Sponsorship in NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series is the exception rather than the rule in these tough economic times.

Even so, each of the first three races has had full, 36-truck fields -- and the same is expected this week at Martinsville.

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As unbelievable as it is to say, if we don't find a sponsor for Todd, we probably won't run the truck, which is a shame because that 30 truck is the foundation of this whole team.

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BOB GERMAIN

"It truly is passion versus profit," said Tom DeLoach, owner of Red Horse Racing, fielding an unsponsored truck for reigning series champion Johnny Benson. "If you were in this trying to make money, you'd be better off stopping at the very beginning and you'd wind up with more profit. Your most profitable moment is just before you start."

The budget for a top Truck team running the full 25-race schedule is estimated to be $2.5 million to $3 million.

"When you are spending money like that out of your own pocket, there is nothing that shows greater commitment to the sport," Benson said.

"It definitely affects us [drivers]," he added. "Not having sponsorship doesn't affect our level of competition because we are still going to do our best each weekend. But seeing other teams close their doors because of a lack of sponsorship makes everyone in the garage concerned. It makes you think it could happen to your team just as easily."

But most of the unsponsored teams keep hauling trucks to the track in hopes that one more strong performance will net them a name on their hood and quarterpanels.

"It's that optimism that right around the corner it's going to happen," DeLoach said. "You always believe the next play is the one that is going to make everything happen. The next time you step up to the plate, you'll hit a home run.

"Racing is no different than that. The next race you're going to win and someone is going to step up and say, 'I want to sponsor you for the rest of the season.'"

DeLoach said this is his third year racing without sponsorship.

"How long can you go before you say this doesn't make a whole lot of sense?" he asked. "I spent 30 years working for a corporation in various jobs and at no time would I have ever made these kinds of decisions in the business world. If you apply cold, hard business to it, this wouldn't work." (Continued)