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DOVER, Del. — Five years after NASCAR allowed hard liquor brands to be sponsors, two such companies say they won’t return next year and another one is reducing its team sponsorship after this season.

It’s another sign of the economy’s impact on the sport. Some suggest the changes are more coincidence than a sign that NASCAR is in danger of a mass exodus of sponsors.

Officials from Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s announced this week that they will not be involved in NASCAR next year. Jim Beam sponsors Robby Gordon and Jack Daniel’s sponsors Casey Mears. Earlier this season, Crown Royal announced it will sponsor Matt Kenseth’s car for half of next season, a reduction on what it has done.

Car owner Richard Childress says he’ll seek sponsorship to keep running a fourth car. Gordon says Jim Beam sponsors him for 12 races and he’s signed a sponsor to fill four of those races.

The economy and changing market strategies were cited by Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s officials for leaving NASCAR. The distilled spirits industry “is not recession-proof; it is recession resilient,’’ says Frank Coleman, senior vice president of public affairs for the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.

Coleman says that the industry’s growth will continue this year but lag behind typical years by about half. Jack Daniel’s announced in April intentions to cut its workforce by 6 percent.

A marketing executive said he wouldn’t be surprised that even with Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s leaving, other distilled spirit companies enter NASCAR at some point.

“I don’t think you can really look at this as any kind of reflection of value or power of the sport,’’ said Andrew Giangola, director of business development for NASCAR. “The sport remains a national sport followed by tens of millions people.’’

Even with Crown Royal reducing how many races it will sponsor a Cup team, it will invest in the sport in other ways.

“The same reason we got into the sport is the same reason we go into it today, the ability to connect with fans in a meaningful way,’’ said Dan Sanborn, Senior Director of Diageo, parent company of Crown Royal, adding that more than 85 percent of NASCAR fans are of drinking age.

FAST AGAIN: Jimmie Johnson earned his second pole of the season Friday with a lap of 157.356 mph. Juan Pablo Montoya starts second after a lap of 156.699 mph.

Both were among the drivers who did a Goodyear tire test in August.

Ryan Newman (156.393 mph) will start third with Greg Biffle (156.284) fourth and David Reutimann (155.979) starting fifth. Points leader Mark Martin qualified 14th.

CHAT SESSION: David Reutimann said he spoke with Dale Earnhardt Jr. after last weekend’s race at New Hampshire. Earnhardt criticized Reutimann after contact with Reutimann wrecked Earnhardt, who appeared headed toward a top-10 finish.

“Obviously not one of the more pleasant conversations that I’ve had with him but something that had to be done,’’ Reutimann said. “He should have been mad. You don’t wreck a guy and expect him to be OK with it. He was having a good day, and I hated to be one to ruin that for him.’’

NEW DEAL: Danica Patrick has reportedly signed a three-year contract extension to remain in the IndyCar Series with Andretti Green Racing. Even so, there remains enough free weekends that she could race some NASCAR events also next year.

Tony Stewart, who talked earlier this month about Patrick’s interest in NASCAR, says he hasn’t talked to her since news of her contract signing.

PIT STOPS: Carl Edwards says he’s been told by his doctor that he’ll need to be on crutches for three more weeks. … Elliott Sadler blew an engine Friday and will start at the rear of the field. It’s the second week in a row a Richard Petty Motorsports engine has blown after Kasey Kahne had the same problem last week at New Hampshire.

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