Saving Money, But At What Cost?

It may be time to revisit NASCAR’s new Camping World Truck Series pit stop policy.

The procedure was implemented in an attempt to save teams money by reducing the number of over-the-wall crewmembers from seven to five, and prohibiting refueling and tire changes during a single pit stop. Unfortunately, the rule appears to have made no difference in the total number of over-the-wall crewmen utilized by most teams, while having an adverse effect on the competitiveness of the series.

Last weekend’s race at Auto Club Speedway was one of the dullest in recent memory. Not all the blame can be placed on the new pit rules, since the Fontana oval has never ranked high on NASCAR’s list of most competitive venues. However, when the final 53 laps ran caution-free Saturday, teams were forced to run the final quarter of the race on worn out tires, negating any real possibility for side-by-side racing.

Ron Hornaday apologized to fans afterward, saying, “I don't think (they) got their money out of that race.”

Fellow series champion Todd Bodine said he was unable to run flat-out at the finish, due to his team’s inability to change badly worn tires. “The tires got hot, and I started pushing. I had a little vibration and wasn't going to take the chance."

Series veteran Rick Crawford told Sirius Speedway Wednesday that the new pit procedure has not saved his team any money, since NASCAR had already mandated a reduction in the total number of traveling crewmembers; from 14 to 12.

“We’re sending five tire changers over the wall, just like always,” he said. “Then, a lap later, we’re coming back to pit road and sending a fuel and catch-can man over the wall. We’re still using seven guys to get the truck serviced. But now, it takes us two stops to do it, instead of one.”

Crawford questioned the wisdom of doubling the number of pit stops, calling it a potential safety hazard for drivers, crewmen and corner workers.

“When we come off pit road after changing tires, we’re hauling butt to get caught up to the pace car and come back in for fuel,” he explained. “I’m worried about the corner workers and safety people. There’s no reason for us to have to do that.”

“NASCAR’s goal was to cut the total number of crew people we have to travel,” said Crawford. “They accomplished that by cutting the number of hard cards from 14 to 12. The new pit stop rules haven’t accomplished anything, and I’m afraid that they’re ruining our races.”

The next two stops on the Camping World Truck Series schedule are at Atlanta and Martinsville; two tracks that are notoriously tough on tires. Atlanta is generally marked by long periods of uninterrupted green-flag racing, while Martinsville features one of the tightest pit roads in all of NASCAR. With an off-week to examine the early results, here's hoping that NASCAR will reconsider its new pitstop procedure and put the spark back into what is arguably the sanctioning body's most competitive division.

Kyle Petty Upset With RPM's "Chicken Crap Diplomacy"

Kyle Petty said yesterday that he is unhappy that Richard Petty Motorsports failed to inform him before running a retro-paint scheme commemorating his first career victory on AJ Allmendinger’s Valvoline Dodge in the Daytona 500.

Petty told reporters last week that he was "crushed” by the move, adding, “I was hurt and I'm not going to get over it for a while. That was my paint job and my car and my number and my stuff from my first win. Not for Petty Enterprises or GEM or whoever that is."

Petty phoned Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway yesterday to clarify his comments, and also address what some see as a rift between himself and his legendary father’s new race team.

“That #44 -- Petty blue and white with Valvoline on the quarterpanels -- was the car I drove in my first ARCA race at Daytona 30 years ago,” said Petty. ”(RPM) went to Daytona with a car lettered up in that paint scheme, and nobody had the cohones to call me and tell me that they were doing it on the 30th anniversary of my first win. That’s what I was crushed about.”

Petty called the move, “a little bit of chicken crap diplomacy,” calling his ARCA win “a personal thing (that has) nothing to do with the #44, George Gillett, Boston Ventures or GEM. It is something I would like to have had the opportunity to commemorate, not somebody else.”

Petty repeated earlier comments about the 2008 sale of Petty Enterprises to Boston Ventures, saying he feels his family team ceased to exist when Boston Ventures came aboard and moved the team from its longtime home in Level Cross, NC. He also conceded that at some point, all parties will have to agree to disagree, and move on.

