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Carl Edwards gave it all
he had, leading the most laps and
winning, but he could not overcome the
points lead of Jimmie Johnson in the
final Nascar Sprint Cup Series race
Sunday at Homestead Speedway. Carl won
the final Nascar Nationwide Series race
on Saturday, but again came up short on
the points as Clint Bowyer claimed the
series title.
But the most exciting title chase
culminated Friday night as Johnny Benson
managed to win the Nascar Craftsman
Truck series championship by a mere 7
points over Ron Hornaday. Coming into
Friday’s final race of the season,
Benson had a mere 3 point advantage over
Hornaday, but Benson gambled when a
caution came out with 10 to go. The Bill
Davis Racing team decided to stay out
while Hornaday pitted for four fresh
tires. The track position proved to be
the right decision as Benson restarted
eight with Hornaday thirteenth, but when
the checkered flag flew, it was Benson
in seventh and Hornaday in eighth.
The 2008 season is now in the books and
it is time to look forward to 2009. The
big picture shows some huge changes in
store for next year. I reported earlier
that Nascar was scraping their plans to
expand testing for 2009, this past week
it was announced that there would be a
ban on all testing at any Nascar
sanctioned tracks next year.
So what are some of the team changes to
look for in 2009? Here is a preview of
what it appears will happen.
Tony Stewart moves to the new Stewart
Haas Racing as a part owner, driving the
#14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy. He
will be joined by new teammate Ryan
Newman in the #39 US Army Chevy.
Joey Logano moves up to the #20 Home
depot car to replace Stewart at Joe
Gibbs Racing, while David Stremme moves
over from Rusty Wallace Racing in the
Nationwide Series to replace Newman in
the #12 at Penske Racing.
Chip Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt
Incorporated join forces to create the
new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with four
teams. #1 Martin Truex, #8 Aric Almirola,
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya and a yet unnamed
driver in the #41. It is unknown at this
time what manufacturer they will align
with, but all bets are on Chevy. It also
appears at this time that only Bass Pro
Shops on the #1 is a signed sponsor for
2009.
Reed Sorenson leaves the #41 from
Ganassi to take over the #10 at Gillett
Evernham Motorsports.
Paul Menard leaves DEI and the #15 and
moves with his family sponsorship to the
#98 Menards Ford at Yates racing.
Mark Martin, movers from a part time
ride at DEI to what is expected to be a
one year deal with Hendrick Motor Sports
in the #5 with a serious effort to claim
that ever illusive championship for
Mark.
Casey Mears, who was released to make
room for Martin, moves to Richard
Childress Racing, taking over the #07
car as Clint Bowyer moves to the RCR #33
car with General Mills/Cheerios
sponsorship.
Marcos Ambrose moves up from the
Nationwide Series to Sprint Cup in the
#47 of JTG Daugherty Racing (using the
points from the MWR #00) with Bush’s
Baked Beans, of Knoxville, Tn as the
sponsor.
David Reutimann remains with MWR but
moves back to the #00, taking the
#44 points with him.
Chad McCumbee is slated to run a full
season for Petty Enterprises/Boston
Ventures in the #44 Dodge with possible
sponsorship from Marathon Oil.
Kyle Petty has expressed his displeasure
with Boston Ventures and their plans to
run Kyle in a very limited part time
schedule in the #45.
You can contact
Joe at
joedunn@speedwaymedia.com
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