As a Twitter-oholic, I never could quite understand famous people who refuse to use the site. After all, wouldn’t sites like Twitter and Facebook give them yet another way to connect with fans?

But when I read Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s take on things, I began to understand his point-of-view. He says, “There’s tons of imposters out there. I don’t have a MySpace, a Twitter or none of that (stuff). There’s a bunch of imposters out there though that you have to beware of. I really would never get into social networking.”

I guess I can understand that. Then again, I think that’s only a problem if you don’t work the site regularly. I know celebs like Ashton Kutcher and John Mayer connect with people via Twitter. What do you think? Would you enjoy interacting with some of your favorite sports figures online?

Image: Bauer-Griffin

I would like to thank John Beamer, one of the writers for F1 Pitlane, for contacting me recently to do an interview over at the site … to which, of course, I happily obliged. John is a great guy and they do a fantastic job over there, so I encourage you all to go give it a look and while you’re there, take a look at the interview.

A Stateside Perspective - NASCAR and F1

 Ahh, yes … another glorious Friday morning, and I think you all know what that means!.  Yup, once again here with me are Bruce Simmons from Bruce’s NASCAR Bits & Pieces, along with Charlie Turner from On Pit Row, and we’re about to get  ”Loose in Turn Three” yet again!

We’re coming off a pretty big weekend in NASCAR, and it’s given us plenty to talk about throughout the week despite a bit a slower week as it relates to the news itself. Right here at Do You NASCAR, we’re going to rehash a bit of the same. With Joey Logano coming off his first Nationwide win in only his third start, we’re going to look at the statements made by Joe Gibbs Racing and question whether or not the 18-year old kid is truly ready to take some seat time in NASCAR’s premier series. Over at On Pit Row, we’ll analyze the validity of Dale Earnhardt Jr. snapping his winless drought, and at Bruce’s NASCAR Bits & Pieces, we look at the recent statements made by NASCAR and decide whether or not they’re right to ask their drivers to keep quiet as it relates to their grumbles on the Car of Tomorrow.

So, sit back and buckle up tight. Three questions, three voices, and three different answer … we’re about to get Loose in Turn Three!

Joe Gibbs Racing has stated that we may see Joey Logano in a Cup car by the end of ‘08. Logano’s proven himself to be a rare talent, but is 2008 too early?

TZ: I’m usually a pesimist when it comes to issues like this, and it really all stems from watching Rick Ankiel come up as a Starting Pitcher with the  St. Louis Cardinals organization back in 2000, only to watch him go through a meltdown in the post-season and ultimately ruining his pitching career. For me, this can easily happen with any athlete in any sport, even if they are named “Sliced Bread.” Logano’s going to be a star one day … it’s a given. But, when JGR’s already got 3 cars that could and should make the Chase and Logano working his way into the Nationwide Series, I don’t see the need to push him so early into a Cup car

Bruce:  I’ve been dwelling on this very premise.  If a driver is ready to compete on the emotional and talent level, then have at.  If everyone things Logano is ready, then no, 2008 is not too early to test the waters.  Yet I don’t think it matters when someone starts their burst onto the scene.  It seems that some drivers flare big onto the scene and then become mediocre. If they manage to keep a multi-year flare going, it is still going to flare out as the sport keeps bringing in the young guns as the next latest fad, shuffling the drivers down a hierarchy of ‘fizzle and fade’.  I think the new guys charge onto the scene and take chances.  Then, they get smacked down when they cross the line, and they tone down.  Then they comfortable and that’s when things change.  But that’s MHO.

Charlie:  The last young driver to have as much early buzz as Logano was probably Kyle Busch. Before that, Casey Attwood, maybe. Kyle went to Hendrick Motorsports and has been a star ever since. Attwood went to a new start-up team and new manufacturer - Evernham Motorsports in Dodge’s return to the sport - and it all fell apart.  Joey Logano is going to start for one of the top two teams in the sport with maybe the best manufacturer.  He’s already shown he can drive anything. He has actually had more testing time in CoT’s than Nationwide cars.  He’s ready now. He’ll look good in that #20 next year too.

