Truex sets NASCAR carousel of driver moves in motion again

The latest game of musical chairs among Cup drivers is in full swing, as each move sets another move in motion. Let’s take a peek at the latest head-spinning moves:

Martin Truex Jr. will probably replace Ryan Newman at Penske Racing next season, filling in another piece of the jigsaw puzzle in an active year of driver movement in Sprint Cup.

Newman, for his part, is likely headed for the revamped Haas CNC Racing operation being put together by Tony Stewart, who will be its new co-owner in addition to a driver.

Mark Martin is almost certain, “99 percent” according to once source, to replace the released Casey Mears in the No. 5 at Hendrick Motorsports for the entire 2009 schedule.

Mears, a source says, has been contacted by four teams. They haven’t been identified, but with Truex, Newman, Martin and Greg Biffle (who re-signed with Roush Fenway Racing last week) off the market, he’s the top remaining veteran free agent, which should put him at the top of the list for the fourth seat at Richard Childress Racing.

Stewart is the sole driver who may be on the move who has a complication. He’s under contract with Joe Gibbs Racing through ‘09. Stewart wants to return to Chevrolet and the manufacturer is apparently willing to assist in buying out the final year of his contract.

How will the moves affect each driver’s current and projected teams? Let’s see …

1. Truex from DEI to Penske.

Penske trades even up, like two 15-game winners in baseball, but gets a driver with a fresh attitude and approach. Truex has only one win, but he made the Chase last year and, at 28, is in his third Cup season. With a load of potential, he’s a good bet to get much better.

For Truex, he goes to an organization that has the financial resources for the long run, something DEI lacks. Truex currently is 14th in the points, only 71 behind 12th-place Kevin Harvick, so he still has a chance to make the Chase this year, but it won’t change his mind about leaving.

It’s a right uppercut to the head for DEI, which was counting on Truex to build its team around him for the long term. Without Dale Earnhardt Jr. to bring in extra money to the company this year, the team has already started sliding into the midpack and it will be difficult to recover. Losing Martin hurts, too, but he was only a part-time driver. DEI is left with Paul Menard and Aric Almirola, who are decent but unlikely to win races or make the Chase.

DEI’s biggest problem will be hiring a top-notch driver. Mears has to be on its list, but is he interested?

2. Newman from Penske to Haas-Stewart.

A few years ago, Newman’s destiny seemed to be a Penske-for-life driver. He came through the ABC (ARCA, Busch, Cup) development program and won races in each of his initial four Cup seasons — 12 total — and went to the Chase twice. But Newman was winless in ‘06 and ‘07 and missed the Chase. His victory in this year’s Daytona 500 was a great start, but he’s 15th in the points with only one more top-five. Newman has cited performance issues as the reason for wanting to leave.

He’s a big catch for Haas-Stewart, a fast and smart driver who can win races and make the Chase.

The loss of Newman hurts Penske, who would have preferred to retain him, but it’s mitigated by getting Truex.

3. Stewart from Gibbs to Haas-Stewart.

Stewart brings everything a team needs and wants to Haas-Stewart: the ability to win races, championships and attract sponsorships. Stewart has had success with his USAC and World of Outlaws Sprint Car teams, putting together tremendous organizations, and he can apply the same principles to this endeavor, too.

Stewart’s departure will sting Gibbs for a season or two, but having Joey Logano to replace him as well as Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin to win races will keep the organization in the top tier.

4. Martin from DEI to Hendrick.

Martin, who will be 50 at the start of next season, has apparently decided to make one more run at the championship, which he’s never won, in accepting an offer from Hendrick to run the full season after two straight three-quarter seasons with Ginn and DEI. Hendrick can give him the equipment and the team to do the job and figures, at minimum, that Martin can win a race or two for the fourth team. Martin will also mentor his replacement, probably Nationwide driver Brad Keselowski.

Martin’s move hurts DEI on several fronts, reinforcing the image the team is headed downhill and taking away a competitive driver who can also attract sponsorship.

