2009 Silly Season

[RaceFanStan]

Silly Season is in full-swing for 2009, here is what we know so far ...
Movers & Shakers :
Tony Stewart
leaves # 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for HIS own #14 Chevrolet (was #70)
buys 50% of Haas CNC Racing to become Stewart-Haas Racing
adds Old Spice & Office Depot as sponsors

Ryan Newman
leaves Penske Racing #12 Dodge to join Stewart-Haas Racing #39 Chevrolet (was #66)

David Stremme
returns to Cup racing with full-time Penske Racing #12 Alltel Dodge for 2009

Joey Logano
promoted from Nationwide Series to Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Home Depot Toyota

Reed Sorenson
says good-bye to Ganassi Racing #41 & moves to Gillett Evernam Motorsports
number, sponsor, etc unknown, will drive #10 or a 4th GEM car

Casey Mears
OUT of Hendrick Motorsports #5 (Mark Martin's "new" ride in 2009)
to Richard Childress Racing #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet

Clint Bowyer
gets OUT of the Richard Childress Racing #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet
stays @ Richard Childress Racing but moves to #33 (RCR 4th car)
with General Mills sponsorship but with NO owner points

Mark Martin
leaves part-time duties in Dale Earnhardt Inc #8 Chevrolet
to full season @ Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevrolet, multi-year deal

Aric Almirola
from part-time duties to full-time in Dale Earnhardt Inc #8 Chevrolet

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/n.jpg

Contract Extensions :
Carl Edwards
3 year extension with Roush Fenway Racing #99 Aflac Ford

Greg Biffle
through 2011 with Roush Fenway Racing, will drive the #16 3M Ford

Bobby Labonte
4 more years with Petty Enterprises #43 Dodge (looking for sponsor)

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/n.jpg

LOOKING for a ride :
A J Allmendinger
is in Red Bull #84 Toyota but will not be there in 2009

Tony Raines
was in HOFL Racing #96 Toyota but will not be there in 2009

Scott Riggs
is in Haas #66 Chevrolet but will not be there in 2009 (see Ryan Newman)

Johnny Sauter
is in Haas #70 Chevrolet but will not be there in 2009 (see Tony Stewart)

Jacques Villeneuve
was in BDR #27 Toyota but team shut-down

Scott Wimmer
out of RCR's 4th Cup team for 2009 (see Clint Bowyer)

J J Yeley
was in HOFL Racing #96 Toyota but will not be there in 2009 (already gone)

Ken Schrader
was in BAM #49 Dodge but team shut-down (BAM may return in 2009)

NOTE : Dario Franchitti has already went back to the IRL full-time

let's try to keep up to date with the changes coming in 2009 ...

[Jonesi]

AJ Allmendinger is out of #84 Redbull. (Rumored to be going to #41 Target, and Scott Speed to replace him in #84.)

[tstran17_88]

I know this is probably a mute point, but Scott Speed hasn't been confirmed yet, has he?

[MD24]

I know this is probably a mute point, but Scott Speed hasn't been confirmed yet, has he?

Speed might replace AJ Allmendinger this season
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/09/24/sspeed.lms.test/index.html

[MD24]

Also looking for a ride : Patrick Carpentier

[Jonesi]

I know this is probably a mute point, but Scott Speed hasn't been confirmed yet, has he?

Not yet, that's why I labeled that part of it rumor and put it in "( )".

[RaceFanStan]

Also looking for a ride : Patrick Carpentier
Is there anyone who didn't see that coming ??? :s

[carracing]

You can see why they call it a "silly" season. You need a score card just to keep up - thanks for posting one! SO much movement in this series. *sigh*

[JasonD]

Is there anyone who didn't see that coming ??? :s

Im actually surprised it took this long.

[MD24]

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/09/30/pmenard.dei.yates.official/index.html

[MD24]

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/09/30/mskinner.aallmendinger.sspeed.red.bull/index.html

[Jonesi]

If you've been waiting for silly season to get silly, it just happened. Jayski reporting that there are rumors that Rusty is considering unretiring to drive for DEI!

[tstran17_88]

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/09/30/pmenard.dei.yates.official/index.htmlBoost for Yates...he brings daddy's money.

