NASCAR is a sport like no other. The key to success is reliant on money, particularly outside funding. If teams do not have an influx of sponsorship dollars, it is difficult to survive.

Though the sport has been dealing with a steady decline of sponsors leaving since the economic recession of 2008,  recent events have brought this issue to the forefront.

Furniture Row Racing, who won the championship with Martin Truex Jr. in 2017, is closing its doors at the end of the season. This was largely due to sponsor 5-Hour Energy pulling its sponsorship. A championship team cannot maintain sponsors is discouraging enough, but the fact that they were unable to secure a new sponsor for just a portion of the season shows that NASCAR truly has a sponsorship problem.

This issue has also hindered seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, whose long-time sponsor Lowe’s is leaving the sport altogether. If sponsoring arguably the best driver in NASCAR history does not bring a return on investment, then who knows what will. There has been little talk over a 2019 sponsor. If the best driver of this era can’t attract a sponsor, then who can?

This issue has been further brought to the forefront by the rise of Ross Chastain. Known for consistently out-performing his equipment, he impressively qualified for the playoffs in the Xfinity Series.

Chastain finally got his big break when Chip Ganassi tabbed him to drive his 42 car for three races. In those three races, Chastain led a collective 270 laps and won at Las Vegas, his first career NASCAR win.

Following a runner-up performance at Richmond, his final race with CGR, Chastain caught the attention of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr., who owns a team in the Xfinity Series, saying Chastain deserves his shot.

“I’d love to put him in a car, but I don’t have any money to do it,” Earnhardt said.

This is perhaps the pinnacle of the problem. There are many talented drivers who will never have an extended look in top-tier equipment because they do not have a financial backer. Even team owners are not admitting this is the case. Though Chastain is getting a small opportunity, he is not even being paid for his efforts.

There was once a time in the sport where drivers getting a ride was not contingent on sponsorship, but on merit. This has become the case in a sport that is starving for sponsorship.

Despite this, those atop the sport insist there is no issue with sponsorship. Steve Phelps, who was named President of the company on Thursday, said, “there are far more new sponsors in the sport than sponsors leaving.”

While this might be true, the sponsors that are coming into the sport are sponsors of the sport, not the individual teams. The fact that previously well-funded teams are cutting cars or even closing down and its best-known drivers are struggling to attract backers should be a wake-up call for the sport, but they will likely continue to be oblivious until there is no more NASCAR.