Raising the minimum age in NASCAR's top three series?
 

A couple of years ago NASCAR raised their minimum age to compete in any of their 11 regional and national touring series from 16 to 18 after then 16 year old Kyle Busch was running some truck races. At a race at California Marlboro, who was the sponsor for the weekend's races stepped in and said Kyle couldn't compete due to concerns about tobacco sponsorship of someone underage competing. This was after Winston pulled out of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series since 16 and 17 year olds could compete.

Which brings us to our current situation in the Busch Series. Brian Vickers, who just turned 20 yesterday is the points leader and in position to win the championship. The Busch beer championship. He could win several hundred thousand dollars in prize money from a company whose product he can't even legally purchase yet. While I'm sure privately Anheuser-Busch is happy to see a young gun possibly win the championship, publicly they have to be concerned.

What I wonder is if NASCAR may raise the age to compete in Nextel Cup, Busch and Trucks to 21, keeping their other touring series at 18, and keeping Weekly racing at 16. This could be explained as creating a graduated system to gain young drivers more experience before making the jump to the big leagues, as well as a way to avoid sponsor conflicts.

yeah, i've never thought about that. if vickers wins the busch series, it will be funny. he doesnt directly get $$ from anheuser busch though. ab pays for the sponsorship rights to the series, but i doubt they directly pay the winner.

i think the legal age should be 18, but not 21. incomming stars like kyle busch and vickers and the son of dale jarret, among others wouldnt have a chance to shine.

I think leaving the age at 18 is fine. Dude is right, the name on the series is what ab and busch pay for. They also have a hand in some of the prize money but don't put it all up.

I say move it to 21 just because i dont like seeing people as old as I am racing while im on my couch because I dont have the money (or the daddy with the money) to get to race. I guess that is just my own selfish reasoning though.