[jeffmr2]

Has it been confirmed yet if Scott Speed is in the 84 car next year,i hope so. I also feel sorry for A.J. and thought red bull would have the budget for 3 cars no problem.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Stan, you forgot Carpentier, who is likely gone for good unless another team takes him. Gillete-Evernham is cutting him loose after the season because they cant get sponsors for him, and after missing Talledega, it was reported on "Sirius Speedway" today that Mike Shiplett was giving Carp hell for taking a low line that may have scrubbed off speed. Carp replied that this was BS and that his time was actually faster than Kahne or Sadler's and if he wasn't a go or go home car, this wouldn't be a conversation.

Whatever one might think of Gillet Evernham or Carpentier, chewing out a driver with the back door of the hauler open is unprofessional, and the fact that Carp was actually the faster of the three cars at a track that requires ZERO driving skill to qualify at shows that there is a reason this team is struggling. It is only Kahne's immense talent and ability that got him close to the top 12 this year.

Carpentier likely will not be back in Cup next year. Sponsorships are few and far between and Canadian drivers really struggle coming up with the money. I hope he personally can land a ride in Truck or the Nationwide series and work his way forward. He was in the deep end with a team that had no points to even get him into the first race, and losing qualifying 2 out of the first 4 weeks after Daytona really knocked that team on its back, yet he is now 37th in points and has only missed qualifying at tracks where it is more understandable and less about the driver, Bristol and Dega. He did get a pole....just he hasn't figured out how to work the car over a race and help make the changes. The guy is a personal favourite of minem and I have met him on occasion in his OW days so I am biased but I hope like hell he gets some success this season still...

[MD24]

Carpentier released from#10
Mike Wallace in this week and AJ Allmendinger will take over at Martinsville

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/8650646/Driver-Carpentier,-Gillett-Evernham-part-ways

[MD24]

Jack Sprague Out at KHI

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000019/001931.htm

[Mark in Oshawa]

MD...Sprague got a ride in the 60 not 24 hours later and now Terry Cook is rideless

[Jonesi]

Just announced on NascarNow, and on Jayski: Effective next week, MWR gives "44" number back to Petty (which will use it for their 2nd car next year with, probably Chad McCumbee driving & Kyle part time in #45) Reutimann and Owner Points move to #00. #00 team & OP becomes #47 with Marcos Ambrose driving as head start on MWR/JTG-Daugherty deal, (and I would guess what few OP the #47 has goes with #44 number.) Supposedly Nascar has already ok'd deal.

[Ghostwalker]

i read today that DTM/Audi's Mattias Ekström might be intrested in joining NASCAR for next season.

[Jonesi]

Just put up on Jayski, Joe Nemechek was released from his ride in #78 last week.

[colinspooky]

........... Talledega...............

..........at a track that requires ZERO driving skill.............



I did not know that

[RaceFanStan]

200+ mph, cars inches apart, 3 wide racing ...
ZERO driving skill for Talladega ???
I think that comment is in error !!! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/rolleyes.gif

As to qualifying for Talladega :
the teams that are in the top 35 concentrate on & qualify with their race set-up ...
while the go-or-go-home cars concentrate on their qualifying set-up.

[Speedworx]

I'm looking forward to 2009 and Casey in the #07.

I hope Allmendinger and Smith get a ride.

[Jonesi]

I'm looking forward to 2009 and Casey in the #07.

I hope Allmendinger and Smith get a ride.

The open Childress/Ganassi seat #41 will probably go to one of them. Then things get pretty tight. The cars that might be open, might also go away #22, #21, #96.

[RaceFanStan]

The open Childress/Ganassi seat #41 will probably go to one of them. ...
The #41 is a DEI/Ganassi car, Childress isn't in the mix.

[RaceFanStan]

Just put up on Jayski, Joe Nemechek was released from his ride in #78 last week.
Joe Nemechek will now also be looking for a Cup ride in 2009
Furniture Row Racing announced their plans for a limited 2009 Sprint Cup Series schedule (#78)
the team announced Friday (11-21-08) a contract buyout of its driver Joe Nemechek
FRR : ..." our contract with Joe for 2009 was for a full schedule and we're not able to fulfill that part of the deal."

Link :
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/11/21/jnemechek.furniture.row.buyout/index.html

[harvick#1]

who wants Joe Nemewreck anymore anyway :mark:

[Jonesi]

The #41 is a DEI/Ganassi car, Childress isn't in the mix.

Yeh, how did that happen? ;-) I was thinking Earnhardt but typed Childress instead.