NASCAR's December to Remember...or to Forget?

For NASCAR drivers, teams, and other folks associated with the sport, December is an interesting time. 

For those fortunate enough to have participated in the Chase and finished in the final top ten in the championship run, December is a terrific month, especially the first week in December.

This upcoming week, the first week in December, indeed marks Championship week in New York City for the NASCAR elite.

Champion Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra will have a great first week in December, arriving in the city tomorrow and attending the annual Champion's Welcome Dinner in the Waldorf Astoria's Executive Kitchen.

On Tuesday, the champ will participate in a NYC tradition, with photo shoot opportunities throughout the city.  Johnson will undoubtedly have to strike some different poses since he has done this twice before.

Jimmie Johnson will fulfill another NASCAR December to remember tradition on Wednesday, ringing the opening bell on Wall Street. 

He will then attend the Tissot Countdown Clock event at the Hard Rock Cafe, the March of Dimes luncheon, and fulfill some media obligations throughout the city.

Thursday will be the NMPA Myers Brothers Media Luncheon at Cipriani.  All of the top 12 drivers will participate in this annual awards tradition.

That evening, the coveted "Stewie Awards", bestowed by none other than Smoke Stewart, will be announced on Tony’s live Sirius XM Satellite Radio show.

Championship week then reaches its climax on Friday evening, with the Awards Banquet at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Ball Room. 

The Champion driver, crew chief, and owner will take their coveted places on the stage to be congratulated by all who participated in the Chase this year.

So, for many in the sport, at least the top elite in NASCAR, December really is a time to remember. 

In addition to the championship celebration, however, there are some other drivers who are also celebrating their Decembers to remember.

John Wes Townley is celebrating his December, participating in the 41st Annual Snow Ball Derby in Florida. 

Scott Speed is also enjoying December, getting set to compete at the All-Stars Karting Classic in Orlando. 

NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer will do the honors on Dec. 19 as the Grand Marshall of the first annual "Twas the Midgets before Christmas" at Kansas City's Kemper Arena.

Even NASCAR driver and Speed TV announcer Kenny Wallace is in on the December to Remember action. 

He is scheduled to work the "Kenny Cruise 2008," sailing with fans on the Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas from Los Angeles to Mexico from Dec. 7-14.

But for so many in NASCAR, this December will be a time they would rather forget.  For many race professionals, December will come with a pink slip or a first unemployment check. 

Hundreds of race team professionals have been laid off already and many others' fates are still up in the air.

Drivers have not been immune to the angst either, as many of them face possible layoffs if sponsorships do not materialize.

Speaking of sponsors, teams would have had them all locked up in Decembers of past. 

But this December is one like no other as teams are frantically searching for sponsors, even for sponsoring one race at a time. 

Making it even more difficult, many of those that had sought those sponsorship deals and maintained critical sponsor relationships were some of the first to be let go in the team layoffs.

In the past, drivers and teams alike looked forward to their December breaks, often taking vacations to just get away from the track and the race life, at least until testing in the New Year began. 

But again, if drivers, crew and teams were planning December trips or vacations, many of them have already been cancelled or at least postponed. 

Folks are totally forgetting about their December plans, heading off instead to test before the new ban takes effect on Jan. 1, 2009. 

So, is this NASCAR's December to Remember.... or one they would rather forget?  It truly depends who you are in the sport during this historic December 2008.

Photo Credit:  Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR.