The end of the Busch Series

Back in '82, NASCAR was busy reworking its Late Model Sportsman Division into something that could be marketed to the masses. It was then that sponsor Anheuser-Busch stepped in, and the newly minted Busch Series was born. At the time, the cars were far different than the Cup models you see today: V-6 engines were among the many quirks that set them apart, making the series a proving ground for young talent as well as a place veterans could call home if they so chose.

For most of the past 25 years, that's exactly what's happened. Legends Jack Ingram, Tommy Houston and Sam Ard teamed up with Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte to create the perfect mix of young and old. Labonte remains the only Busch Series driver to cross over and win a Cup championship, but the buck hardly stops there in terms of talent. Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer are the most recent products of a series that sharpened their skills and got them ready to take the next step.

In recent years, the focus and direction of the series has become clouded. The cars have grown similar to their Nextel Cup counterparts, and the invasion of Cup drivers each weekend has skewed competition. But that's not the fault of Anheuser-Busch, a longtime supporter who pressed for change and balked when none came to pass. Now, the series' future is about to become Nationwide's problem.

No more "old car"

In just one more week, the Car of Tomorrow will officially become the Car of Today -- and in doing so, bring the most sweeping changes to Cup cars since '81. Surely, there have been many trials and tribulations with the soon-to-be Car of Yesterday; tops among them, the "aero push," a more recent development that's hindered passing on some of the faster speedways on the circuit. Safety was also a concern, as deaths of legends Dale Earnhardt and Neil Bonnett prompted the innovations which led to the car you'll see in '08.

But despite its recent faults, there's no denying the soon-to-be retired breed of car was responsible for the sport's sudden growth in the '80s and '90s. As the sport rose to prominence, the ease of response offered through these chassis allowed teams to recover from a bad setup, making a furious comeback possible from the back of the pack even if the car was completely off base at the drop of the green flag.

One can only hope the Car of Tomorrow will one day offer the same type of adjustability.

Junior driving a No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet

Dale Earnhardt Jr., this Bud's for you! The man will likely need one after a season likely ending without a win for the first time since '99. But once the checkered flag falls at Homestead, it won't just be the DEI/Junior partnership nearing an end; one of the most recognizable sponsor/driver relationships in sports will be heading out to pasture.

To give you an idea of the uniqueness of the Budweiser/Junior relationship, only three current sponsor/driver pairings have lasted as long: DuPont/Jeff Gordon, Home Depot/Tony Stewart, and DeWalt/Matt Kenseth. Even the casual fan associates the Budweiser brand with one of NASCAR's most marketable names, as landmark national commercials (think Bud ON the car, Bud IN the car) have allowed Junior to cross over to the mainstream sporting audience. Whether he'll be able to accomplish the same type of reach with new sponsors Mountain Dew and the National Guard is unclear. In the same vein, there's no telling how hardcore Bud fans will react to the different image presented by new driver Kasey Kahne.

There's only one thing we know for sure: once the checkered flag falls at Homestead, the red No. 8 Budweiser Chevy will officially be put out to pasture, just like these other four icons of the sport.