Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009

No. 8 Earnhardt-Ganassi team to return in 2010? Dustin Long is
reporting, The folks at Dale Earnhardt Inc. are working at bringing
the No. 8 car to both the Nationwide and Cup series next year. The
plan would be for Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of Dale, to drive the
No. 8 car in the Nationwide series and have that team based out of the
DEI shops in Mooresville, N.C. If sponsorship can be found, the No. 8
car would return to Cup and be based out of the Earnhardt Ganassi
Racing shop in Cocord, N.C. "We do have plans to bring the No. 8 car
back for next season,'' Jeff Steiner executive VP and general manager
at DEI, told me Wednesday afternoon. "We are working with a number of
sponsors. It's not a for sure deal. We haven't announced that we are
officially bringing it back. .. I don't think we would see anything
with the No. 8 car at the Sprint Cup level in 2009. I think based
where we're at with sponsor discussions, I don't foresee that
happening this year, but it is one of our aspirations to get that car
back on the track together with the No. 1 and the No. 42.'' So, would
the No. 8 come back fulltime or would it be acceptable to bring it
back part time in 2010?"I think we would consider something part
time,'' Steiner told me. "In today's economy and today's NASCAR, we
need to look at all potential opportunities to get either young
developmental drivers or other people out on the track and if we have
an opportunity to do that and get the No. 8 back on the track in 2010,
I think we would certainly consider that. As for Jeffrey Earnhardt:
"That would be something we would be looking at running him in an No.
8 fulltime in the Nationwide level,'' Steiner said. "We're still
working on sponsorships. Our intention ... having him in a family
number. I think we're hopeful (of a fulltime schedule for Jeffrey).
We're pretty bullish on that potential for 2010."(Roanoke Times)
http://www.gnextinc.com/nascar/news/earnhardt_ganassi_racing.html

Sprint Cup drivers test at Daytona International Speedway: Five NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series drivers wrapped up a two-day Goodyear tire test on
Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway. In between rain showers,
drivers shook down tires for Goodyear in advance of the 52nd annual
Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14. "I think the Goodyear tires the last
year or two have been pretty competitive," David Ragan said after the
first day of testing. "We haven't had any issues with them. It's just
a deal where Goodyear tries to fine tune on their tires and
combinations to make it right. I'm sure this won't be the last (test)
before the Daytona 500 in February." Ragan participated in last
September's Goodyear tire test at Daytona while Joey Logano and Marcos
Ambrose were among a group of drivers who tested tires in May. "We
tried a lot of different tires," Logano said. "I think we had about
five or six different ones that we put on, just trying different
things that Goodyear has come up with. We had some good ones and some
that weren't as good. You pick what you want and I'm sure they'll
change a few things. I know they are going to come back here again and
do some drafting." The test gave Brad Keselowski his first opportunity
to work with his new No. 12 team for the 2010 season. Keselowski, who
competes for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will join
Penske in 2010 for his first full Sprint Cup Series season.(DIS PR)
http://www.gnextinc.com/nascar/news/testing.html

Montoya on Sprint Cup Chase: There's no holding back, nothing:
Apparently, Juan Pablo Montoya has forgiven. But he hasn't forgotten.
Montoya was visibly and vocally angry at the way Mark Martin blocked
him during the final two laps of last Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race
at New Hampshire. Martin held on and won the opening race of the Chase
for the Sprint Cup Championship, and Montoya, his car's momentum
stalled, dropped to third place behind Denny Hamlin. "I wasn't the
happiest guy," Montoya said this week as he began preparations for
round two of the Chase on Sunday at Dover. "It's fun when you do it to
someone else, but it's not when they do it to you. But it's part of
it. "Mark did an awesome race and did what he had to do to win the
race." As did Montoya. He won the pole and led a race-high 105 of the
300 laps. It wasn't enough to give him his first victory since 2007,
but he jumped from 11th place in the Chase standings to fourth. "For
the Chase ... there's no holding back, nothing," said Montoya. (KC
Star)
http://www.gnextinc.com/nascar/drivers/news/juan_pablo_montoya.html

FedEx Racing takes part in American Red Cross event in Philadelphia:
FedEx Racing, sponsor of Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota, will join the
American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania this week, welcoming
Philadelphia-area students on Thursday for the Race to Prepare, an
event that stresses disaster preparedness through the building of a
disaster kit and preparedness education. As part of the company's
commitment to supporting disaster preparedness and relief efforts
around the world, and in celebration of the long-term relationship
with the organization, FedEx will be making a donation to the local
American Red Cross chapter.(FedEx Racing PR)
http://www.gnextinc.com/nascar/drivers/news/denny_hamlin.html

Humpy Wheeler: Teams should reduce budget: Humpy Wheeler says NASCAR
needs to accelerate efforts to cut costs. He says if a team's annual
budget could be reduced "to around $8 million, finding sponsors and
keeping them would be much better. "All motorsports, because of its
reliance on advertisers, has found this year that we are in an
incredible fight for marketing dollars," Wheeler says. "In the past we
were considered a bargain when compared to network TV and major
magazine rates. As the costs of racing escalated, that has all
changed. We must adjust to it because if we get the price right we are
still a very attractive buy." (USA Today)
http://www.gnextinc.com/nascar/news/misc.html

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