“Definitely,” said Petty. “I was at a press conference announcing a golf tournament for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, and the question was, `Were you invited to the press conference, or made aware that they were running a retro paint scheme?’ The answer to that was, `no,’ and when they asked how I felt about it, I said, ‘crushed.’ I don’t care about getting an invitation, I just wanted a heads-up on it. When I came to Daytona, I got blindsided by it.

“If the Chicago Bulls are having a Reunion Tour and they don’t invite Michael Jordan, that’s their fault," said Petty. "If they don’t want to (include him), that’s their deal. But I’m sure they would give him a heads-up and say, `This is what we’re going to do, we’re just not going to include you.’"

Petty also insisted that there is no rift between himself and his father, saying he had answered a very specific question, and that his answer had been taken out of context.

“I sat and talked (to the media) for an hour and a half, and they wrote a 25-word story,” he said. “It never comes across right. That’s not the writer’s fault or the editor’s fault, it just happens. Sometimes things get taken out of context and lead (people) in a different direction.

"This whole issue revolved around one single car, one single press conference and one single heads-up. I didn’t get that, and I was teed off about it. That’s as simple as it was."

BOOB ALERT: Sportswriter Says NASCAR Drivers Are No Better Than Cooks At The Waffle House

If ignorance is indeed bliss, Orlando Sentinel sportswriter David Whitley is surely the happiest man in America.

In today's Sentinel, Whitley has penned a commentary entitled, "NASCAR Drivers Don't Qualify As Being Athletes." In it, he equates NASCAR racers to short-order cooks at your local Waffle House, whose primary skill is being able to block out distractions and concentrate in a hot environment.

"(NASCAR) drivers are athletes...only if you think it's athletic to make a Grilled Texas Bacon Double Patty Melt Plate," he wrote. "Preparing it requires stamina, strength, concentration and guts. Sounds a lot like driving, no?"

"I admire any professional driver," said Whitley. "But if that skill set makes him or her an athlete, so are these people: Poker players. Transplant surgeons. New York City taxi drivers. Hairdressers."

It must have been a slow news day at the Sentinel today. Either that, or Mr. Whitley thought he'd gain a little national attention by putting his ignorance and arrogance on public display. Most people aren't so anxious to display their stupidity, but Whitley apparently has no problem with it.

Feel free to read David Whitley's entire column HERE. Fair warning, though, it'll make your blood boil. If you'd care to share your thoughts with him, his e-mail address is dwhitley@orlandosentinel.com. David Whitley will join us live on Sirius Speedway, Tuesday at 4 pm ET.

And On It Goes...

We told you yesterday that it would happen, and it has.

Bill Davis is now a minority owner of the newly renamed Penske Championship Racing, and Sam Hornish Jr. is a guaranteed starter in the Daytona 500.

Davis sold his entire operation to Bill Held and Marty Gaunt recently, but apparently retained the 31st place owner points accumulated by his #22 Toyota and driver Dave Blaney a year ago. Those points now belong to Hornish and his #77 Dodge, guaranteeing that Hornish will be a part of the first five races of the season. A year ago, team owner Roger Penske handed Hornish the owner points accumulated by teammate Kurt Busch, guaranteed the former IndyCar star a spot in the 2008 Daytona 500 field.

Interestingly, NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said today that Hornish will not take part in Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, despite the fact that his newly acquired owner points would make him sixth-best among all Dodge drivers. Tharp said NASCAR has already set the Bud Shootout field, with Richard Petty Motorsports driver AJ Allmendinger taking the spot that would have gone to Hornish.

Hornish’s ascension to Guaranteed Starter status should bump 37th-place point man AJ Allmendinger onto the “Go Or Go Home” list, and with both Richard Childress Racing and Phoenix Racing seeking similar deals for Clint Bowyer and Brad Kesekowski, it appears that Marcos Ambrose may be joining him soon.

