NASCAR League for Bristol Motor Speedway

DEnnIs picks 20, 29, 8, 42 & 55 Total Points 641

Mo Bud picks 31, 20, 8, 9 & 22 Total Points 697 (WINNER)

Brian M.G.D. picks 24, 17, 2, 10, & 55 Total Points 515

Mike Smoke picks 20, 29, 43, 2 & 70 Total Points 609 (He didn't pick today so same pick from last week)

Monday and NASCAR Not Looking Good

Rain at Michigan could mean change in Chase run?

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Sunday's postponement of the NASCAR race and the forecast for more rain this week opens the possibility of an altered Chase for the Nextel Cup race lineup.

The race at Michigan International Speedway was rescheduled for noon Monday.

BEFORE THE RAIN: Gordon claims pole

It's not the first time NASCAR has had to deal with weather issues this season. This marks the fourth time in 23 races weather has forced a postponement. Events at Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Raceway, scheduled for Saturday nights, were moved to Sunday. Dover International Speedway's scheduled Sunday event was run the next day.

"If we can't get it in (today), we will look to Tuesday," said Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's managing director of corporate communications.

As of Sunday evening, the National Weather Service was calling for an 80-percent chance of rain on Monday, but dropping to 40-percent on Tuesday and to 30-percent on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press

Poston said NASCAR would consider Wednesday, although he acknowledged it might not be feasible because teams need time to move equipment to Bristol, Tenn., to prepare for Saturday's race.

"The weather has really let everyone down, and it doesn't look much better for (today)," said Frank Kerr, crew chief for Toyota driver David Reutimann. "It's frustrating. I just hope we get it in before the end of the year."

If the race can't be held this week, Poston said it would be rescheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

If that occurs, it would affect the Chase lineup because the rulebook states the Chase standings are finalized after the 26th event and the winner is determined by the results of the final 10 races.

The Richmond race Sept. 8 is scheduled to be the final race in determining the 12-driver standings. If the 3M Performance 400 is moved to the end of the schedule, the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway on Sept. 16 would become the final race for determining the Chase standings and the race at Michigan would be the last event.

Sunday's postponement is the first Cup race postponement at MIS since Aug. 21, 1977.

Even amid constant rain Sunday, NASCAR and track officials waited until 3 p.m., one hour after the scheduled start, to postpone, knowing today's forecast calls for rain.

If the race can't be held until after Thanksgiving, it would mark the latest a Cup race has been run at MIS. A Thanksgiving week race at MIS certainly would be different from one in August: the average temperature about that time would be just above freezing.

"Whatever happens you adapt to," said Eddie Wood, co-owner of the No. 21 Ford. "If we have to stay here until Wednesday, it's OK."

NASCAR has not had a race rained out on back-to-back days since Talladega Superspeedway in 1997.

Credit: USA Today

NASCAR League for Michigan International Speedway

The 3M Performance 400-

DEnnIs picks 99, 1, 8, 01 & 55 Total Points 528

Mo Bud picks 24, 17, 19, 9 & 22 Total Points 539

Brian M.G.D. picks 48, 5, 2, 9, & 70 Total Points 635

Mike Smoke picks 20, 29, 43, 2 & 70 Total Points 661 (WINNER)

Is Junior in danger of missing Chase?

Yes, with four races left to go and need to makes NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup playoff, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in serious danger of missing the show right now. The top 12 drivers in points qualify for the Chase, but Earnhardt -- whose legion of fans wear red to match the car color of the sport's most popular driver -- is 14th in the standings and running out of time.

Junior loses the 8....

It was also announced Thursday that Earnhardt Jr. will not be driving the 8 car at Hendrick Motorsports next year. It might have assuaged some fans' ill feelings toward Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Teresa Earnhardt if a deal could have been reached for Junior to take the 8.
Fans can now look forward to a new car number and a new sponsor for the soon-to-be former Driver 8.

Riding with Junior: Watkins Glen

Best Radio Chatter


Dale Jr. and the No. 2 car of Kurt Busch were the focus of a lot of pre-race attention because of their close battle for 12th place in the point standings. The two cars got very, very close early in the race, as Dale Jr. pushed Busch down the frontstretch on lap seven to pass Matt Kenseth, then Busch swung wide in turn one, allowing the Bud car to slice past...



