Apparently some teams get by without paying crewmembers overtime. "Whatever you do, you don't call the Labor Board," one veteran crewman told me. "Some people have, and those people will never find another job in racing."
I spoke with one engine person who laughed when I asked about overtime, even though I promised not to use his name. "There is a saying at our shop," he said. "If you make more than $65,000 annually, you don't get overtime. But if you make less than $65,000 and you work overtime, then you get paid time and a half. Explain that one to me."
Then there is the retired person who talked to me. "Listen," he said, "I wouldn't believe too much of what anybody in racing says. The garage area is full of egos. Everybody over there is gonna tell you they make more than they do. Ain't no way a man is gonna stand there and admit he makes less than the guy working next to him. That just ain't natural for them kind of people, just like there ain't no driver ever gonna admit he's not as good as the next guy."
Well, in the old book on business theories, it says more changes are coming. "As industry grows, new ideas become a part of each business enterprise. ..."My guess is this: Toyota is coming to the Truck Series. Now, only a loony bird would figure Toyota just wants to race its trucks. It may race trucks for a year, maybe two, but there is a plan for it to race its cars. Carry that to the bank.
Also, don't expect an engine shop in one town and another engine shop in the next town building engines for these racers. Toyota will likely build all of its engines under one roof. That way the teams come by and get their allotment every week or so and go racing.
I think Dodge had this idea in mind at one point when it was getting back into racing. I'll bet a Red Ram's head they wish they had gone through with this type of program.