These teams are scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series in 2009:
COPE-KELLER RACING
Cars (1): Derrike Cope (75)
Car make: Dodge
New for 2009: Veteran driver Derrick Cope returns to the track after two years away. The team will attempt the first five Cup races this season.
EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING
Cars (no): Martin Truex Jr. (1), Aric Almirola (8), Juan Pablo Montoya (42)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing merged in the off-season and boiled itself down to three teams. DEI's 01 (Regan Smith) and 15 (Paul Menard) were casualties of the merger. Ganassi, meanwhile, closed down the No. 41 team of Reed Sorenson after shuttering the No. 40 team (Dario Franchitti) last June. Earnhardt Ganassi is affiliated with Front Row Motorsports, which essentially gives this organization a fourth team. The No. 8 team, however, has only partial sponsorship for 2009.
Web site: DEI, Ganassi
FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Cars (1): John Andretti (34)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: This 5-year-old team has aligned itself with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and will attempt to run some races this season. In 2008, the team made
five races and finished better than 40th once.
Web site: www.frontrowmotorsports.com
FURNITURE ROW RACING
Cars (1): Regan Smith (78)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: Regan Smith (DEI in 2008) takes over for Joe Nemechek. Team hopes to run 12 races this season after running full-time in 2008.
Web site: www.furniturerowracing.com
HALL OF FAME RACING
Cars (1): Bobby Labonte (96)
Car make: Ford
New for 2009: Bobby Labonte (Petty Enterprises) takes over the 96 from J.J. Yeley (fired in mid-season) and a bunch of fill-ins. Hall of Fame is now aligned with Yates Racing, which means it will use Fords. The team used Toyotas last season when it was affiliated with Gibbs.
Web site: www.halloffameracing.com
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
Cars (4): Mark Martin (5) Jeff Gordon (24), Jimmie Johnson (48), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: Mark Martin takes over for Casey Mears in the No. 5. Otherwise this powerhouse team returns intact for the 2009 season.
Web site: hendrickmotorsports.com
JOE GIBBS RACING
Cars (3): Denny Hamlin (11), Kyle Busch (18), Joey Logano (20)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Tony Stewart left to form his own team, so 18-year-old rookie Joey Logano takes over the orange No. 20 car. All three Gibbs drivers made the 2008 Chase.
Web site: www.joegibbsracing.com
JTG DAUGHERTY RACING
Cars (1): Marcos Ambrose (47)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: After a handful of races in 2008, this team will try to run full-time in 2009. Australian Marcos Ambrose moves up from the Nationwide season. The team switches from Ford to Toyota because of its new alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing. Former UNC basketball star and current ESPN analyst Brad Daugherty is a part-owner.
Web site: www.jtgracing.com
KIRK SHELMERDINE RACING
Cars (1): Kirk Shelmerdine (27)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Dale Earnhardt's former crew chief bought some Toyotas from defunct Bill Davis Racing and will attempt a full 2009 schedule.
MAYFIELD MOTORSPORTS
Cars (1): Jeremy Mayfield (41)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: The veteran driver returns to racing as a driver-owner and plans to run a full schedule.
MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING
Cars (2): David Reutimann (00), Michael Waltrip (55)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: The organization is down to two teams after closing the No. 44 team (Dale Jarrett and several fill-ins) after an unsuccessful 2008 season.
Web site: www.michaelwaltrip.com
NEMCO MOTORSPORTS
Cars (1): Joe Nemechek (87)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Joe Nemechek returns to the ranks of driver-owners for the 2009 season after running for Furniture Row last year.
PENSKE RACING
Cars (3): Kurt Busch (2), David Stremme (12), Sam Hornish Jr. (77)
Car make: Dodge
New for 2009: Two of the teams three drivers return for 2009. David Stremme returns to the Cup circuit after a year off to replace Ryan Newman (Stewart-Haas).
Web site: www.penskeracing.com
PHOENIX RACING
Cars (1): Brad Keselowski (09)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: James Finch's team is back for another go. JR Motorsports prodigy Brad Keselowski is scheduled to run 10 races. Cup veterans Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader are expected to get some driving time, too.
