Ryan Newman will be announced as driver of the No. 4 Chevrolets for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009 on Friday says The Charlotte Observer. Sources confirmed Wednesday that Newman would join Tony Stewart in driving for the team next season. Stewart’s representatives announced Wednesday that the team’s second driver would be introduced at a 10:30 a.m. news conference Friday at Michigan International Speedway, the site for this weekend’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races. Newman’s decision leaves open his former ride at Penske, Stewart’s current spot at Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 33 ride, a fourth team being added at Richard Childress Racing. Joey Logano is expected to replace Stewart in the No. 20 at JGR.
Add Dale Earnhardt Inc. to the teams returning to the Chevrolet banner in 2008. On Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevy and DEI announced intentions to continue a partnership with the four-car Nextel Cup operation for the forseeable future. Among those present at the news conference were DEI’s five drivers - Mark Martin, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Aric Almirola - along with team owner Teresa Earnhardt. Chevrolet previously announced extended partnerships with Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. Another long-time Chevy team - Joe Gibbs Racing - announced earlier this season plans to switch to Toyota for 2008.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be in the No. 88 Chevrolet when he moves to Hendrick Motorsports next season, the team announced Wednesday. Earnhardt’s car will be sponsored by Pepsi, with the company’s Mountain Dew soft drink and Amp Energy drink featured on the car. The National Guard will also be involved in the sponsorship. The No. 88 was retired by Robert Yates Racing, which asked NASCAR to transfer the number to Hendrick for Earnhardt.
“Ralph Earnhardt drove the No. 88 Oldsmobile in 1957 and because of this number’s history with the Earnhardt family, I felt car No. 88 should continue with Dale Earnhardt Jr.,” Robert Yates said in a statement. “Younger fans don’t realize I built cars and raced against Ralph. I also had a very close relationship with Dale Earnhardt Sr. I’m proud to transfer this number to Dale Jr.”
AT&T, NASCAR and Sprint apparently have settled the lawsuit involving the primary sponsorship logos on the #31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. With NASCAR approval, the AT&T logos were being put on the car of Jeff Burton on Friday afternoon at Richmond International Raceway. Details of the settlement were not immediately released.
Chevrolet, the winningest nameplate in NASCAR, will continue its partnership with championship team Hendrick Motorsports in NASCAR competition in 2008 and beyond. In 23 years (1984-2006) of NASCAR competition,
Hendrick Motorsports has garnered six Nextel Cup Series (formerly Winston Cup) championships, three Craftsman Truck Series titles and one Busch Series crown, making it one of stock-car racing’s premier organizations. Rick Hendrick is the only team owner in NASCAR’s modern era to earn more than 150 Cup Series victories and is currently at 160 Cup wins - all of them coming in Chevrolets. Hendrick Motorsports’ win at the first “Car of Tomorrow” race at Bristol earlier this year also earned Chevrolet its first Impala SS win and Chevy’s 600th win in NASCAR Cup competition.
The four full-time NASCAR Cup teams of Hendrick Motorsports slated to run in 2008 include four-time champion Jeff Gordon in the #24 DuPont Chevy; Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Lowe’s Chevy; Casey Mears in the #5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy; and new addition Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has only driven Chevrolets in his NASCAR career.
Joe Gibbs Racing has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday and several published reports say the team will announce it has signed a deal to field Toyotas in the Nextel Cup series. The reports, citing unidentified sources, said JGR will end its 16-year relationship with General Motors and give Toyota its first big name team in Cup. Team officials refused comment on the report Thursday but did confirm the news conference and that drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin are expected to be at the announcement.
The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Nextel Cup Series veteran Mark Martin and rookie Aric Almirola will become the drivers of Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s No. 8 Chevrolet next season, the Observer has learned. Martin and Almirola, who drive the No. 01 that was acquired by DEI through a merger with Ginn Racing earlier this season, are also expected to be joined by sponsor Army next season in the No. 8, multiple sources said Thursday.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be taking his familiar No. 8 with him to Hendrick Motorsports next season. Although teams do not own numbers - they are leased through NASCAR - DEI had the first right of refusal on the No. 8, and Hendrick officials said Wednesday they were unable to reach an agreement that would have made DEI pass on choosing the number for 2008. Hendrick officials didn’t reveal what number Earnhardt will use when he starts his five-year deal with the team next season. His sponsor has also not been announced, but Hendrick officials said Budweiser will not be on his car.
Earnhardt is widely recognized with his red Bud car and number, so this turn of events will give him a fresh new look next season. But having to part with his grandfather’s number was difficult. “Our hope was to carry the No. 8 with Dale Jr. to his new team, but the last proposal Hendrick Motorsports received from DEI just wasn’t viable,” said Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, his sister and business manager. “It was a difficult decision, but all of us agreed that it was best to move in another direction,” she said. “There’s disappointment, of course, but we look forward to working with Hendrick Motorsports on what will be a great program for Dale Jr. and his fans in 2008.”
Joe Gibbs Racing has signed 22-year-old Kyle Busch to drive for the No. 18 team in Nextel Cup beginning in 2008. Busch will take over for J.J. Yeley, current driver of the No. 18 Chevrolet, following the conclusion of the 2007 season. He’ll begin preseason testing as a teammate to two-time Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart and 2006 Nextel Cup rookie of the year Denny Hamlin.
The 2008 season will mark Busch’s fourth full season in Nextel Cup. He currently competes for Hendrick Motorsports, where he ran a six-race schedule in 2004 before joining the series full time in 2005. Busch continues to showcase his skills in 2007. He currently sits eighth in points with a March win at Bristol Motor Speedway highlighting his five top-fives and 12 top-10s, and he appears poised to make a repeat appearance in this year’s Chase for the Nextel Cup.
With the rumors of Kyle Busch signing with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet, it has left many wonder about the future of J.J. Yeley. Yeley’s agent, Kyle Chapman, said there is currently no signed deal between his client and Wood Brothers/JTG Racing, and that Yeley is in discussion with a number of teams about possible rides for next season. But sources with knowledge of the situation say Yeley will indeed be out of the No. 18 next season, and behind the wheel of the No. 21 Ford.