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Even during a tight points race, the economy and its impact on NASCAR remains a key issue with the start of the 2012 season a little more than four months away.

NASCAR chairman Brian France, speaking to reporters last weekend at Kansas Speedway, said the economy "will continue to have some impact on us."

Questions remain about how many cars some teams will field next season. Roush Fenway Racing has four cars, but lacks sponsorship and could cut back to three cars.

Richard Childress Racing, a four-car operation this year, is set with only three cars for next year at this point — with Clint Bowyer moving to Michael Waltrip Racing, which will expand to three cars next season. Also, Stewart-Haas Racing will add a third car for Danica Patrick in select races, but whether the team will field that car for the entire season with another driver will be based on sponsorship.

Also, officials with Red Bull Racing continue to search for new ownership as Red Bull is set to move on after this season, leaving the status of its two teams in limbo.

France remains confident that if some teams don't field as many cars, other teams will take those spots.

"We often see in the offseason teams that were thinking about moving up but did not want to because there wasn't availability, they couldn't make the event, couldn't make the top 35 or whatever else, (move up)," France said. "I hope everybody comes back and everybody gets what they need to compete, but if the economy is difficult, it does allow opportunities for others, and that's, I guess, the only silver lining in it."

The economy also impacts NASCAR's other series. Turner Motorsports, which fields Nationwide and Camping World Trucks teams, recently issued a statement that it has notified employees that it might downsize if it can't find enough sponsorship. Kernersville-based Kevin Harvick Inc., which fields Nationwide and Trucks teams, already announced it would merge its Nationwide teams with Richard Childress Racing and sell its Trucks teams.

NO JINX: Sports Illustrated features Jimmie Johnson on its cover this week, but the five-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion says he's not buying into a magazine cover jinx.

Johnson says he's not superstitious even if the alarm on his phone is set for 6:48 a.m. and when he microwaves a meal, he always puts 48 in the seconds column.

"It just feels good," Johnson said of his habits. "I don't think it changes the setup of the car or makes things work any better."

PIT STOPS: Harold Barnhardt of Lexington will be among 29 fans honored before Saturday's race for having attended races at Charlotte Motor Speedway for 50 years. ... NASCAR will hold a fuel injection test session Monday at Charlotte.

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