Will Joe and J. D. Gibbs have four Cup teams in 2009? It’s looking good. “I wouldn’t rule it out….but we’re in no hurry,” J. D. Gibbs says. “If everything lines up well, great. But if you don’t have all the parts there, don’t do it. “We’ve done this before. We’ve got the key guys already. Continue reading ‘Gibbs may expand to four teams in 2009′

Mark Martin has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009. Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the #5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy, becoming teammates with #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points. Continue reading ‘Martin announces 2 year deal with Hendrick in the No 5 Chevy’

John Menard, the wealthy businessman (Menards, the privately owned home improvements company), may be losing interest in NASCAR racing after so many years, according to sources. Continue reading ‘Reports: Menard maybe looking to move to Yates?’

Martin Truex Jr. was furious with his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team Thursday after was car was seized by NASCAR officials because it failed to fit the critical roof templates, which are keys to the aerodynamic performance of the car. The immediate effects were obvious enough:

Truex was forced to go to a backup after his primary car was taken prior to Thursday’s opening round of practice for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. His DEI team could not get the car ready in time to make the first of only two rounds of practice, which put Truex far behind the other drivers. Continue reading ‘Truex furious with DEI over impounded car’

In perhaps an early sign of manufacturer belt-tightening in stock car racing, Chevrolet will begin cutting back on its 12 track sponsorships in NASCAR, The Charlotte Observer and ThatsRacin.com have learned. Continue reading ‘Chevrolet won’t renew track sponsorships with NASCAR’

Kevin and DeLana Harvick have decided to table their plans to field a Top Fuel team in NHRA competition. In April, the Harvicks and NHRA veteran Bob Vandergriff Jr. said they were exploring such options. The proposed Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports would specialize in offering sponsors marketing opportunities in the NHRA and NASCAR’s top-three touring series - Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Trucks. Continue reading ‘Harvicks shelve plans for NHRA effort’

Tony Stewart has a few obstacles left before he officially can become a Sprint Cup team owner, but sponsorship isn’t one of them.

The two-time Cup champion has reached an agreement that would make Office Depot a primary sponsor on his car if he finalizes a deal with Haas CNC Racing, a source close to the negotiations said on Thursday. Continue reading ‘Report: Stewart secures sponsorship from Office Depot for potential Cup team’

As the shock of owner Chip Ganassi’s bailout rumbles through the NASCAR garage, the sense is that stock-car men are now waiting for another shoe to drop. If a man as business-savvy as Ganassi has to close up a shop and put 70 crewmen out of work, what else lies in store for the Sprint Cup tour this summer? Continue reading ‘NASCAR rumor mill in full force’

Between Travis Kvapil’s top-20 status in the points and David Gilliland’s second-place finish at Sonoma, it’s safe to say that Yates Racing has benefited from its alliance with Roush-Fenway Racing.

But has it benefited, from a sponsorship standpoint, in a way that skirts NASCAR’s car-limit rule? By the sanctioning body’s response to questions, it’s hard to tell. Continue reading ‘Loophole in NASCAR’s car limit rule for Roush-Fenway/Yates?’

Felix Sabates spoke with Claire B. Lang on “Dialed In” on XMSN (XM Channel 144) Tuesday evening about Dario Franchitti’s future with the team

CBL: You didn’t have a sponsor - people forget this team was unsponsored:

Sabates: “What happened to us - we kind of got hung out to dry by Coors. Coors was with me for almost ten years and they had a management change and the new people come over and told us don’t worry about it - ‘Don’t look for a sponsor; we’re going to be back with you in 2008, 2009.’ So, we never looked for any sponsors and come October they come and tell us well Coors is going to do something else. They’re going to sponsor the NASCAR Coors pole and this and that so then it was too late (for the 2008 season)…so we have been running all year long without a sponsor.” Continue reading ‘Felix Sabates talks about closure of No 40 team’