NASCAR will announce its finalized Top-35 on Friday.

COMMENTARY: Like Frankenstein's Monster, NASCAR's Owner Point Rules Running Amok

It appears that the off-season scramble for Top-35 owner’s points is far from over.

Sources tell Sirius Speedway that more owner point transfers will take place this week, as teams jockey to secure guaranteed starting spots in the Daytona 500 and starting berths in Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout.

Sources say that Richard Childress Racing (Clint Bowyer), Penske Racing (Sam Hornish, Jr.) and Phoenix Racing (Brad Keselowski) are all working to secure Top-35 owner points this week, a process that will further muddy an already incomprehensible situation.

For the record, NASCAR does not allow the direct sale of owner points. However, the sanctioning body has historically allowed offseason point transfers, as long as the original team owner retains at least a token ownership stake. That’s where things get a little funky.

Based on those guidelines, Bobby Ginn retains an ownership stake in Dale Earnhardt, Inc., after DEI assumed the owner points from Ginn’s #01 and #14 Chevrolets in July of 2007. Has anyone seen Bobby Ginn lately? Does anyone believe that Ginn’s ownership stake in DEI exists anywhere but on paper?

Of course not.

The Ginn/DEI “partnership” is just one in a series of shadow alliances designed to exploit NASCAR’s owner point guidelines. And lately, there’s a new example every week.

Paul Menard’s new #98 Ford will use owner points accumulated by Yates Racing teammate Travis Kvapil last season.

Hall Of Fame Racing’s #96 team finished 39th in owner points last season, but new driver Bobby Labonte is a guaranteed starter for the Daytona 500, thanks to a hastily announced “technical alliance” with Yates Racing that gave Labonte the 2008 owner points from David Gilliland’s #38 Ford.

JTG Daugherty Racing formed a similar alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing recently, allowing the new team to use owner points accumulated last season by Michael McDowell.

Front Row Motorsports announced an alliance with DEI-Ganassi this week, making them a guaranteed Daytna 500 start, despite the fact that FRM ran only five races last season.

It’s going to be interesting to watch the procedural manuevering in the next few days. Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi are now maxed-out under NASCAR’s four-team ownership limit, and would presumably be forbidden from entering into any further alliances. However, Sirius Speedway has learned that Phoenix Racing owner James Finch is working on a deal to lock Brad Keselowski’s Miccosukee Chevrolet into the Daytona 500. Penske Racing is reportedly in hot pursuit of the #22 team’s unused owner points for Hornish, after BDR’s new owners shuttered the racing portion of that operation. Richard Childress is also said to be searching for owner points to lock Clint Bowyer’s new #33 Chevy into the first five races of 2009.

If there’s a way to get a deal done, they’ll find it. And in my opinion, it’s a darned shame.

NASCAR’s Top-35 rule was established to reward team owners for their support of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Based on those guidelines, Michael Waltrip has every right to shuffle owner points from David Reutimann’s #44 Toyota to his new #00 car. Richard Petty Motorsports is likewise entitled to swap points from its #10 Dodge to the new #44. Stewart-Haas Racing is justified in using last year’s owner points to benefit Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman.

That’s what the rule was designed to do. It was absolutely not designed to lock teams into the Daytona 500 that did not even exist a year ago.

Front Row Motorsports and driver John Andretti will race in the Daytona 500 next Sunday, likely forcing Richard Petty Motorsports and AJ Allmendinger onto the “Go Or Go Home” list. Which team did more for NASCAR Sprint Cup racing last season, and which deserves to be rewarded?

You make the call.

I am not criticizing Front Row Motorsports, or any of the other teams involved. They’re doing what they’re allowed to do, and with last place in the Daytona 500 worth a cool $260,000, I don’t blame them for exploiting a system that allows – and even encourages – exploitation. The problem is with the system itself.