5. Mears from Hendrick to Childress? DEI? Ganassi?

Mears has had a difficult season — 23rd in the points with one top-five — but he’s the best available and works great with teammates and sponsors, important on an expansion team. Mears has one win and was 15th in the points last year, 14th with Ganassi in ‘06. The case can be made that with a little good luck and a little better performance, Mears can make the Chase.

His competition for the job probably comes from Scott Wimmer, David Stremme or Reed Sorenson, all Cup veterans without Mears’ credentials. For the same reasons, Mears should be attractive to DEI and Ganassi, where Sorenson is expected to depart.

RCR, a Chase team, is clearly Mears’ best option.

Hendrick didn’t enjoy releasing Mears, who was popular within the team, but it’s a performance- and sponsor-driven business. Martin has two top-fives in 12 races this season and 35 career victories in Cup. With Hendrick and some good fortune, he might be able to make that run at the title.

Tim Tuttle > INSIDE NASCAR

Martin Truex Jr.’s road to NASCAR appeared to be paved with gold.

So far it’s been anything but.

The New Jersey native, who broke in with tons of promise, has had a dark shadow hanging over his head - along with the entire Dale Earnhardt, Inc. team - for much of his time in the sport’s top level.

Last year the talk was all about Dale Jr. leaving the team. This year it’s about Truex’s contract, and just recently there’s been talk about teammate Mark Martin moving to Hendrick Motorsports next year.

The fact is Truex hasn’t had a clean, controversy-free season at DEI. Not yet at least.

“No, I really haven’t to be honest with you,” Truex said this week. “I think part of that is DEI being Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated. It’s always been under a tough microscope. I think whether it was before Dale Jr. or after Dale Jr. it’s always been that way.”

It’s not all his fault, but he’s right in the midst of the storm cloud.

And when Truex talks you can hear the deep frustration in his voice.

He made the Chase for the Championship last year, but now he’s sitting 17th. His performance - the team’s performance - will have to change fast if he’s going to have any shot at getting into the Chase.

While there have been some good runs, he’s not been great. Adding to the performance misery is the off-track nonsense. Face it, DEI gets slammed just for being DEI. DEI head Teresa Earnhardt often unfairly becomes fodder for talk radio chatter by callers and hosts.

“I think a lot of the people are harsh in their opinions of DEI and what they are, you know, the job they’re able to do,” Truex said. “I think the perception of DEI is not as good as what it really is. So that’s been tough at times. Seems like I’ve always had to stick up for them when there is really nothing to stick up for. So it’s been a weird situation. It’s always been something a little different. But there’s always been somebody trying to, you know, make their job a little tougher than it should be I think.”

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

Truex got his start in New Jersey, following in his father’s footsteps. Along the way he won a bunch of races, including the 1999 Turkey Derby Classic at Wall Stadium. He’s also won two titles on the Nationwide level. And he moved gradually into Sprint Cup at DEI.

A year ago with Junior leaving Truex was fixing to be the man at DEI. He may be the man, but clearly the team is off a tick.

Truex said it’s easy to not let the off-track nonsense get in the way of his driving because he’s a racer and that’s all he’s ever done

No one would blame him, though, if the constant chatter and controversy had a role in his performance. Now there’s the talk of his uncertain future.

There’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders, and he’s got mixed feelings about carrying that load, too.

“I’m not one to just walk out and take the easy road,” he said. “I don’t mind the challenge. I think if we succeed and we do our job, it’s a lot more gratifying. We’ve got more pride in it.”

Still he’s an underdog.

“I kind of like that situation. But at the same time if things aren’t going right and people are pointing the finger and asking why you’re not getting the job done, you’ve got to take the heat then, too,” Truex said. “So it’s a tough situation either way.”

Truex said he’s enjoyed his time at DEI and he’s still having fun. No surprise that he won’t show his hand on what his plans are other than saying he and DEI are working hard to put things together for next year. It has taken a little bit longer than everyone expected, he added.

