Busch North series seeking changes Teams struggling to meet expenses; car counts have been decreasing

LOUDON, N.H. – The NASCAR Busch North series has gone through some difficult times of late.

The rising costs of running a car in the series and low payoffs make it virtually impossible to cover expenses.

Even three-time points champion Andy Santerre of Cherryfield and other drivers who consistently finish in the top five have been hard-pressed to break even. Several drivers have left Busch North to run in the Pro All-Stars Series, which is cheaper to run with comparable payouts.

The car counts in Busch North have dwindled in recent years.

Lee Roy, director of racing for Busch North, said they are taking a good, hard look at the series and at ways to improve it.

“We’re looking at measures that we would like to think would significantly reduce the cost of racing at the Busch North level,” said Roy. “Areas that would be under consideration are certainly going to be motors and bodies because they’re the two most expensive aspects of what we’re doing.”

“I’d like to think in the very near future we’ll be able to tell people more, but, at this time, we can’t,” added Roy.

He would like to keep the number of races “around 15” and wouldn’t be opposed to racing at some different tracks. The tour had been exclusively held at tracks in the Northeast in recent years, but it expanded to the Motor Mile Speedway in Virginia for a race earlier this season.

“We’d like to get the second road course back on the schedule,” said Roy.

Lime Rock Park (Conn.) is the only road course currently on the tour. They no longer run at Watkins Glen (N.Y.).

“We’d like to think we’re going back to Watkins Glen. We’re not sure when but hopefully on the [Nextel] Cup weekend,” said Roy. “Other than that, there are other things that are happening that will hopefully improve the schedule.”

He said he is “very, very encouraged” about the future.

“Everything that we’re doing is headed in the right direction,” said Roy.

Roy said there are 35 cars entered for next week’s race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway after they had 37 for the Sylvania 125 at New Hampshire International Speedway Friday.