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BROOKLYN, Mich. -- General Motors is cutting its factory support to NASCAR Nationwide and Truck teams and could extend cuts to its Sprint Cup teams.

GM makes the moves as it attempts to re-emerge from bankruptcy.

GM's pullout continues a trend in the Nationwide and Truck series. Dodge, already out of the Nationwide series, dropped its support of the Truck series last season. Ford eliminated financial support for its teams in both series before this year but maintains technical support, wind tunnel time and contingency programs. Toyota, though, provides factory support to its teams in those series.

All four manufacturers provide factory support to Cup teams. That typically includes money, technical help and/or wind tunnel time. Manufacturers also play a key role in engine development and can help defray the costs of engines for teams.

Kevin Harvick, who owns Kevin Harvick Inc., and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who owns JR. Motorsports, confirmed they have lost Chevrolet factory support.

Harvick said in a statement that losing such support "will require internal restructuring."

General Motors officials would not discuss individual teams. A GM spokesman told The Associated Press the cuts "are indeed NASCAR-wide."

Car owner Richard Childress said he's scheduled to meet with Chevrolet officials this week. He declined to talk about how any cutbacks would impact his organization, which fields Nationwide and Cup teams.

Among other Chevrolet teams in the Cup are Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing and Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing.

Earnhardt said the main source of income for teams is sponsorship and although losing factory support isn't easy, it won't devastate his Nationwide team.

"It was a good assistance to our program, albeit it wasn't a large portion of our entire funding for the season," he said. "We will find other ways to make that up."

Pat Suhy, who oversees GM's NASCAR program, said that the company has to examine ways to get the most return on its investment during these lean economic times. He would not go into details how the company will do that.

"It can't be business as usual," Suhy said. "That's how the company got to where it is. We're looking at ways to manage our business responsibly and be part of the bigger picture."

Such action has become common in the sport, which relies on sponsorship dollars that are more difficult to find. An estimated 1,000 people lost their jobs in the sport by the end of last season as teams cut back. Some teams merged.

Dodge's financial support for its Cup teams has waned since going through its bankruptcy. Attendance also has declined as fans struggle to afford to go to races.

The biggest challenge, though, could be the future of the Nationwide and Truck series.

Kyle Busch said the cutback "hurts" his interest to own a team in either series, and also could force others to shy away from such an investment. Without additional financial support, some teams could fold.

Even among this doom and gloom, Greg Biffle, who drives for the Ford-backed Roush Fenway Racing team, says racing will endure.

"The amount of support (manufacturers) provide us is important, but we can continue to race without that support," he said.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com