Dale Jr. (five laps later under caution): "Wow. It's been a show in here!"



Tony Eury Jr: "You're doin' good."



Dale Jr.: "The 2 (Busch) is quick. He's hard to beat."



Eury Jr: "On the timing charts, he's a little quicker. The leaders are quicker - but you've got the rest of the field covered on lap times. Just run your own pace."



Dale Jr.: (to spotter Steve Hmiel) "Tell the 2 spotter that I didn't mean to push him into (turn) one. I was bump-drafting him to try to get by the 17 (Kenseth). I was trying to push him and he ran wide in turn one. I'm sure I didn't help."



Hmiel.: "June, he said it's all good..."

A caution flag flew on lap 39 while Dale Jr. was running third.

Hmiel.: "Caution's out June - debris in turn 11."

Dale Jr.: "Yeah, there's oil or something there. I about busted my ass !"

Eury Jr: "What did you think of the changes (on the last pit stop)?"

Dale Jr.: (surprised) "Did you change something?!?"



Eury Jr: (sheepishly) "A lil'..."



Dale Jr.: "Why?! It felt better before, I guess... For me, it's all about catching people. If I'm catching the guys in front of me, I'm happy as (expletive deleted). I'm cool. I'm doin' what I can do. It was a little tight at the start of the run, but there was better forward bite as the run went along."

Dale Jr. ran second to Jeff Gordon for several laps, closing slightly each lap with quicker lap times.



Eury Jr: "You're clear by 15 (car lengths). Just take it easy."



Dale Jr.: "Tell the 24 (Gordon) I wanna lead a lap!"



Hmiel.: "10-4."



Dale Jr.: "I mean, I'm trying to catch him - but he ain't gonna let me by! I'd better take it a little easier here because I'm gonna get myself in trouble if I push too hard..."

Today's StatsStarted: 14th (based upon owner's points)


Finished: 42ndLaps Led: ---


Money: $103,788


Points: 14th place (-100 pts. to 12th place)


Best Pit Stop: Stop #2 of 2 / Lap 53 / four tires and fuel / 14.34 seconds*(*Watkins Glen is the only circuit where the cars run clockwise, which means the fueling and the tire changes are reversed from their usual routine, so stops are traditionally slower than normal. The 14 second stops don't seem fast compared to the standard 12-second stops the team have been making, but the team gained four positions on the first stop and two on the second.)

Jr. suffered an engine failure and watched his "Chase" chances dwindle

His motor decided the show was over the Centurion Boats at the Glen (Watkins Glen International )

Now Earnhardt and his crew find themselves in serious jeopardy of missing the Chase for the Nextel Cup playoffs.Earnhardt came to Watkins Glen International in 13th place, just seven points behind the final Chase spot. He leaves sitting 14th, 100 points back of Kurt Busch. His was the first hauler to pull out of the garage area on Sunday evening.
With four races left before the playoff shootout, Junior may need a miracle."It won't be easy, but we've done a whole lot harder stuff than that," Earnhardt said.

NASCAR League for Watkins Glen

DEnnIs picks 20, 29, 8, 42, & 10 Sorry DEnnIs you are last place (430 Points)

Mo Bud picks 7,26, 29, 42 and 96 Guess what I'm the winner again YAHOO! (482 Points)

Brian M.G.D. picks 11, 26, 2, 42 and 45 (446 Points)

Mike Smoke picks 20, 29, 8, 66 & 88 (434 Points)

Rainy Day

Rain washed out qualifying at Watkins Glen, putting Jeff Gordon on the pole for Sunday's race.


Carl Edward #99

Jeff Gordon started from the back of the field in NASCAR's first road race of the Nextel Cup season after his team was penalized for a technical violation. This time, he'll start from the pole.
A misting rain that hovered above Watkins Glen International on Friday became too heavy mid-afternoon and forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying for Sunday's Centurion Boats at The Glen.

It's the third time qualifying has been rained out this season in Cup and the third time in four years it's been washed out at Watkins Glen International.

