2009 Cobo Cup

Welcome all to the Year 2009. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a fun, safe New Years Eve.

It is 2009 and only 15 days until the official release of the 2009 Cobo Cup pick sheet and 41 days until the 2009 Daytona 500. There will again be 8 categories to choose a driver/team from with only 2 rookies to choose from in the rookie category. As of now there are 40 fulltime teams but a ton of sponsor problems so be very careful when picking this years team.

I am still waiting to hear about the future of the #41, 22, 10 and 96 cars/teams. Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Paul Menard are all starting in new teams.

Here is some news on the top 35 in Owners points changes: The #10 GEM Dodge that was 37th in points will move into the top 35 guaranteed a spot in the field because the two DEI cars lost in the [DEI-Ganassi, #15 and #01 teams] merger have been eliminated from the top 35. The #47 car that will be driven by Marcos Ambrose for JTG-Daugherty moved from 36th to 34th. Also the #22 Bill Davis Racing team is 31st in OWNERS points, reports have the return of this team in doubt, if the #22 does not return, #77-Sam Hornish Jr’s team moves up to 35th. If the #22 team does come back in 2009, Penske Racing may switch the #2 and #77 OWNERS points [again] to give the #77 the first five races guaranteed and #2-Busch would have the past champions provisional to use BUT the risk there, is that #14-Tony Stewart is out of the top-35 and would have the past champions provisional to use and would get it over Busch since he won the Championship most recently.

A.J. Allmendinger (replacing Elliott Sadler in the #19 car) will join Kasey Kahne in the flagship #9 GEM Dodge and newcomer Reed Sorenson, who will pilot the #43 Dodge following the imminent announcement of the merger between owner George Gillett and Richard Petty.

Here is a sneak peek at this years unofficial category #1:

(1) 3 Time Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Home Improvement/Kobalt Tools car. No changes known for 2009. Johnson, Knaus and Lowe’s signed thru 2010.

(2) 2008 runner up in the drivers standings driver Carl Edwards of the #99 Aflac/Subway/Claritin car. Office Depot leaves after 2008. Aflac takes over as the full time sponsor. No word if DISH Network or Claritin will return to sponsor a few races. Edwards is signed thru 2011.

(3) Greg Biffle driver of the #16 3M Roush Fenway Racing Ford. Biffle signed a 3-year extension with Roush in June. 3M will be back for three years, no word on how many races. No word if DISH Network will return in 2009. Roush needs to trim down to four teams from five AFTER the 2009 season.

(4) Kevin Harvick driver of the #29 Shell/Pennzoil/Reese’s/Hershey Foods Chevy. No word on any changes. Harvick is signed with RCR thru 2009 and could be a hot free agent for 2010.

(5) Jeff Burton driver of the #31 Caterpillar/Lenox Industrial Tools/Prilosec Chevy. Caterpillar takes over for AT&T who has to leave after 2008 when the AT&T NASCAR / Sprint lawsuit was settled in 2007. Caterpillar moves over after a long-time sponsorship of the #22 Bill Davis Racing team. RCR adds a 4th team in 2009. No word on Prilosec and Lenox sponsorships.

There you have it. The 5 drivers teams that will be posted in your #1 category for 2009. Check back tomorrow for the 2nd unofficial 2009 Cobo Cup pick sheet category.

Jimbo