news-record.com

CHARLOTTE (AP) — The top team owners in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series set their individual agendas aside for a unified brainstorming session on how to cut costs and help revive the auto racing industry.

"We're all stakeholders in this thing, and we all want to know, 'What can we do to make this better? How can we save some money and help the show?' " team owner Rick Hendrick told The Associated Press on Wednesday, the day after representatives from about 10 race teams gathered at Hendrick Motorsports.

The meeting was an offshoot of the "town hall" style sessions NASCAR has been holding with competitors since early last season to give drivers and teams an opportunity to discuss the issues facing America's No. 1 racing series. Unable to halt the slide in attendance and TV ratings, NASCAR and its participants have been working together to re-energize the sport.

"I really like the new attitude in NASCAR," Hendrick said. "I really like the way we're all just kicking around something, talking it out and coming to agreements on how to move this sport forward."

NASCAR has historically been run by the founding France family as a dictatorship, and although participants could offer opinions, the ruling family made all the decisions. It was somewhat benevolent, though, and the late Bill France Jr. traditionally hosted an annual fishing trip following the July race in Daytona in which drivers and owners could raise questions and concerns away from the track.

NASCAR chairman Brian France has continued the post-Daytona trip, and owners in attendance this month decided to call a meeting among a larger group.

NASCAR approved of the idea, and an agenda was set to discuss ideas ranging from restrictions on traveling crew members, tires used during a weekend, the current testing ban and shortening the length of the races.

"NASCAR has become a very different business model," said Walt Czarnecki, president of Penske Racing, who attended the meeting with owner Roger Penske. "And we all need to figure out a way, like all business today, to cut costs without impacting the integrity of the product. "

The sanctioning body is open to more ideas from the owners and was hopeful Tuesday night's meeting produced some unified thoughts.

"Hopefully, the owners will find common ground on some ideas to present to NASCAR for consideration," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said.