Follow the rest of this discussion:
- NASCAR has asked teams and drivers to tone down their complaints about the COT. Do you think NASCAR has a valid point?
(Bruces NASCAR Bits & Pieces)

- Dale Earnhardt Jr broke a NASCAR rule at the end of Sunday’s race at MIS, went unpunished and won the race. Do you have a problem with that?
(On Pit Row)

*Credit photo to Newscom.

Image details: LifeLock 400 served by picapp.com

It took 15 races with Hendrick Motorsports, and 76 races since Richmond in 2006, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finally once again reached Victory Lane - silencing his critics and giving Junior Nation something to cheer about. Earnhardt led five times on the day, last taking the lead from Jamie McMurray on lap 195. With the majority of the field making green flag stops for fuel in the last 20 laps of the race, Earnhardt fans watched nervously as the no. 88 team decided to stretch their fuel. Originally guesstimating themselves to be 2 laps short of the pit window, they were hoping that Dale had saved enough fuel during the last run to make the tank last … and then the caution flag waived on lap 197 when Sam Hornish Jr. spun through the infield, sending the race into overtime for a green-white-checkered finish.

Lining up for the restart for the 2-lap shootout, Earnhardt led the field to the green flag followed by Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin (both of whom were also gambling on fuel mileage), and then Brian Vickers and Matt Kenseth. Junior was able to get a monster restart, putting some distance between he and the no. 9 car of Kasey Kahne. Mark Martin ran out of fuel on the first lap of the restart, making Earnhardt fans even that much more nervous. Then, on the final lap, contact between some cars a little deeper in the field sent Michael Waltrip and Patrick Carpentier spinning. The caution came out, and just like that, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had finally snapped his winless streak. He coasted to the finish, and then ran out of fuel heading down pit road.

The win is very symbolic for Earnhardt Jr, being that it came on Father’s Day. As car owner, Rick Hendrick, joined him in Winner’s Circle to celebrate the win, and the two hugged, Dale took the time to wish a Happy Father’s Day to everyone. This is now the 8th Father’s Day since the passing of Junior’s father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Last week’s race winner, Kasey Kahne, went onto finish 2nd as he was hooked up on the same fuel strategy as Earnhardt Jr. Matt Kenseth was perhaps the most dominant car in the second half of the race, but was forced to settle for 3rd. Brian Vickers started the race in 18th, but moved up inside the top-five by lap 15, and then took the lead for the first time on lap 34. The strategies, however, did not work in his favor, and he finished fourth, giving the team their second consecutive top-five finish. Tony Stewart had a very quiet day and led only 1 lap during the race, but he grabbed a much needed 5th place finish.

Jimmie Johnson led the most laps on the day, but a bad pit stop on lap 182 forced him into a 6th place finish. 7th place went to Carl Edwards who run up in the top-five for almost the entire day. David Ragan ran outside of the top-ten for most of the day, but as things shuffled out in the end, he found himself in 8th and just 10 points out of the Chase field. Elliott Sadler had a quiet and solid day. After starting in 27th, he went onto finish in 9th, giving the no. 19 team only their third top-ten finish of the season. And, Jamie McMurray rounded out the top-ten after looking as though he could finish 1st or 2nd until the lap 197 caution forced him to pit for fuel.

Points leader, Kyle Busch, got lost in the shuffle of things. After starting the race from the pole position and running near the front in the final segment of the race, he found himself in 13th when the checkers waived in the air. It was still enough to add to his points lead, however, as Jeff Burton finished in 15th. The run was a disappointing one for Burton, who started the race in 2nd, but it did keep his streak alive as he is still the only driver in the series to finish every race running inside the top-15. Busch now leads Burton in the standings by 32 points, while 3rd place, Dale Earnhardt Jr, has closed the gap between he and the leader to just 84 points.

Late race mishaps cost the cars of AJ Allmendinger, Greg Biffle, and Sam Hornish Jr. some very valuable track position. After climbing into the top-ten, Allmendinger overshot his pit entrance during the last round of stops and wound up finishing 19th. For Biffle, it was another costly penalty late in the race. After running inside the top-ten all day long, Biffle made his final stop with just 15 laps to go. Greg received the command to go as soon as the jack dropped, so he did just that, but he ran over the air hose, and NASCAR penalized him with a drive thru penalty. He finished 20th. Sam Hornish Jr. led the first laps in his Cup career and was running inside the top-ten until he spun on lap 197 to bring out the sixth caution of the day, resulting in a 22nd place finish.