About Three week ago DEI & Ginn Racing merges

Well really I think Ginn Racing didn't merge, they shut down (Bobby Ginn, His 1st year team owner. 121 guys out of jobs. & in August when they have little chance of finding a team in need of their help. Empty promises from a guy that never should have been in racing to begin with) and DEI bought the points. Now that Dale Earnhardt Inc. has completed the merger with Ginn Racing to become a four-car Nextel Cup organization, finding a replacement for Dale Earnhardt Jr. (DEI having hard time to replace the driver) becomes the top priority.
Max Siegel, the president of global operations at DEI, said on Wednesday the team remains hopeful of signing Kyle Busch. (FAILED to signed with him!) Anyway DEI drivers Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. will be joined by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola, who will split the remainder of this year in the No. 01 car. DEI driver Paul Menard will inherit the owner points of former Ginn driver Sterling Marlin, whose car was inside the top 35, while the No. 13 formerly piloted by Ginn driver Joe Nemechek will be eliminated. With Paul Menard (Before the merge, Paul had to make the qualifying top 35) picking up the owner's points held by Ginn's No. 14 car that was 29th to locked in so he guaranteed starting spot qualifying (rule) all the race.
But Siegel said the move had nothing to do with owner's points and everything to do with the long-term future of the company that will move into Ginn's 180,000-square foot Mooresville, N.C., shop by the end of the season.
The acquisition of Ginn's operation and surrounding property was a major part of the deal because DEI has no room to expand at its current shop five miles away.

Riding with Junior: Roaring back after slow start

Kurt Busch dominated a mundane Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway Sunday, leading a track-record 174 of the 200 laps. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser team recovered from a lengthy mid-race pit stop to change the left-front shock absorber to lead eight laps and finish a season-best second place. It matches Dale Jr.'s best Pocono finish - equaling his finish in July, 2001. Denny Hamlin finished third. The No. 8 team started from the Bud Pole for the first time since the race at Kansas in Sept. 2002, and ran among the top-10 for the first 110 laps until severely deteriorating handling sent Dale Jr. for a spin while coming to the pit lane on lap 123. After several stops - including changing the left-front shock in slightly more than 90 seconds - Dale Jr. restarted in 26th then barreled through the field until taking the lead on lap 145. Ironically, despite the season-best finish, Dale Jr. dropped one position in the Nextel Cup standings, falling to 13th place with five races remaining before the start of the Chase for the Championship. This is the first top-three tally of the season for Dale Jr., who scored his fourth top-five and eighth top-10 in 21 starts this year. The team has now started in sixth-place or better in five of the last six races.

Key Moments

Dale Jr., starting from his seventh career Bud Pole position, ran in the top-three for the first 30 laps despite complaints about the handling of the No. 8 racecar. After several adjustments during pit stops, the car continued to be a handful for Junior, as he struggled to get the car to turn down into each of Pocono's three odd and distinct corners. Despite a less-than-happy driver, the lap times and pit stops remained quick, and the team held their place in the top-five until the car worsened just past the halfway point of the race. The handling became so bad, Dale Jr. believed he had a flat tire and spun on his way to pit lane on lap 123. The team changed tires, then brought him back to the pit lane to change the left-front shock absorber. The dramatic change showed immediate results, as Junior launched himself from 26th place to 13th place in only nine laps, and then improved further when the team made a strategic move, changing only two tires on a lap 139 pit stop. Dale Jr. restarted third on lap 142, and needed only three laps to sweep into the lead. It was the first time the No. 8 Bud car had led at Pocono since July, 2003. Even though Kurt Busch was able to get around Dale Jr. for the lead, the Bud car remained fast and held the second position to the finish line.

Dale Jr. Quotes

"I'm thrilled. It's great to come home with such a great finish after we started the day with a crazy set of front shocks. (Crew chief) Tony (Eury) Jr. and the guys made a great call to change that shock. That's a helluva job right there. The car was traveling (up and down) too much in the corners, and it was bouncing all over the place. It was terrible and I was a pretty angry and frustrated driver the first half of the race. But, once we made the change - and didn't lose a lap - we were great. The car really responded and I was really happy we were able to show our speed. We were a top-five car easily but we busted our ass to get the track position and hang onto second place.
"We're not worried about the point standings - I'm driving as hard as I can every lap. And, if we all work as hard as we can, where we finish, we finish. We're way better than a 13th-place team, we've just had bad luck all year. My guys really deserve this finish because we've been a top-five car almost every week but we were falling victim to engine failures and things like that. We finally had a chance to make it to the finish to prove it. I can't worry about finishing behind the #2 car (Kurt Busch). They were just too good today - far faster than anyone else. You follow him and you just hope to see some smoke coming outta his car, ya know?! No one was going to catch him so you kind of sit back there and hope something happens. I really drove the last 50 laps in the mirror, watching the cars behind me and hangin' onto second.