NASCAR’s owner point guidelines are like Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. They were designed with the purest of intentions, but have now gone terribly wrong, breaking free and running amok, terrorizing the countryside. Somehow, failed teams like the #22, 15, 01 and 41 have become hot properties, not for their parts, pieces and personell, but for the owner points that amassed before dying. Teams like Front Row Motorsports, Penske and RCR have been forced to become modern-day cradle robbers, looting the tomb of all valuables in the dead of night. Sadly, NASCAR now finds itself rewarding teams that have not earned that kind of preferential treatment, and penalizing teams that have.

Daytona Announces Killer July 4 Twinbill

Saturday, July 4 is going to be a VERY busy day at Daytona International Speedway, as the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series combined to present a doubleheader day of racing at the World Center of Racing.

The Grand-Am Brumos Porsche 250 will take place on Saturday afternoon, followed by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola on Saturday night at 8 p.m.

The Grand American Rolex Series race has historically been scheduled for the previous Thursday, but will move to Saturday as a one-day event, with practice and qualifying in the morning.

NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger and Casey Mears all took part in this month's season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, and could theoretically drive in both events on July 4, though the logistics and physical demands of such a twinbill make double-dipping unlikely.

Skinner, Bliss, Compton Ink NCTS Rides

A pair of former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions and one longtime veteran have new deals for 2009.

Randy Moss Motorsports confirmed today that they will field a two-truck team this season for rookie Tayler Malsam and former series champion Mike Skinner. Malsam will run for Raybestos Rookie Of The Year honors in the team’s #81 Toyota, with Skinner at the wheel of the #46 Tundra.

"We are very pleased to have both Tayler and Mike come on board for the 2009 season," said Moss. "Tayler has shown a lot of promise in his performance on the track in 2008, and we look forward to helping him to continue to grow as a driver in 2009. Mike will be able to help mentor Tayler, while going for his second championship at the same time. It's the perfect combination."

Announcements regarding crewchiefs and sponsorship will be made in the near future, though Skinner is beleived to have brought technical support from Toyota Racing Development to the deal.

Key Motorsports will run former Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Bliss in its No. 40 Chevrolet for at least six races this season, beginning with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona.

Bliss will also run California in February, Atlanta and Martinsville in March, and the May races at Lowes and Dover. He and the team are still discussing whether he will continue as driver for the rest of the season. Westerman Companies recently signed a six-race sponsorship with the team, beginning at Martinsville.

In other Truck Series news, veteran Stacy Compton will drive the Wyler Racing No. 60 Toyota this season. Compton ran most of last season with Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia, before the team parked his Dodge due to lack of sponsorship.

Wyler Racing began the 2008 campaign with driver Terry Cook, before releasing him in favor of former series champion Jack Sprague. The team had said that it hoped to combine Sprague with a younger driver in a two-truck effort this season, but there is no word today regarding Sprague's status.

No sponsor for Compton's truck was announced.

BREAKING NEWS: Allmendinger Signs Contract With RPM

Richard Petty Motorsports has announced just moments ago that AJ Allmendinger has agreed to a contract to race for the team this season, with the team retaining an option for 2010.

Allmendinger will drive the team’s No. 44 Dodge in the Budweiser Shootout, and the first eight races of the 2009 Sprint Cup season, as well as the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in July. The team is attempting to put together a sponsorship package that would guarantee his participation in the remaining 2009 races, and in 2010.

Allmendinger joins Richard Petty Motorsports’ teammates Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and Reed Sorenson. Sammy Johns will serve as crewchief on the No. 44.

JGR Says Suspended Crewchiefs Will Sit An Extra Week

There’s good news and bad news this week for suspended Joe Gibbs Racing crewchiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff. The good news is that they could be reinstated by NASCAR in time to begin the 2009 season at Daytona.

The bad news? Even if they are reinstated, JGR will leave them at home.

The pair were among seven Joe Gibbs Racing crewmembers indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for installing illegal magnetic throttle stops prior to a post-race chassis dyno test at Michigan International Speedway last August. They applied for reinstatement last week, but JGR President J.D. Gibbs said yesterday that the team plans to impose an additional penalty.

