2008 Ford 400 - Pre-Race News

Pre-Race News

• All Jimmie Johnson had to do to clinch the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship is one of the following as he will start the race per the Top 35 Owners Points rule:

• 1. Finish 36th without leading a lap;
  2. Finish 37th and lead at least one lap;
  3. Finish 39th and lead the most laps in the race;

• In an interview during the pre-race for the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 this past week, NASCAR chairman Brian France stated that he isn't certain any of the USA's "Big Three" automakers (General Motors, Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company) would continue their involvement in NASCAR while in these current tough economic times, but should their funding of race teams suffer due to the crisis in the credit markets, stock car racing would remain a viable, healthy sport.

• Brian Vickers (#84) and Scott Speed (#83) will swap cars for this race in an attempt to put the #84 back in the top 35 in owner points. Earlier, Mark Martin was to have driven the #84 Team Red Bull Toyota, but that move was nixed by General Motors executives. Martin, who will move to the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet next season, ran his last race for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. last week in the #8 Chevy, and Aric Almirola will drive that car full-time in 2009. In the end, the #84 finished the season 35th in points.

• DEI will merge with Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2009 season and will be renamed Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, run Chevrolets and have Almirola (#8), Martin Truex, Jr. (#1), Juan Pablo Montoya (#42) and one other driver for the #41 car to be announced. As a result, DEI's #15 (driven by Paul Menard, who moves to Yates Racing in 2009) and #01 (for Regan Smith) along with Ganassi's #40 team will close.