“For me it’s just trying to get comfortable and be comfortable in the position I’m in - what they’re doing and the direction they’re headed for the future, so I can make sure that we can be together for a long time,” he said.

Interestingly Dale Jr. used some of those same reasons for leaving. Considering his performance and the level of frustration in his voice you wonder if the future for Truex means moving away from the storm cloud in order to get ahead, just like Junior did.

Sometimes the grass is really greener.

by Richard Huff
nydailynews.com

June 21, 2008
As silly season 2009 continues to pick up steam, the hottest seat in the NASCAR garage for next year appears to be the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, driven by Casey Mears.

Despite Mears’ contract lasting through 2009, many of NASCAR’s top stars have been rumored to take over the seat. The names with the most weight attached to them in the rumor mill as of late are Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, and Tony Stewart.

Mears’ season has been full of disappointment thus far. Currently sitting at 27th in points, and at one point in danger of falling out of the top 35 cars in owners’ points locked into every race, Mears’ best finish so far has been seventh, at Martinsville and Talladega. Mears opened the season with a 35th at Daytona and a 42nd at Fontana, followed by another 42nd at Bristol three races later. Mears has led only one lap all season, at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte; a race he won last season.

Certainly driving for four teams in four seasons doesn’t help a driver’s psyche, or teach him anything about consistency, but the #5 team expects better from their driver - especially after Kyle Busch led the team to four wins and a Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in three seasons.

Truex is highly unlikely to take the seat from Mears, after Dale Earnhardt Inc. exercised its contract option on him for 2009. However, Truex is a good friend of newest Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and could possibly be lured to the team that way. Since winning his first career race at Dover last season, Truex’s race finishes have been composed of hot streaks intertwined with many finishes of 30th or worse. Indeed, he only has one top-5 finish thus far this season (at Richmond) and sits 15th in points.

Bowyer’s contract also stipulates that he will drive for his current team, Richard Childress Racing, through 2009. However, that team is expanding from three cars to four. Combined with the presence of two top drivers already, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, and the potential addition of Ryan Newman for 2009, Bowyer may find himself the number four driver at RCR next season. However, with Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson at Hendrick, it’d be hard to see him any better off in the #5.

Bowyer’s performance may see a slight drop if he stays with the team next season. However, he hasn’t had any performance issues so far this season: he sits 12th in points, has one win, three top-5s, and an average finish of 16.9. Bowyer may not want to risk starting anew with a new team and crew chief Alan Gustafson, as his current partnership with Gil Martin has landed him in one Chase for the Cup and should keep him in this year’s title hunt.

Tony Stewart is the most interesting rumor of the bunch. Not only is he signed with Joe Gibbs Racing through 2009, the #5 car appears to be a fall-back option for him.

His current goal is to assume partial ownership of a team, which he may do with Haas CNC Racing. Stewart’s relationship with manufacturer Chevrolet is very strong, and he was reportedly not very pleased with Gibbs’ decision to leave them for Toyota this season. Stewart fields Chevrolets in USAC competition.

Stewart has also been the number-three driver at Gibbs this season as far as performance goes, as he is the only driver in the stable to not have won a Sprint Cup race thus far this season. (For the record, he’s won four Nationwide Series events in six tries.)

Stewart usually heats up late in the season, but to not have won through 15 races and be sitting 11th in points is a disappointing first part of the season for him.

The answer, however, may not lie in further change for either Mears or the #5 team. Since being shuffled from the #41 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge in 2005, to the #42 CGR car in 2006, to the #25 at Hendrick last year, to the #5 in 2008, Mears has never truly had a chance to prove himself with any one team, and his best years should be yet to come.

Hendrick shouldn’t take a risk at going after any more contractually obligated drivers, let Mears fulfill his contract, and go driver-hunting again in 2009, when all of those mentioned above will truly be free agents. Perhaps Mears will break out and prove himself worthy of the #5.

by Chris Leone, Bleacherreport.com