“When NASCAR officially says…it’s over, we’ll hold them one more race,” said Gibbs. “(NASCAR) haven’t said what they’re going to do. Hopefully, they will say they’re reinstated for next year. (But) we’ll probably hold them from Daytona.”

The additional suspension would keep Rogers and Ratcliff on the sidelines until the second race of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. NASCAR says there has been no decision made on their reinstatement.

EGR Speaks! Team Promises Three Full Time Cars, Fourth For Daytona 500

Officials of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing made their first public comment yesterday, two months after the merger of the two teams was first disclosed.

EGR President Steve Lauletta said that the team will run three full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup cars this season, and four at next month’s season opening Daytona 500.

Lauletta confirmed that EGR will move the Target sponsorship to Juan Pablo Montoya’s #42 Chevrolet this season, with Wrigley's remaining involved as an associate sponsor. Martin Truex Jr. will run the full season with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops – after BPS agreed to extend its partial sponsorship if additional backers cannot be found – and Lauletta revealed that multiple sponsors for Aric Almiriola’s #8 Chevrolet will be announced soon. He did not comment on potential drivers or sponsors for the team’s fourth Daytona 500 entry, but said the car could compete in additional races, if sponsorship can be found.

"If we can continue to run the fourth car past Daytona, we're going to attempt to do that," he said. "But as of now, the plan is inconclusive."

All four EGR machines are guaranteed starters at Daytona, after finishing in the Top-35 in owners’ points a year ago.

Just days after another round of layoffs put 30-40 EGR employees out of work, Lauletta said he spoke to his remaining staff this week to reassure them that the company’s future is secure. "There's a lot of rumors out there,” he said. “A lot of misinformation, a lot of things we needed to confirm so people could put their heads down and continue to work hard.”

"We're still facing a very difficult sponsorship environment, a very difficult economical environment,'' said Lauletta. "We were put in a position of doing a year's worth of work in two months. The biggest thing we've got to do is focus on the performance on the track.''

UPDATED: Stremme Will Have Invisible Sponsor in 2009

Verizon will sponsor David Stremme’s Penske Racing’s No. 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dodge this season, despite the fact that the company's logo and name will not be allowed to appear on the car.

Executive Vice President Walt Czarnecki confirmed that today, saying, “The car will be identified and branded as the Penske Dodge Charger.”

Verizon is barred from appearing on the car because of language in NASCAR’s contract with title sponsor Sprint, which allows pre-existing wireless communication sponsorships to continue, but not to rebrand or change hands. Alltel Wireless is being rebranded as Verizon after a sale of the company last year.

Czarnecki said that NASCAR has been fully informed of the team’s plans, and that he believes the team can accommodate the needs of both their sponsor and the sanctioning body. While the Verizon name and logo cannot appear on the car, transporter, equipment or team uniforms, there is apparently nothing preventing Stremme or other team members from talking about Verizon in pre- or post-race interviews.

UPDATED: NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston clarified what Penske and David Stremme are allowed to do to promote their Verison sponsorship. "Stremme cannot represent Verizon, on or off the track," he said. "The Penske organization has a good understanding of the circumstances and Sprint's role in the Series, and we don't think there will be an issue."

Riggs Gets A Ride: Scott Riggs will drive Tommy Baldwin Racing’s new #36 Toyota this season. The team plans on competing in the Daytona 500, kicking off a planned full schedule in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. No sponsor has been named yet for the #36 Toyota, though Riggs was believed to have an inside track on sponsorship from State Water Heater and Hunt Brothers Pizza.

EGR Cuts Again: Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing reportedly laid off 40 more employees yesterday. Martin Truex, Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya are the team's only confirmed drivers for 2009, and no details have been released about Montoya’s sponsorship or car number. EGR declined to participate in this year’s NASCAR Pre-Season Media Tour.

New Nose For Dodge: NASCAR has approved a new nose for the Dodge Charger, a move that Dodge teams hope will help their flagging performance on the 1.5 and two-mile intermediate tracks. Penske Racing crewchief Roy McCauley called the change, “very subtle,” adding that most observers would not even notice the difference.

