Another NASCAR team in trouble

Morgan-McClure Motorsports in conjunction with primary sponsor State Water Heaters continue to search for additional sponsorship for their #4 Chevrolet currently running in the Nextel Cup Series. State Water Heaters (Ashland City, TN) signed up to be primary sponsor for 12 races in the 2007 season with the hope of bringing along a co-sponsor. When that didn't happen, Morgan-McClure and State focused even harder on the continuing search for additional funding. "We've had to look at every aspect of our team and try to find places where we can cut back until additional sponsor money is secured," said Morgan-McClure President Larry McClure at the Abingdon, Va. based race shop Tuesday. "We have temporarily released five employees and have every intention of bringing them back as soon as it is possible. Everyone remaining here is making sacrifices to keep this team going in 2007. We probably have the best team we have had in five years. The outlook for 2008 is much better, but first we have to get thru 2007. These guys are like family to me. Telling them they could no longer work here was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I feel responsible for them and taking their jobs away was tough," McClure continued. I look at the money we have been operating on as compared to some of these other teams who are outside the top 35 in owner points and I can't help but think if we had even half the budget they have, there's no telling what we could do. This top 35 rule is hurting a lot of us. I think if you looked at qualifying as just the top 43 fastest cars, we would have only missed a couple races. But the rules are what they are and we are trying to make the best of it with what we have. We continue to search for primary and associate sponsors for the remainder of 2007 and I believe there are good partners out there somewhere for this team," said McClure as he monitored preparations of the Chicago race cars. Morgan-McClure Motorsports PR