Earnhardt Jr’s victory gives Hendrick Motorsports only their second victory of the season - both of which were won on fuel mileage (the other being Johnson’s win at Phoenix). As previously mentioned, it also snaps a 75 race winless streak for Earnhardt and gives him his first points victory since making the move to HMS at the beginning of this year.

Michigan Grades:
the Race: 85%
the Drama: 99%
Coverage: 85%
Pre-Race: 84%

Overall Grade: 87.7%

Complete Results (from nascar.com):

Sprint Cup Series Standings (from nascar.com):

Image details: Best Buy 400 served by picapp.com

Take it as gospel if you like, but I personally find this one to be just a little too far-fetched for my realm of belief, and have promptly filed this story into my “We wrote this as a parody in jest of all of the ongoing Silly Season business that started 1 month into the season and 8 months before the season ended just so that we all have plenty to write about” file. (Yes, of course I abbreviate the names of the files on their respective tabs).

So, now that I’ve given you a nice little “prelude”, here’s the “story” … Reverand Jim over at RevJim’s NASCAR Rants ‘n’ Raves has “reported” that an unconfirmed source has “reported” that Dale Earnhardt Jr. “might” exercise his option for an early release from Hendrick Motorsports in favor of taking an offer from Richard Childress Racing to drive the no. 3 car that his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr, drove for so many years in his famed career, with Craftsman Tools as the primary sponsor.

Adding to this fairytale in the making, as this deal transpires, it’s “alleged” that Tony Stewart would then get out of his contract early with Joe Gibbs Racing to make the move over to Hendrick and fill the seat in the no. 88 car, keeping Mountain Dew Amp as the sponsor of that ride. Whether or not each driver’s crew chief would follow along to their new teams is uncertain.

Of course, this story has a myriad of loopholes to it, most of which … okay, all of which … I don’t find it entirely necessary to get into at the moment. On the flip side, I do credit the good Reverend as a certified genius at this point, as his pageviews are now undoubtedly through the roof. All the same, however false this story might be, I encourage you take a look at it - afterall, it was an entertaining read. Check it out at http://revvinrants.blogspot.com/2008/06/really.html.

Recent Winners:
2007 - Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr.
2006 - Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth
2005 - Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle

Recent Pole Winners:
2007 - Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman
2006 - Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman
2005 - Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson

Best Driver Ratings (from racingone.com):
1. Greg Biffle - 113.7
2. Matt Kenseth - 111.9
3. Mark Martin - 104.4
4. Jimmie Johnson - 101.5
5. Kyle Busch - 101.5

Best Driver Average Finishes (from racingone.com):
1. Carl Edwards - 9.1
2. Ryan Newman - 10.0
3. Martin Truex Jr. - 10.5
4. Tony Stewart - 10.6
5. Mark Martin - 11.1

Most Wins - Bobby Allison, Richard Petty (7)
Most Wins / Active Driver - Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin (3)
Most Poles - David Pearson (6)
Most Top 5’s - Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin (19)
Most Top 10’s - Richard Petty, Ricky Rudd (26)
Most Manufacturer Wins - Chevrolet (28)
Track Qualifying Record - Jeremy Mayfield (22.288 seconds / 2004)

TZ’s Six-Pack Challenge:
Winner - Tony Stewart
2nd Place - Greg Biffle
3rd Place - Jimmie Johnson
4th Place - Kyle Busch
5th Place - Martin Truex Jr.
6th Place - Jeff Burton

Lock of the Week - Tony Stewart
Sleeper Pick - Juan Pablo Montoya
Steer Clear of - Kevin Harvick

Image details: CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 served by picapp.com

Some of the most popular talk this year in NASCAR’s ever growing rumor mill has circulated around Tony Stewart and his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, which currently carries him through the 2009 Sprint Cup season. With numerous rides potentially being opened for 2009, and offers reportedly being thrown at him all over the place, the media has long speculated that Tony has asked for an early release from his contract following the conclusion of this year, though sources have yet to confirm such allegations. Many want to believe him to be a solid candidate to fill the new seat opening up over at Richard Childress Racing, while some claim that he is looking towards Haas CNC Racing or maybe even JR Motorsports (should Dale Earnhardt Jr. elect to bring the team into Cup competition next year) where he could potentially gain ownership interests in the team, as well as reviving his long-standing relationship with GM and Chevrolet.