PRISM MOTORSPORTS
Cars (1): Terry Labonte (Daytona 500), Dave Blaney (rest of the season)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Cup champ Terry Labonte will try to get the No. 66 in the field at the Daytona 500. Dave Blaney (Bill Davis Racing) will take over after that.
R3 MOTORSPORTS
Cars (1): Mike Skinner (23)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: This new team bought some cars from DEI and hopes to crack the top 35 in owners points in the first 5 races. Robert Richardson Jr. is scheduled to run some races.
Web site: www.r3motorsports.org
RED BULL RACING
Cars (2): Scott Speed (82), Brian Vickers (83)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Former F1 driver Scott Speed takes over for A.J. Allmendinger (Petty) in the No. 84 car, which will run this season as No. 82.
Web site: www.redbullracing.com
RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
Cars (4): Casey Mears (07), Kevin Harvick (29) Jeff Burton (31), Clint Bowyer (33)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: Childress added a fourth team and hired Casey Mears (Hendrick). Bowyer moves to the No. 33 car, while Mears takes over for Bowyer in the 07.
Web site: rcrracing.com
RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS
Cars (4): Kasey Kahne (9), Elliott Sadler (19), Reed Sorenson (43), A.J. Allmendinger (44)
Car make: Dodge
New for 2009: Another huge merger in the sports led to the creation of this team. Both Petty Enterprises drivers from 2008 — Bobby Labonte (Hall of Fame) and Kyle Petty (retired?) — are gone. Gillett Evernham brought over Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler, but closed the No. 10 team. Reed Sorenson (Ganassi) replaces Labonte and A.J. Allmendinger (Red Bull) replaces Kyle Petty in the No. 44, which ran as No. 45 last year.
Web site: www.richardpettymotorsports.com
ROBBY GORDON MOTORSPORTS
Cars (1): Robby Gordon (7)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Driver-owner Robby Gordon swapped out his Dodges for Toyotas this season a year after dumping Ford for Dodge.
Web site: www.robbygordon.com
ROUSH FENWAY RACING
Cars (5): David Ragan (6) Greg Biffle (16), Matt Kenseth (17), Jamie McMurray (26), Carl Edwards (99)
Car make: Ford
New for 2009: Everyone's back after Carl Edwards made a serious run at a title and Biffle (third) and Kenseth (11th) made the Chase.
Web site: www.roushracing.com
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Cars (2): Tony Stewart (14), Ryan Newman (39)
Car make: Chevrolet
New for 2009: Tony Stewart (Gibbs) bought the former Haas-CNC team, returned to Chevy and hired Ryan Newman (Penske) to be his second driver.
Web site: www.stewarthaasracing.com
TOMMY BALDWIN RACING
Cars (1): Scott Riggs (36)
Car make: Toyota
New for 2009: Veteran crew chief Tommy Baldwin (Kasey Kahne, Ward Burton, Dave Blaney) started his own team after Bill Davis Racing shut down in the off-season. He'll also be crew chief for this one-car team. Scott Riggs comes over from Haas-CNC.
Web site: www.tommybaldwinracing.net
WOOD BROTHERS RACING
Cars (1): Bill Elliott (21)
Car make: Ford
New for 2009: The team that invented the modern pit stop and has won 97 races in 55 seasons is down to part-time status now. Bill Elliott will drive the famed No. 21 for the Daytona 500 and 11 other races at 1.5-mile tracks.
Web site: www.woodbrothersracing.com/
YATES RACING
Cars (2): Travis Kvapil (28), Paul Menard (98)
Car make: Ford
New for 2009: Travis Kvapil is back, but Paul Menard (DEI) replaces David Gilliland in the No. 38, now running as the No. 98. Gilliland reportedly remains under contract with Yates. The team is affiliated with Hall of Fame Racing and driver Bobby Labonte.
Web site: www.yatesracing.com/
Sources: Jayski.com, NASCAR.com, racing-reference.info
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