And Finally: Bruton Smith said yesterday that while he still wants to hold a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway, he will not take an event away from New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman declined to comment on where the race might come from, but sources say the fall event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway could be on the chopping block. No move is expected until at least 2011, and NASCAR has said it will not even discuss a race at Kentucky until former owner Jerry Carroll drops his lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation.

Smith also said he has a way to liven-up the 2009 NASCAR season. He wants Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson to punch someone. Smith offered to take the punch himself, and also offered up Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage as a sacrificial punching bag. No word on whether Johnson will accept the offer.

Gilliland Appears Out At Yates Racing

Hall of Fame and Yates Racing have confirmed a pair of owners' point transfers that put the status of driver David Gilliland in serious doubt for 2009.

The team says that Bobby Labonte and his new #96 Ford will use the owner points accumulated by Gilliland and the #38 car last season, while Paul Menard’s #98 Fusion will benefit from an owner points transfer from the No. 28 driven last year by Travis Kvapil. A press release issued by the team said Kvapil will begin the season as a “fresh entry” in the No. 28 Yates Racing Ford, having to qualify on time for the first five races of the season.

New Sponsor For Stremme: Penske Racing announced today that they will field a full-season NASCAR Nationwide Series entry for 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Justin Allgaier, with sponsorship from Verizon Wireless.

The team also announced that it will unveil a new color scheme on David Stremme’s #12 Dodge at next month’s Daytona 500. No new sponsor was announced, but language in NASCAR’s contract with title sponsor Sprint bars Verizon from rebranding its Alltel sponsorship on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

And Finally: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was apparently not amused by Memphis Motorsports Park’s offer of a lifetime supply of barbeque ribs in exchange for him racing in the track’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race this season.

Earnhardt said, “Those kind of deals kind of get under your skin a little bit, because obviously I haven't raced there since 1999, and I probably won't be going back there any time soon. They just used my name to try to sell tickets and try to start some gimmick."

He also expressed unhappiness that the track plugged a restaurant that supports the speedway, rather than his favorite rib joint, Rendezvous.

2009 Season Could Be Michael Waltrip's Last As A Driver

Michael Waltrip said this weekend that if his on-track performance does not improve, this could be his final season as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.

Waltrip said, “My goal is to go win some races this year (and) run up front, so that I don't have to say this is my last year. But if I don't do those things, if I can't compete at the level that Reutimann does -- or NAPA expects -- then I probably won't get to do this again in 2010."

Waltrip finished 29th in the 2008 championship chase, with one Top-5 and two Top-10 finishes in 36 starts. He had a best finish of second ibn the rain-shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire on June 29th, behind winner Kurt Busch. He also qualified on the outside pole for last year's Daytona 500. Reutimann, meanwhile, finished 22nd in points, with four Top-10 finishes and a Coors Light Pole.

“This is a real important year for me, because I still love it," said Waltrip. "I'm still emotional about it. That's a great feeling, (and) I'm glad I have that. I'm glad I feel the way I do, and I'm also glad that I own my car, because if this is my last year, then I'm fine, because that means I got somebody faster or better than me to drive my car in 2010.”

Triad Racing Technologies "Highly Unlikely" To Continue As Race Team In 2009

Three weeks after saying they would race in the Daytona 500, Triad Racing Technologies owners Bill Held and Marty Gaunt now say they will not take part in the 2009 season-opener, unless a major sponsor can be found.

Instead, they told SceneDaily.com that they will focus on providing chassis and engines to other teams.

“We don’t need to be there," said Held of the team formerly known as Bill Davis Racing. "We need to have the best package on the race track, and that is the package of chassis and engines that can win races for our customers. You don’t want to get into a situation, especially in this economic climate, where you put yourself or your employees at risk; where you try to do something because your heart says so (when) the finances dictate otherwise.”

