Chrysler plans to slash its overall NASCAR budget by more than 30 percent in 2009, Dodge Motorsports director Mike Accavitti told ESPN.com on Thursday.

That reduction is due in part to the team-merger between Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing, which removes Ganassi’s former three-team Sprint Cup operation from the Dodge fold. (Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing will run Chevrolets.)

But Dodge will also cut back on at-track car displays, track sponsorships and promotions. It will, though, continue to support Penske Racing, Gillet Evernham Motorsports and Petty Enterprises as planned, Accavitti said.

“We’ll definitely be on the track in 2009,” Accavitti said in a phone interview.

Chrysler announced Wednesday it would, starting Friday, shut down all 30 US-based manufacturing plants for a month. Accavitti said that will have no bearing on any NASCAR relationship.

ESPN.com