Best Radio Chatter

Dale Jr. ran among the top-five for the first half of the race, but became increasingly agitated and frustrated as the handling deteriorated on the Bud car...

Dale Jr. (on lap 37): "It's real real real tight. It's about a '20' on a '10' scale! There ain't no way I can get through turn one. I've tried every way I can and there ain't no way I can get through it. It's bouncy bouncy bouncy bouncy! We gotta do something to turn without being so bouncy in the corners. It's coil-binding like hell - it just wants to go straight. I've gotta stay on the brakes just to get it into the middle of the corner..."

The dissatisfaction continued on lap 64...

Dale Jr.: (to crew chief Eury Jr.) "I don't wanna bitch about it anymore. It'll just piss ya off. If we can't change it, I'll have to deal with it. Just tell me there's no alternative to what we got and I'll quit bitchin...' I get so frustrated because I'm not doing anything. I'm not even sweating. I have to ease it in every corner. I can't drive it hard - I have to back up my entry and just ease it down into the corner. It's frustrating because I can't make a difference."

Tony Eury Jr.: "We could change a shock, but I don't wanna lose all that track position."

The driver continued to struggle - even believing he had a flat tire - before spinning out coming to pit lane on lap 123. The loss of positions finally convinced Eury Jr. to make the decision to change the left front shock.

Dale Jr.: (lap 106) "It's way worse - which I didn't think was possible - but it is..."

After the shock change - and a banzai run up the standings, the driver was again energized...

Dale Jr. (lap 137 after gaining 13 positions in less than 10 laps): "Hell yeah! It's way better, way better now. I lost a little right-side grip after awhile, but it's a small issue now. Not like it was."

After sweeping into the lead, Dale Jr. held off Busch until lap 153.

Eury Jr.: "You're doing really good, Junebug. He's (Busch) got four fresh tires and it's about five seconds back to the next car. Doin' real good!"

Dale Jr. "10-4. Thanks. Now, I'll get back to work..."

Eury Jr.: "OK, pit next time by..."

Dale Jr.: (to his pit crew) "Alright - gimme a fucking good one!"(the final stop of the day saw the team change four tires and add fuel in 12.77 seconds.)


Today's StatsStarted:

1st (first Bud Pole of 2007, seventh career pole, first since Sept. 2002)Finished: 2nd (best finish of the season)Laps Led: 8 lapsMoney: $218,708Points: 13th place (dropped one position, -7 behind 12th place and -42 behind 11th)Best Pit Stop: Stop #1 of 9 / Lap 31 / four tires and fuel / 12.75 seconds

KH #21 won & Marcos Ambrose vs. Robby Gordon

What happened yesterday (on Saturday) Busch Series NAPA Auto Parts 200.
It was the ugly by Robby Gordon. Did Robby Gordon get robbed by NASCAR? Maybe.
Did Marcos Ambrose get robbed of what could have been his first Busch Series victory? Possibly.