“We don’t have a sponsor for the Cup program, so it doesn’t look like we’re going to put a race car on the track for the Cup series.”

Gaunt, meanwhile, refused to totally rule-out a Daytona 500 effort, calling it “highly unlikely."

“At this time, we haven’t said…absolutely not,” Gaunt said. “We’re saying it’s highly unlikely that we’re going to make Daytona, or have a car participate in the series next year.”

If Triad’s #22 Toyota does not compete at Daytona, the door would be open for Scott Speed to take part in the 2009 Budweiser Shootout. Speed’s Red Bull Racing entry finished 35th in 2008 owner points, and would inherit the newly announced “wildcard” slot for Toyota.

UPDATE: Robby Approved For Bud Shootout

Sirius Speedway spoke to NASCAR representative Ramsey Poston today, and he confirmed that Robby Gordon is approved to run the Budweiser Shootout in a Dodge, before converting to Toyota for the remainder of Speedweek 2009. Gordon ran Dodges last season, but will campaign a Toyota in 2009. Both manufacturers have apparently signed-off on the arrangement.

It is difficult to imagine why Dodge would approve of the deal, since it bumps Penske Racing’s Sam Hornish --a full-time Dodge driver in 2009 -- out of the race.

The ruling also raises some potentially explosive scenearios. For instance, Chip Ganassi’s #42 car finished 25th in owners points last year, running as a Dodge. Based on Gordon's eligibility, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing could presumably build a Dodge and put Juan Pablo Montoya into the Shootout, bumping AJ Allmendinger.

Verrrrrry interesting.

McCreadie Hurt In Chili Bowl Prelim Crash

2006 champion Tim McCreadie was injured during Wednesday’s second night of qualifying for the 23rd annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway.

McCreadie, a former World of Outlaws Late Model champion and dirt modified standout, was leading his qualifying race when a boken rear axle sent him flipping over the catch fence. He was removed from the car by emergency medical technicians and transported to a local hospital, where doctors diagnosed a fractured thoracic (T3) vertebra and floating bone fragments in his spine. McCreadie was fitted for a back and neck brace yesterday, and reportedly faces a lengthy recovery.

Amazingly, McCreadie reportedly does not have health insurance.

"Pepsi Steve" Buhala and the Sirius Speedway/Pepsi sim racer claimed their first win of the season last night at Michigan's Kalamazoo Speedway. Congratulations Steve!

"Bouncing Bobby" Ends Up At Yates Racing

Just days after published reports had him heading to Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing’s #8 Chevrolet for 2009, Bobby Labonte is set to drive the # 96 Ford for Yates Racing.

Labonte’s #96 will be one of three cars fielded by Yates Racing this season, apparently leaving either Travis Kvapil or David Gilliland out of a ride. Sources close to the team tell Sirius Speedway that Gilliland will likely become the odd-man-out, with Labonte utilizing the 28th-place owner points accumulated by Gilliland's #38 Ford last season. Paul Menard has already been confirmed to drive the #98 Menard’s Ford for the team, beginning at Daytona next month.

As Sirius Speedway first reported Monday, Labonte’s new entry will be sponsored by Ask.com in at least 18 races. Ask.com has also inked a deal to be the “official search engine of NASCAR."

Today’s news marks the end of a hectic few months for Labonte, who parted company with Petty Enterprises at the end of last season, just months after signing a contract extension. He was widely reported to be negotiating with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing to drive either the #41 or #8 Chevrolet, but those negotiations ended almost immediately once news of the Yates/Hall Of Fame Racing alliance began to circulate. In fact, my sources say that Labonte phoned Earnhardt-Ganassi officials late yesterday morning to inform them of his decision, and to cancel a lunch meeting scheduled to discuss his move to the Earnhardt-Ganassi #8.

Officials at Yates Racing have declined to comment on either their newly announced alliance or Labnte's signing, apparently preferring to make a formal statement during NASCAR’s annual preseason media tour next week. Hall of Fame's Tom Garfinkle said, “We’ve been working closely with Ask.com for several weeks now. With our new Yates partnership, and having a true champion and class person in Bobby Labonte behind the wheel, we’re expecting great things on the race track.”

