Did anyone see these tidbits at NASCAR.com (story by Joe Menzer)? It gets more and more interesting by the day.
Quote:
Rumor: Aric Almirola will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc. full-time next season.
Fact: This is no rumor. Almirola will indeed be in a full-time ride next season, according to DEI officials. But they are still working on the details of how to make it happen.
Rumor: Veteran Mark Martin, who is sharing the No. 8 ride with Almirola this season (code for saying Almirola gets to drive at the tracks Martin doesn't like, and too few others), is leaving DEI and going to Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet -- a ride he presumably would share with Brad Keselowski, who currently drives in the Nationwide series for JR Motorsports.
Fact: This one appears to be true. Martin wants to continue driving a part-time schedule and has resisted DEI efforts to get him back in a full-time ride. Almirola needs more seat time and DEI knows it cannot afford to impede his progress any longer. And Keselowski's boss on the Nationwide side, Dale Earnhardt Jr., already is tired of pumping his own money into what he quickly discovered is a money pit of a proposition. Oh, and besides ...
Rumor: Casey Mears is out as driver of the No. 5 at Hendrick following this season and will become driver of the fourth Richard Childress Racing car that begins operation next year.
Fact: Mears does appear to be out at Hendrick and in at Childress. General Mills, sponsor of the fourth RCR car, finds Mears an attractive candidate. These days, matching up drivers with sponsors who want them is at least as important as winning races -- as long as said drivers eventually produce some victories, too. Mears is a great guy with some talent who needs to start producing no matter where he ends up.
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