On the other side of the spectrum, there’s been a lot of hype revolving around 18 year old, Joey Logano, who is set to make his Nationwide Series debut this weekend at Dover for the Heluva Good! 200 on Saturday. Not since the emergence of Jeff Gordon to the stock car world in the early 90’s has a driver’s NASCAR debut been so highly anticipated, and some have even taken to nicknaming the kid as “Sliced Bread,” in reference to the ol’ saying, “the best thing since sliced bread.” Mark Martin spotted Logano out three years ago at the age of 15 and already claimed that he was a driver to keep an eye on. Since then he’s managed to win the 2007 Camping World East Series championship in a season that brought him seven victories, and he also won in his ARCA Series debut earlier this year. He’s so highly thought of that Joe Gibbs Racing has even decided to debut him in the Nationwide Series behind the wheel of the no. 20 car - the winningest car in the series so far this year - and, even signed him to an 18 race deal this year.

The only problem currently staring the suits at Gibbs Racing in the face right now - and, it’s a good problem to have - is that they have too much talent, right? Already filling their lineup in the Cup Series is a two-time Cup Series champ in Stewart, the current points leader in Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin, who made the Chase field in both of his first two seasons in the series, and appears to be well on his way to doing so again this year. So, when you take these two stories and add them together, the quick summation is that Logano would be a very likely candidate to take Stewart’s place upon his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing … but, according to David Newton over at the Sporting News, that’s not exactly what Gibbs has in mind.

JD Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, says that rather than focusing on replacing one of their current drivers, their goal is to have Logano seat a fourth team car when he’s ready to progress to the Sprint Cup Series. He stated that they’re still negotiation with Stewart for an extenstion beyond 2009. He also stated that under no circumstances would they release Smoke from his current obligations, and also reitterated the fact that Tony has never asked to be released.

“We’re still just trying to feel out exactly where he is and exactly he feels. We want him to be here,” says Gibbs. “I want him to be here for a long period of time. At the end of the day, all we can control is through next year.”

A large factor in determining Tony’s future with the organization also lies with sponsor, Home Depot, whom has sponsored Stewart since his arrival to NASCAR in 1999. Home Depot reported a first quarter decline in earnings of 66 percent, and their long-term future in the sport is reported to be uncertain.

“They really are in a lot of ways the decision maker,” Gibbs added. “We want to make sure whatever we do is something that encourages them. We wouldn’t do anything unless they were on board and excited about it.”

I fully expect Stewart to not only finish out his current contract obligations with Joe Gibbs Racing, but to also sign another long-term contract that will lock Tony up with the organization until the near-end of his driving career. I do, however, see him pursuing ownership opportunities outside of JGR, very much in the same fashion that Dale Earnhardt Sr. did late in his career. The only obstacle to doing so is JGR’s current commitment to Toyota, but if anybody could cut a deal to drive for one manufacturer and run a team in the same series under another, a name like Tony Stewart just might be it. Then again, with the horsepower that Toyota’s pumping out, as well as the money and resources they carry in their pocketbook, the best business decision for Tony should he pursue this course could very well be the emblem already on his car.

DYN Imposes:
This week, Do You NASCAR also asks its readers …

1. Will Tony Stewart sign a deal with JGR past the 2009 season?
2. Logano or Stewart - Who would Home Depot rather sponsor on a long-term deal?
3. How long will it take for Joey Logano to progress to the Sprint Cup Series?
4. Which driver will give JGR their next Cup Series championship?

