Much has happened since Jimmie Johnson was crowned champ in Homestead just a few weeks ago, and now that we’re in the thick of the NFL playoffs with the Super Bowl less than three weeks away, Speed Week is already almost upon us, but what will the scene be when the cars unload and engines fire. Here’s some of the changes and issues that we will be talking about when Daytona comes alive in just four weeks.
First, the end of a legend is upon us. No matter how one might spin the subject, Richard Petty’s active role in NASCAR is over. Sure, in theory, Petty Enterprises merged with Gillette-Evernham, but it’s more of a buy-out than a merger. Gillette-Evernham gets to run the #43 car and use the Petty name for marketing purposes, but the old family business is no more. Just ask an angry Kyle Petty who was all but eased out when the Boston investors bought into the company.
Bill Davis racing is history. Perhaps someone buying the team can construct something, but it looks like Dale Blaney could wind up with the new Tommy Baldwin racing.
Where will Bobby Labonte wind up? Talk is he could be in the #8 ride with Earnhardt-Ganassi. How will that shotgun wedding play out with Juan Montoya, Martin Truex, and Aric Almirola and ride allocation. Apparently, there has been little sponsor interest in the #8 ride with Almirola, hence Bobby Labonte, a good guy and former champion to the rescue.
The Legendary Wood Brothers are poised to do business by coaxing Bill Elliot out of retirement for a part time schedule of maybe twelve races. The #21 car is one for the history books. How delightful it would be to see them score a top ten or two.
The biggest excitement has to be the creation of the Stewart/Haas team with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman establishing a new dynamic duo running Henndricks equipment. The challenges are enormous but so is the talent.
While neither the #28 or #38 cars have sponsorship for Yates racing, welcome Paul Menard in the #98 car sponsored by Menards. Yates raced respectably last year despite the constant sponsor chase with Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland.
Richard Childress has one team in growth mode going to four full time rides as Cheerios/General Mills sponsorship goes to the new #33 team which will be piloted by chase contender, Clint Bowyer. Meanwhile, Hendricks cast-off, Casey Mears, mans the Whiskey Ride, Jack Daniels #07.
Robby Gordon switches manufacturers again going to Toyota. Hopefully they’ll send the right parts unlike his switch from Ford to Dodge last year.
Lots of eyes will be on rookie, Joey Legano, who looked brilliant in Busch, but way over matched in his Cup audition. The Gibbs team will look to be stronger in the Chase considering how dominating Kyle Busch was during the regular season.
Finally, our sentimental favorite is Mark Martin racing full-time in the #5 car, the Corn Flakes Box, for Hendricks.
Make no mistake, the economy and the dark cloud hanging over the domestic auto industry will cast a huge shadow over all of NASCAR, perhaps more on the lower series than Sprint Cup. It’s not a long shot to say the Dodge brand name might not exist by the end of the 2009 season. Ford and especially general motors have tough challenges getting their corporations righted during the current recession. Even Toyota lost business in 2008. Sponsorship dollars will be harder to come by as will butts in the seats at race tracks around America.
Still, once the green flag drops to begin the Daytona 500, the competition will be what matters and 2009 should be a very entertaining season with some great stories to tell. Betting money would be on a champ from Gibbs, Hendricks, or Roush, but what will Childress have to offer as he had three cars in the chase in ’08. How will the dynamic duo of Stewart and Newman fare with a hot new team.
OOPS, ONE MORE THING.... could anyone write about Sprint Cup without mentioning “junior.” Here’s our take. Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed much potential in 2008 and got one monkey off his back winning in Michigan in June, but there were far too many races where silly mistakes and lack of communication with the pits, his cousin, Tony Eury Jr., cost the team dearly. They must iron out those problems and focus. From our standpoint, we love Junior, but 2009 is the “No Excuses” tour for the #88 car.
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