Changes again…!

I can’t keep up this year. I have 3 days until I need to post the official 2009 Cobo Cup pick sheet and everytime I read news on upcoming teams/drivers NASCAR changes them.

Some news from www.jayski.com.

Gilliland out? David Gilliland appears to be the odd man out at Yates Racing, where the team says it will field three cars following its new partnership agreement with Hall of Fame Racing. Along with Paul Menard’s #98 [which supposedly would get the owners points from the #38] and Bobby Labonte’s #96, Travis Kvapil’s #28 team is expected to remain while Gilliland and the #38 appear to be out. “I just heard of the thing today, from the Internet, so that’s what I assume,” Gilliland said Wednesday afternoon. “I haven’t actually had a sit-down with them, but I’m still under contract with them through 2009. So we’re just going to have to work through it, and hopefully, we can get something else going.” Gilliland said he’s sorting through the contract and seeing what he’s able to do and what the next step could be, but he understands that the current economic climate makes it tough. He was “a little bit” shocked that he is now likely without a ride just a few weeks before the Daytona 500 and the start of the new Sprint Cup season. “It’s just kind of a bummer that it’s this late in the [offseason], you know?” he said. “We’ll just have to see what we can come up with and see what we can try and do.

Smith named to drive the #78 car: Furniture Row Racing announced Wednesday that Regan Smith, the 2008 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year, will drive the team’s #78 Chevy in 2009. The team is cutting back its schedule for 2009, but will still enter 12 Sprint Cup races, beginning with the Feb. 15 season opener: the Daytona 500. “Furniture Row Racing is thrilled to obtain the driving services of Regan, who is one of the bright young talents in NASCAR,” said team President and General Manager Joe Garone. “His competitiveness and enthusiasm on the track speak for itself. In addition, he is a good fit for not only our sponsor but any partners looking for strong corporate representation in the Sprint Cup Series.” Smith, 25, competed in 34 Cup events for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2008 and became the first NASCAR sprint cup rookie to finish every race he started. The Cato, N.Y. native (25 miles west of Syracuse) started his Cup career in 2007 as a part-time driver for Ginn Racing. He joined DEI in the middle of 2007 when DEI and Ginn merged their racing operations. “I look forward to continuing my career in the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevy,” said Smith. “Though it’s a single-car team that battles heavy odds against the mega multicar operations, the organization has always been highly respected in the garage for its use of some of the best equipment as well as an undying commitment to growing a winning team. That’s all a driver can ask for and I can’t wait to get to Daytona and compete in another superspeedway race.”
Team crew chief Jay Guy is also excited about Smith’s signing. “I look forward to continuing the growth of this Furniture Row team with Regan behind the wheel,” said Guy. “After racing against him in the Nationwide Series and seeing how much raw talent he has, I find myself both excited and optimistic for the 2009 season.

So this team looks like it is going to stay PART TIME!

Still no news on who will drive the #41 unsponsored Earnhardt/Ganassi Chevy.

Looks like Dave Blaney is headed to the new Tommy Baldwin team, no word who will drive the #22. Triad Racing Development, with Marty Gaunt and Mike Held are the new majority owners buying Bill Davis Racing Cup and Truck teams, Bill Davis will be available as a consultant, no word on the fate of driver Dave Blaney. Rumor has GEM buying Bill Davis Racing and switching from Dodge to Toyota. U.S. Army was rumored, but went to the #39 Stewart Haas Racing team. Caterpillar leaves to go to the #31 RCR team and Jeff Burton in 2009. No word on a new sponsor or if Blaney will return. BDR could also merge with Red Bull Racing.

The #10 team – Sammy Johns takes over as the crew chiewf (team director), Mike Shiplett moves to the #43 car. GEM & Petty Enterprises official merge. Sadler stays in the #19, Reed Sorenson goes to the #43. Allmendinger is scheduled to run this car part time unless a full sponsor is found, then it could be full-time. With Petty and GEM mergeing, Reed Sorenson heads to the #43, no word if there will be another driver in the #10 or if it will be run in 2009, much depends on finding a sponsor. If Petty and GEM merge, Labonte could leave and come the the #41 ride with Sorenson going to the #43 and Allmendinger in the #10. Rumor has GEM buying Bill Davis Racing and switching from Dodge to Toyota. Carpentier released in Oct after Talladega. Patrick Carpentier told he will not be back in the #10 in 2009. Sorenson was signed by GEM on Aug 26, 2008, looks like he will take over the #10 car, the Army could be Sorenson’s sponsor in 2009. GEM was supposed to decide by Aug 15th if Carpentier will return to the ride but asked for a few more weeks to decide, then Sorenson is now rumored to the ride for 2009. Newman had to been rumored to be talking to GEM but he went to Stewart Haas. McMurray looks to be out of #26 ride and could end up here. No word on sponsorship.

This team looks PART TIME as well.

So category #1 is official:
1 Jimmy Johnson 48
2 Carl Edwards 99
3 Greg Biffle 16
4 Kevin Harvick 29
10 Kyle Busch 18

Category #2 is official:
6 Jeff Burton 31
7 Jeff Gordon 24
8 Denny Hamlin 11
11 Matt Kenseth 17
12 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88

Category #3 is official:
13 David Ragan 6
21 Mark Martin 5
NT Tony Stewart 14
NT Ryan Newman 39
NT Clint Bowyer 33

Category #4 is official:
5 Casey Mears 07
15 Kasey Kahne 9
16 Martin Truex Jr. 1
17 Jamie McMurray 26
19 Kurt Busch 2

Category #5 is official:
20 Brian Vickers 83
24 Elliott Sadler 19
25 J.P. Montoya 42
26 David Reutimann 00
39 Bobby Labonte 96

Category #6 is official:
9 Joey Logano(rookie)20
14 Aric Almirola 8
18 David Stremme 12
22 Reed Sorenson 43
23 Travis Kvapil 28

Category #8 is official:
35 Scott Speed(rookie)82
36 Marcos Ambrose 47
38 Sam Hornish 77
NT Dave Blaney 36
NT Paul Menard 98

That leaves category #7. As you can see I filtered the 2 rookies in 2009 to category # 6 and #8.

Here is what I have so far for category #7:
28 David Gilliland? 38
29 Michael Waltrip 55
31 ? 22?
33 ? 41
34 Robby Gordon 7

Waltrip is in for his ride. Gordon is in for his ride. It all comes down to who drivers the #38 – Gilliland???? Who drives the #22 and #41 cars????

See you in 3 days. Check the website at www.cobocup.com Monday for the official pick sheet.

Good luck in 2009.

Remember that winning isn’t everything but it sure adds to the fun.

Jimbo