Ambrose and Gordon were battling for the lead when the caution flew on lap 72. Gordon had seemingly passed Ambrose, before Ambrose seemingly intentionally turned him, while the caution flag was waving.
Under caution Gordon ran into the back of Ambrose’s car.
NASCAR said Ambrose was still the leader and instructed Gordon to fall back to 13th in the restart order. Gordon disregarded the directive from NASCAR, remaining second in line on the track for the restart for the green-white-checkered finish.
“You always go back to your position, if you get spun out and Marcos spun me under the caution,” Gordon said. “. . . They originally told me to go back to second place and I went back to second place. Then they said to go back to 13th place or 14th place or something like that. I was never running 13th or 14th, so I don’t know what to say.”
Just after the green Gordon drove into Amrbose, turning him on the track, before continuing on. At that point NASCAR officials directed Gordon off the track.
“I knew that he was going to try and hit me,” said Ambrose, the only Australian regular in NASCAR’s three national touring divisions. “We were talking whether we should pull over and let him pass, but you know, I’ve got two laps to go and I’m trying to win the race. If somebody is going to take me out, they’re going to take me out. If they feel strong enough, they’re going to do it. I’m not going to go into it. I’m disappointed; I promised myself that I wouldn’t get mad. This is an opportunity for me over here. I’m thankful for what I’ve been given and today is a bad day, but tomorrow we’ll look to next week. I’m pleased that I’m here and holding my own against some of America’s best.”
“Once the caution came out on Lap 72 the field was frozen. Once the field is frozen, all cars must maintain cautious pace in order to be scored.,” Poston said. “At the time that the field was frozen, [Ambrose] was in the lead. [Gordon] did not maintain cautious pace and by NASCAR rule, cars not maintaining cautious pace are scored only when they blend back into the continuous line. [Gordon] based on our scoring was ordered to blend back in behind [Ron Fellows and] in front of [Mike Wallace].
“The tower ordered the [Gordon] multiple times to get in to position. The directive was acknowledged by [Gordon’s crew chief] and the crew chief also communicated the order [to Gordon]. The driver ignored NASCAR’s directive.
“He was warned that he would be black flagged if he did not comply. Once [Gordon] crossed the start-finish line he was posted per the NASCAR rule book and at that time the directive to display the black flag was given.
“After contact with [Ambrose] on Lap 73, NASCAR took emergency action per the rule book Section 12-2 thus parking [Gordon], which was also ignored. The black flag with the white cross was displayed to [Gordon] when [he] crossed the start-finish line on lap 74.”
Ambrose was able to come back and finish seventh. Gordon was scored with an 18th place finish.

NASCAR League for Pennsylvania 500 at

DEnnIs picks 20, 29, 8, 01 & 15 Total Point 660

Mo Bud picks 12, 2, 8, 20 & 15 Total Point 756 {WINNER!}

Brian M.G.D. picks 5, 2, 42, 6 & 10Total Point 597

Mike Smoke picks 17, 20, 29, 88 & 10Total Point 603

Just wondering what the #'s style of the 8 is gonna be next year?

Is it gonna be like this like the other hendrick cars?

I know that Dale Jr can't bring with him for the style of the 8 right now is trademarked by DEI

Earnhardt Jr...good news: claims pole...bad news: car gets hit by John Deer Gator...!

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s pole-winning car was involved in a minor collision with a track vehicle following post-qualifying inspection at Pocono Raceway Friday.

Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said that Earnhardt Jr.'s crew was pushing the car off the scales and down a ramp when medical personnel stopped their Gator vehicle directly in front of the car. The vehicles collided, and Earnhardt's car sustained front-end damage.

"It hit pretty good," crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said. "It smashed the nose back. It had a Gator tire print in it."



The crew worked to repair the damage and is expected to complete the work once the garage opens in the morning.

"It's pretty much fixed," Eury said. "I just gotta put these braces on underneath it in the morning."

There was nothing his crew could have done to avoid the collision, he said.

"There ain't no way," he said. "When you come off of those ramps, you ain't stopping it."

Earnhardt was not in the car at the time and no injuries were reported.

Nicknaming the drivers of this...

Current Drivers:
Kurt Busch - "Ears" {he just had his ears trims last summer}
Kyle Busch - "Shrub"
Dale Earnhardt Jr. - "Junior," "Junebug," "Little 'E'"
Jeff Gordon - "Wonder Boy," "The Kid," "The Rainbow Warrior"
Robby "Flash" Gordon
Kevin "Happy" Harvick {I don't agree}
"Front Row Joe" Nemechek
Ryan "Rocketman" Newman- "Racin'Ryan - Friday Pole Man {used to be}
Ricky "Rooster" Rudd - "Ironman"
Tony "Smoke" Stewart
Kenny Wallace - "Herman"

