NASCAR - Who will be jumping teams next year with free agency?

[kmeyer]

I bet Skippy would have a lot of insight on this, but I would like to hear the gearheads' thoughts on who they think will jump teams or which teams will jump makes next season...

Rumors I have read:
* Earnhardt Jr. is trying to recruit Truex Jr. to move to Hendrick next season.

* Biffle wants to leave Roush Fenway and test the market. I have read that DEI could be a possible destination.

* The possibility of Penske Racing dropping Dodge and going to Toyota.

On the discussion of makes, I keep hearing that Chevrolet is so far in the can that there have been rumors that they could eventually drop from the series shortly down the road?

Question for Skippy: Do you see any other makes joining NASCAR in the near future.....perhaps Nissan or Honda?

Open for discussion.

[Turd Ferguson]

Would Truex be replacing Mears?

[kmeyer]

Would Truex be replacing Mears?

That would be the only logical replacement since the other three I would assume are the 'franchise' racers for Hendrick.......

[Turd Ferguson]

That would be the only logical replacement since the other three I would assume are the 'franchise' racers for Hendrick.......

Sorry - didn't word that properly. I assumed Jr, Gordon, and Johnson weren't in danger of losing their ride. Just didn't know that Mears was in danger of losing his.

[hansolo]

Didn't they just started their 2008 season?

[Iowa_Card]

I bet Skippy would have a lot of insight on this, but I would like to hear the gearheads' thoughts on who they think will jump teams or which teams will jump makes next season...

Rumors I have read:
* Earnhardt Jr. is trying to recruit Truex Jr. to move to Hendrick next season.

* Biffle wants to leave Roush Fenway and test the market. I have read that DEI could be a possible destination.

* The possibility of Penske Racing dropping Dodge and going to Toyota.

On the discussion of makes, I keep hearing that Chevrolet is so far in the can that there have been rumors that they could eventually drop from the series shortly down the road?

Question for Skippy: Do you see any other makes joining NASCAR in the near future.....perhaps Nissan or Honda?

Open for discussion.

Cross that one off. Penske re-upped with Dodge.

[skippy05]

Mears is going nowhere for now. He's a good driver with a good name. I don't think Truex will be going anywhere for a while, either; he's always had great equipment and he's got a good sponsor that is very loyal to DEI.

Biffle is gone. Mark it. He and Jack have never gotten along and he will go. I don't know about DEI; I think Penske is a good possibility. And Penske, despite the former IRL tie, isn't going to Toyota anytime soon because they just re-upped their deal with Dodge.

I've heard Honda is waiting around and could enter the sport in the next few years. Chevy leaving could happen, but it could happen to all the others as well. GM is definitely looking at a number of options, but I think they will stay in NASCAR in some form.

[kmeyer]

Sorry - didn't word that properly. I assumed Jr, Gordon, and Johnson weren't in danger of losing their ride. Just didn't know that Mears was in danger of losing his.

I knew what you meant.....I didn't realize that either when I read it in SI.....Mears perhaps could be a free agent?....Skip could probably confirm......honestly, I thought they had high hopes for Mears to eventually be someone who could be a Chase driver within the next year or so.....

[Iowa_Card]

Biffle is gone. Mark it. He and Jack have never gotten along and he will go. I don't know about DEI; I think Penske is a good possibility.

Were Biffle and Busch on good terms during their time at Roush?

[skippy05]

Were Biffle and Busch on good terms during their time at Roush?

Eh. They were in the Truck Series together and got along well enough. I don't think they were really close, but they can work well together.

[kmeyer]

Mears is going nowhere for now. He's a good driver with a good name. I don't think Truex will be going anywhere for a while, either; he's always had great equipment and he's got a good sponsor that is very loyal to DEI.

Biffle is gone. Mark it. He and Jack have never gotten along and he will go. I don't know about DEI; I think Penske is a good possibility. And Penske, despite the former IRL tie, isn't going to Toyota anytime soon because they just re-upped their deal with Dodge.

I've heard Honda is waiting around and could enter the sport in the next few years. Chevy leaving could happen, but it could happen to all the others as well. GM is definitely looking at a number of options, but I think they will stay in NASCAR in some form.

Skip, you the man.....I especially wonder about Ford as Roush Fenway is the only prominent team in the Sprint Cup.....then you have Robby Gordon...

It absolutely drives me crazy when drivers jump around to different numbers, etc.....to me, Biffle has had an identity with the #16 car despite numerous sponsorship changes over the years.........

Honda heh?.......that would be interesting........I wasn't a fan to see Toyota jump into the NASCAR mix, but I really think they will be dominant down the road by looking at the advancements they have made since last season.....the Tundras did real well in the Craftsman Series last season, but they couldn't do squat in the top series.....

[Turd Ferguson]

I knew what you meant.....I didn't realize that either when I read it in SI.....Mears perhaps could be a free agent?....Skip could probably confirm......honestly, I thought they had high hopes for Mears to eventually be someone who could be a Chase driver within the next year or so.....

Was it last year that he took over for Vickers in the 25?

[skippy05]

Was it last year that he took over for Vickers in the 25?

Yep.

[Iowa_Card]

Skip, you the man.....I especially wonder about Ford as Roush Fenway is the only prominent team in the Sprint Cup.....then you have Robby Gordon...

It absolutely drives me crazy when drivers jump around to different numbers, etc.....to me, Biffle has had an identity with the #16 car despite numerous sponsorship changes over the years.........

Honda heh?.......that would be interesting........I wasn't a fan to see Toyota jump into the NASCAR mix, but I really think they will be dominant down the road by looking at the advancements they have made since last season.....the Tundras did real well in the Craftsman Series last season, but they couldn't do squat in the top series.....

Gordon switched to Dodge 2 weeks before Daytona.

Then prompty got penalties for having an uapproved nose on his car during pre-race inspection.

[kmeyer]

Was it last year that he took over for Vickers in the 25?

That sounds about right since Vickers went to Team Red Bull in Toyota's inaugural season in NASCAR.......