Truex deal done, but will the move put Silly Season into motion

There's a few things we know for sure about next season: Martin Truex will join MWR and drive the #56 NAPA Toyota, Roush Racing must delete one team (McMurray looking like the choice since Kenseth, Edwards & Biffle are resigned, one one driver could knock both McMurray & Regan out...Danica, anyway), the #1 Bass Pro Shops will need a driver. The easy fix would be for McMurray to join EGR and take over teh #1 Bass Pro Shops ride (which on Nascar Now Marty Smith reported McMurray is on the radar for EGR).

There's also a few rumblings that could really crank things up. Kevin Harvick could be a big part this year. His sponsor hasn't renewed and has fallen victim to the other Official Nascar sponsor Sunoco, limiting it's presence. Harvick has been rumored to possible move his team KHI up to Cup and a possbile driver for Stewart-Haas...along with Brad Keselowski. Brad's future will be determined by Junior and Hendrick. Junior would love to keep Brad at JR Motorsports and move the team up to Cup, but sponsorship has been hard to find, even with Junior.

Then there's the million dollar question...will she jump to Nascar? Danica can just about name her team & price...and sponsorship won't be a problem. JGR has an opening. Roush would dump Regan in a second to grab her, RCR can easily give Mears a pink slip or if Harvick leaves have room. Hendrick can easily add her to Stewart-Haas. The questions is will she?

The other looming question is manufacter swaps...Red Bull looks to be leaving Toyota, and RPM is looking to find anyone that will give support. EGR will loose Chevy's support. You could easily see teams looking to merge or join organizations with factory support. One things for sure, today's announcemnet will kick off Silly Season, atleast we made it half way without any major changes.

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Permalink Reply by Rob Hoban on July 8, 2009 at 12:57pm

As far as the Danica talk is concerned, I am not interested. Frachitti is a better driver and look where he is, right back in IRL where he belongs. I would wait to see her in a Nationwide car with one of the big name owners before I ever listened to talk about her coming to the Sprint Cup.

ERG is a MESS and there is no telling where that team is headed if they don't attract any sponsors. Target is their anchor, but outside that sponsor and JPM, that team is going to sink quick. I can't blame Truex for his move.

Rousch decision will probably be between McMurray and Regan and Regan is doing himself any favors so far this year.

RCR is probably going to lose Harvick soon if his equiptment doesn't improve soon. I have no idea what happened to that team but I think they cloned Mears and put him in the 07 and the 29.

Yates has to be happy to just field a couple of cars. The future of that team is too uncertain.

It would be nice to see a 2nd car at RGM. They have the shop for it, but the sponsorship dollars just aren't there. If Robby attracted a big name, full season sponsor, then a 2nd team would be the next move. Looking forward to seeing improvements in the 2nd half of the season.

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Permalink Reply by NIKAL on July 8, 2009 at 2:04pm

Either Roush's #26 or #6 will be going to Yates. In an interview on TV Jack Yates said that one of his teams would move over to Yates. He said it will depend on driver and sponsors contracts on which team it would be.

Jack Roush said he has talked to Danica about NASCAR and if she was wanting to come over he would put her in a Nationwide car for at least 1 year if not 2 before moving her to CUP. So if Danica does come to Cup and if it is with Roush, which is who she has been in contact with, then she will not see CUP for at least a year.

If Brad stays with Hendrick like he has said he would like too, it will be through the Stewart / Haas team. Being that they are a satellite team for Hendrick it would only make since. Stewart will do it because Hendrick will give them extra support and cost cuts for doing so. Hendrick will find the sponsor and once Mark Martin's one year extention is over then Brad will move back to Hendrick and Stewart / Haas will have a established 3rd team for Kevin Harvick to move over to for 2011 after his RCR contract is up.

RCR's Cat sponsor is solid and the General Mills contract is solid. I bet Jack Danials would come back if Boyer was their driver. So if Shell does not resign but Jack does with Boyer in the seat, RCR could move Boyer back to the Jack car. Burton would stay with CAT and the General Mills sponsorship could move to Harvick. This would leave Mears without a sponsor and RCR could tell Mears if they find a sponsor he keeps his ride, if they dont then he is free to leave. Same deal as Eric Almrola in the DEI #8 car this last year.

Red Bull will make the move to Chevy threw Hendrick. Because Chevy has cut back and is not paying the factory supported teams. These teams will have to add clients to their list to be able to help cover the daily costs and budgets these teams need to operate. And Red Bull is the only team that I know of that has enough of their own money to be able to afford Hendrick support without depending on factory assistance. This is actually a plus for RGM as they have never had factory support where the factory money was part of their budget. With the factory's pulling their support, it only weakens the bigger teams who depended on that income. RGM has already been working without that factory money and is in better shape today because of this.

It was said the Gibbs might be looking to add a satellite team again like it had with HOF. They said the exact same thing as they could use that revenue to help the lost from factory support money that Toyota is giving them. From what I read Toyota is in nowhere near the bad shape Chevy and Dodge are in. But they to are having to make big cut backs and teams like Gibbs will feel this.

Right now the only question I see out there that is really unknown is will Eric Almarola end up in the #1 Bass Pro car for 2010? If not Eric then who? Also who ever goes to the #1 car has to know that they will not be top bill as their teammate will be Montoya and he is EGR's #1 driver.

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Permalink Reply by Keith on July 8, 2009 at 10:18pm

Boyer is with General Mills because that is what they wanted and insisted on. RC did some dancing to keep Jack from pulling out.

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Permalink Reply by WJM on July 9, 2009 at 12:44am

Add the #09 and #78 to the above scenario and one-fourth of the starting grid could be Hendrick equipment.

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Permalink Reply by Green4x4 on July 8, 2009 at 5:16pm

i dont see ganassi staying with EGR after this year. lots of people are looking for partners and mergers. i see ganassi and montoya taking the target sponsorship and joining up with a biger team possibly JGR or Stewart-Haas.

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on July 9, 2009 at 9:24am

Right on! It appears Keselowsi is the obvious fit at Stewart-Haas, but don't count out Ganassi with Montoya. Tony said he had a few options with a 3rd team for next season.

If Montoya makes the Chase, he will be in a strong position to make a deal.

Danica will go where the best opportunity with the biggest check is.

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Permalink Reply by Keith on August 11, 2009 at 2:05pm

Being reported today that RBR will announce it is staying with TOYOTA.

SHR said over the weekend, it's too late to add a third car... I'll believe that when I see it.

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Permalink Reply by vak7 on August 11, 2009 at 2:19pm

Stewart's waiting for Kevin next year

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Permalink Reply by Keith on August 11, 2009 at 2:33pm

Possible... Or Mr. H hasn't waved enough greenbacks in front of him yet to front Brad.

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on August 11, 2009 at 4:19pm

Don't count Penske out, no final agreements have been made on Stremme or Hornish. Brad could end up at Penske if Hendrick doesn't get him a good ride.

McMurray looks like a lock for the #1 Bass Pro Shops ride, but you never know with Ganassi.

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Permalink Reply by JoCo on August 11, 2009 at 5:19pm

Bet your bottom dollar that Stremme is gone gone gone after the dismal season he's having...he'll swap places with Justin Allgaier; that's my best guess.