Past Drivers:
Elzie Wylie "Buck" Baker Sr.
Elzie Wylie "Buddy" Baker Jr. - "The Gentle Giant"
James Ronald "Runkie" Blackburn
Curtis "Crawfish" Crider
Dale Earnhardt - "The Intimidator," "The Man In Black," "Ironhead," "One Tough Customer"
Ralph Earnhardt - "Ironheart"
"Million Dollar Bill" Elliott - "Aweomse Bill from Dawsonville"
Charles "Red" Farmer
"Handsome Harry" Gant - "Mr. September" (earned in 1991 when he won four consecutive races in September)
"Gentleman Jimmy" Hensley
"Gentleman Ned" Jarrett
Junior Johnson - "The Ronda Road Runner"
Roy "Buckshot" Jones
Fred Lorenzen - "The Golden Boy"
DeWayne "Tiny" Lund
MIke "Magic Shoes" McLaughlin
Everett "Cotton" Owens
David Pearson - "The Silver Fox"
Richard Petty - "The King," "King Richard"
"Duffle bag Doug" Richert
Glenn "Fireball" Roberts
"Alfalfa Jim" Roper
Wayman "Hut" Stricklin
Curtis "Pops" Turner
Darrell Waltrip - "DW," "Jaws"
"Little Joe" Weatherly - "The Clown Prince of Racing"
Cale Yarborough - "The Timmonsville Flash"
Henry "Smokey" Yunick
Ron Hornaday - "Master of the Restart"
"Texas Terry" LaBonte - "Ice Man"
Jimmy Spencer - "Mr. Excitement" {what a jerk man}
"Big Track Jack" Sprague

Multiple Drivers:
"Alabama Gang" - Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Red Farmer, Jimmy Means, Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett, David Bonnett and Hut Stricklin
"Double Bud Thunder" - Darrell Waltrip and Neil Bonnett

Pit Crews:
#3 - The Flying Aces
#8 - Brew Crew
#17 - The Killer Bees
#24 - The Rainbow Warriors
#38 - M&M's Chocolate Thunder

Crew Chiefs:
Robert "Bootie" Barker
"Suitcase Jake" Elder
Tony "Pops" Eury
Tony "Stiffy" Eury Jr.
Richard "Slugger" Labbe
Kevin "Bono" Manion
Mike "Fatback" McSwain
Jack Roush - "The Cat in the Hat"
Craig "Frosty" Smokstad
Kevin "Cowboy" Starland
Greg "Zippy" Zipadelli
Scott "Saki" Zipadelli

Pit Crew Members:
Danny "Chocolate" Myers - former #3 gasman
Brian "Shaggy" Larson - #20 catch can man
Mitch Lash, #12 jackman - "Frank the Tank"
Scott "Scooter" Crowell - #20 2nd gasman/backup truck driver

Owners:
Roger Penske - "The Captain"
Jack Roush - "The Cat in the Hat"
Glen Wood - "Woodchopper"

Tracks:
Bristol Motor Speedway - "Thunder Valley"
Chicagoland Speedway - "D Cookie Cutter"
Darlington Raceway - "The Lady in Black," "The Track Too Tough To Tame"
Daytona International Speedway - "World Center of Racing"
Dover International Speedway - "The Monster Mile," "White Lightning"
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - "The Brickyard"
Martinsville Speedway - "The "Augusta National" of race tracks, "The Paperclip"
New Hampshire International Speedway - "The Magic Mile"
Phoenix International Speedway - "Jewel of the Desert"
Pocono International Raceway - "The Bermuda Triangle" {HUH??}
Richmond International Speedway - "The Action Track"
Rockingham Motor Speedway - "The Rock"
Talladega Superspeedway - "Dega", "The Big One"
Texas Motor Speedway - "Texas 500," "The Great American Speedway"
Watkins Glen International - "The Glen"

Know of a nickname that is missing or adding this ...?

Last week DEI merger to Ginn Racing...

The team will continue to be known as Dale Earnhardt Inc., though Bobby Ginn will be listed as an ownership partner. His will serve as owner of record for the #01 US Army Chevrolet driven by Mark Martin and the #15 Menard’s Chevrolet driven by Paul Menard. DEI owner Teresa Earnhardt will continue as owner for the #8 Budweiser car driven (for now) by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and the #1 Bass Pro Shop/Tracker Boats Chevy of Martin Truex, Jr. All four cars will compete under the DEI banner.

Menard’s #15 car will assume the owner’s points from the Ginn Racing #14 formerly driven by Sterling Marlin, putting Menard in the Top-35 in owner’s points and guaranteeing him a spot in Sunday’s race. The #14 car is currently ranked 30th in Nextel Cup owner’s points.