief that GM -- and by extension the Chevrolet brand -- will not only survive its current financial problems, but eventually emerge from them stronger than ever.

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Chevrolet has shown for years that they're very committed to racing, and that's not going to go away.

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JEFF BURTON

"I think the biggest thing is that we've got to get people to not be afraid to start spending money again. That's the only way the economy is going to recover -- to get people confident that they can start spending money again," said Tony Stewart, who doubles as a driver and owner at Stewart-Haas Racing, which fields his No. 14 Chevy and the No. 39 Chevy driven by Ryan Newman.

"The good news is that GM is doing its part with Chevy brands. They're building cars that are affordable and efficient. From the manufacturer's side, that's all you can ask for. I think they've really responded and done a good job in that aspect."

Stewart's assessment of GM was echoed by Kevin Harvick, who drives the No. 29 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing.

"General Motors is a very strong brand," Harvick said. "Obviously, they are going through tough times, but they are in a wonderful restructuring process right now. They're putting their company back on its feet. I think when the economy turns, they're going to be as good as they have ever been going forward.

"We're all here to support them. It's a huge company. It's a very strong company -- and I think they'll be as strong as they've ever been when all this turns in the right direction, as with thousands and thousands of other companies that have restructured and made themselves more efficient."

Shares of GM hit a low of $1.27 late Friday morning -- the lowest share price for the company's stock in more than 75 years. General Motors said in a statement Friday that has not changed its intention to avoid a bankruptcy filing, and that an out-of-court restructuring remains its best option to survive the worst auto sales climate in at least 27 years.

The Detroit automaker lost $30.9 billion last year, and is surviving on $13.4 billion in U.S. government loans it already has received. While it is seeking up to $30 billion from U.S. lawmakers, GM also is hoping to get help from other countries. The automaker's Adam Opel AG subsidiary has said it wants to secure at least $3.8 billion in aid from the government of Germany.

"As a prudent business measure, the company has analyzed various bankruptcy scenarios," GM said in its statement. "However, the company firmly believes an in-court restructuring would carry with it tremendous costs and risks, the most significant being a dramatic deterioration of revenue due to lost sales."

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• Burton, Newman, Gordon talk about the troubles facing GM (Continued)