Labonte said, “I’m excited to be part of what Ask.com is bringing to our sport. In a time like this, it’s great to see a sponsor come in with technology and ideas that will help all of the competitors in NASCAR, and enhance the experience for all of our fans, no matter which driver or team they cheer for."

In a strange twist, Labonte's decision to drive for Yates Racing could pave the way for Aric Almirola to steer the Earnhardt-Ganassi #8 Chevrolet, after all.

Yates To Field HOF #96 In 2009

Yates Racing and Hall of Fame Racing have announced that their two teams will align in 2009, with Yates operating the No. 96 NASCAR Sprint Cup car. The deal is not a merger. Doug Yates and Max Jones will continue as co-owners of Yates Racing, while Tom Garfinkel and Jeff Moorad will continue at the helm of Hall of Fame. However, the No. 96 will run as a Ford Fusion this season, fielded out of the Yates Racing complex in Concord, N.C.

No driver was announced for the #96 Ford. Yates currently had three drivers in its stable last season; Travis Kvapil, David Gilliland and Paul Menard. Only Menard’s #98 is believed to be sponsored for 2009.

A press release issued by the team late Tuesday said that Yates will field three cars this season, without outlining the individual car numbers or drivers. The #96 was 39th in owners points last season, and will have to qualify on speed for at least the first five races of the season.

Hall Of Fame’s Garfinkle said of the move, “Jeff Moorad and I knew it would take time to construct the right model to improve our competitive position in the sport, and we think we’ve come a long way to achieving that through our association with Yates Racing.”

Yates Racing’s Jones called the alliance, “a great stepping stone for the Yates organization,” saying it will allow the team to expand its shop and field an additional Sprint Cup entry.

The release did not mention sponsorship, but Hall of Fame Racing is believed to have partial backing from DLP HDTV for this season. Sirius Speedway reported Monday that the Yates/HOF alliance will soon announce additional sponsorship from Ask.com.

Labonte Now Headed To #8?

The latest version of the Bobby Labonte saga has the former Sprint Cup Series champion moving to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, but at the wheel of the team’s #8 Chevrolet.

Until very recently, the expected 2009 Earnhardt-Ganassi lineup featured Martin Truex Jr. in the #1 Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya in the #42, Aric Almirola in the #8 and possibly Labonte in the #41. Now, however, sources say that Montoya may be moved to the #41 with sponsorship from Target and Wrigley’s, with Labonte steering the #8 with new sponsorship and crewchief Doug Randolph atop the pit box. Almirola will reportedly drive the #41 car in only a limited schedule, beginning with next month’s Daytona 500. More races could be added if additional sponsorship is found.

Almirola admitted that the idea has been discussed, saying, “If we have to run three cars, it may be a possibility, but it is not our goal. It is something they have kicked around. But really and truly, we want to run four cars.”

Since the DEI and Ganassi teams merged, there has been widespread speculation about the future of the team’s upper management; notably DEI’s John Story and Max Siegel. Now, it appears that Siegel may be looking for a new job.

DEI’s President of Global Operations did not directly address reports of his impending departure, but spoke of his job in the past tense to ESPN.com last weekend. Siegel said, "This has been a great opportunity and I have always been committed to doing what's in the best interests of the sport and the company. I am currently in discussions with Teresa about how I can have the most positive impact on the future of DEI."

And Finally: There is speculation this week that Hall of Fame Racing may be negotiating with Yates Racing to form a technical and/or economic alliance for the 2009. HOF ended a similar technical deal with Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of last season, and owners Jeff Moorad and Tom Garfinkle have said little about the coming season other than that they plan to race in the Daytona 500. Yates Racing currently works closely with Roush-Fenway Racing; a relationship that is not expected to change. The Hall Of Fame/Yates Racing pact could include backing from a new sponsor; internet website Ask.com.