For those of you that have had yourselves so engrossed with the notion of Austin Dillon one day making it to the Cup Series level to run the Richard Childress Racing number 3 car that was formerly run by racing great, Dale Earnhardt, you may be unaware that yet another relative of a long-time car owner at the Cup Series level has embarked on his journey to future stardome through the ARCA/Re Maxx Series.

Matt Carter, the recently turned 27 year old son of Travis Carter, gave himself a belated birthday present this past Saturday night at Toledo Speedway by winning the Hantz Group 200. Carter held off Patrick Sheltra in the closing laps of the caution filled race, and managed to escape with the win only 0.115 seconds ahead of his challenger. Matt was making only his seventh career start in the series and has now pulled himself into a tie for the series’ points lead with last week’s race winner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., just 20 points ahead of Frank Kimmel.

Other notables in the race included David Ragan, who finished fifth; Stenhouse, who finished seventh; and Ken Schrader who raced his way to a ninth place finish. The series will take back to the track on June 7th at Pocono Raceway for the running of the Pocono 200.

Image details: Dale Earnhardt Jr celebrates the win served by picapp.com

It’s another week off from points racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but this week brings us something a little different … NASCAR’s annual All-Star weekend from Lowe’s Motor Speedway. For those of you unfamiliar with the format of this great race, it’s very different from what you’ll find in Major League Baseball, or the National Football League, or the National Baskeball Association. Instead of the fans voting in the best of the best, here in NASCAR, the fans will vote in only one entry. The rest of the field will be made up of race winners of any Cup Series points race from either last year or this year, Cup Series champions and All-Star race winners from the past decade, and the top two finishers in the Sprint Cup Showdown (formerly known as “the Open”). If anything, I think the best comparison for the race would be to the Bass Elite Series of fishing. Go to nascar.com now to Vote For Your Favorite Driver that’s not already eligible for the All-Star Challenge itself.

The All-Star Race format itself (click on the link to see NASCAR’s own description of the entire race format) is rather unique as well. The race is divided up into four portions, or segments. The first segment consists of a 20-lap run, after which teams have the option to forefeit their track position in favor of a four-tire pit stop under caution. Segment 2 is another 20-lap run, but after this segment, NASCAR mandates a ten-minute stop for the teams, and the cars will return to the track in the same order that they ran at the end of the segment. Cars running at the back of the pack will be eliminated prior to the ensuing 20 laps that make up segment three, and then again prior to the fourth and final segment. Another mandatory pit stop will occur prior to the final segment, with the order of the field for the restart being determined by the order in which they exit pit road.

What’s At Stake?
So, if they’re not racing for points, why even bother, right? Wrong. Along with bragging rights, the winner of the All-Star Challenge will pocket $1 million. Second place … goes home with nothing but a used up car.

The Field
The following 21 drivers are already locked into the event: Martin Truex Jr, Kurt Busch, Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Juan Pablo Montoya, Bobby LaBonte, Dale Jarrett, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Carl Edwards.

Another 29 drivers will be vying for either a ticket in via the fan vote, or by finishing in the top two spots in the All-Star Showdown. Follow the link for the complete Entry List for the All-Star Showdown.

What Else?
Pit selection for the teams will be determined by their finishing order in the annual Pit Crew Challenge. The Pit Crew Challenge will test teams’ speed, strength, agility, endurance, and accuracy to the limits. Last year’s competition was won by the Ryan Newman’s no. 12 crew for Penske Racing.

NASCAR will also putting on their first Burnout Contest. Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, and Greg Biffle will all hop into identically prepared Petty Enterprises cars to perform a full drag-style burnout throughout the course that NASCAR has setup. The contest will air prior to the Showdown race.

Broadcast
Coverage for the race itself begins at 7 pm eastern time on Saturday, May 17th live on Speed with Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond, and Krista Voda bringing you the coverage. Please visit nascar.com for a complete schedule of All-Star coverage.

All-Star Race Stats & Fun Facts
- Most All-Star Wins:  Tie - Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt (3 apiece)
- First All-Star Race Winner:  Darrell Waltrip (1984)
- Most All-Star Showdown / Open Wins:  Sterling Marlin (4)
- Best Average All-Star Finish (Drivers Locked into the Race):  Jimmie Johnson (5.2), Jeff Gordon (6.3), Matt Kenseth (7.6), Ryan Newman (7.8), Bobby LaBonte (8.4)
- Number of Drivers to Qualify Via the Showdown / Open & Go Onto Win the All-Star Race:  2 - Michael Waltrip (1996), Ryan Newman (2002)
- Most All-Star Appearances: 19 - Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin (counting this year)
- Former All-Star Winners in the Field:  7 - Kevin Harvick (2007), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2003), Mark Martin (2005, 1998), Matt Kenseth (2004), Ryan Newman (2002), Jeff Gordon (2001, 1997, 1995), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000)
- Former Cup Series Champions in the Field:  7 - Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Bobby LaBonte, Dale Jarrett
- First time entrants: Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya
- Number of Rookies to Win the All-Star Race:  2 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000), Ryan Newman (2002)
- Humpy Wheeler, President of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, has predicted a win from Carl Edwards. Humpy has been successful with his picks 8 times out of his 20 tries, and only twice in the last 8 years.

TZ’s Six-Pack Challenge (Bonus Round):
Fan Vote (worth 5 bonus points) - David Ragan
Showdown Winners (worth 10 bonus points each) - Kasey Kahne, Travis Kvapil
All-Star Race Winer (worth 25 bonus points) - Tony Stewart

For related articles, please visit RevJim’s NASCAR Ranting ‘n’ Raving as he runs through the NASCAR All-Stars and also go to Racing for the Win for Cesar’s predictions on Who Will Dominate the 2008 Sprint Showdown.

This week, I’ve decided to compile a list of the top-ten future potential stars in NASCAR. The basis for this list isn’t based purely on driving skill, but also on other aspects that can contribute to their future success such as their organization, or even gender.

10. Justin Allgaier - 21 years-old, currently driving in his third full season in the ARCA/REMAXX Series. Has compiled one victory in each of the past three seasons.

9. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. - 20 years-old, has recorded 2 wins and 4 top-five’s through his first 20 races in the USAC Series.

8. Brad Keselowski - 24 years-old, currently driving in the Nationwide Series for Bob & Kay Keselowski. Currently 7th in points with 4 top-ten finishes.

7. Steve Wallace - The twenty-year-old son of Rusty Wallace; finished 17th in the Nationwide Series points standings last year, and currently 15th in points with a top-five and two top-ten’s.

6. Marcos Ambrose - The 30-year-old Australlian native has won several accolades in lesser series, and is known as an accomplished road racer. He’s turning that into some noticeable stock car success, and through two seasons has 2 top-five’s and 8 top-ten’s. He’s currently 16th in the Nationwide points standings.

5. Brad Coleman - Brad has a future with Joe Gibbs Racing, though the timeline is still a bit sketchy as long as JGR has Joey Logano in the waiting. He made his debut in the Nationwide Series this year and is currently 17th in points with one top-ten finish through ten races.

4. Austin Dillon - Being the grandson of Cup Series teamowner, Richard Childress, is sure to have its perks, and having the fortune to know that you can one day bring Dale Earnhardt’s former number back into NASCAR one day is one of them. He already has a win this season in the Camping World East Series, and is expected to win quite a few more before long.

3. Chrissy Wallace - She earned herself a top-20 finish in her first career start in the Craftsman Truck Series in March, and has recently signed a deal with Germain Racing that will have her competing full-time in 2009. With her family name, superior backing inside the NASCAR garage, and her appeal as a standout female star, big things could be on the horizon for Chrissy Wallace.

2. Aric Almirola - He’s scheduled to run a part-time schedule this year inside the no. 8 car for DEI that includes 12 races, the first of which came earlier in 2008 with a top-five run at Bristol. He’s currently slated to run full-time for the organization when Mark Martin goes into full retirement, which could be as early as next year.

1. Joey Logano - His future lies with Joe Gibbs Racing, producer of three Cup Series championships, and could have a pretty sweet deal lined up for himself depending on what Tony Stewart decides to do at the end of his contract in 2009. He recently won his first-ever start in the ARCA series a little over a week ago in Rockingham, and will make his first Nationwide start at the end of this month when he turns 18 years old.