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It’s admittedly WAAAY too early in the season for NASCAR’s silly season to already have gotten as it deep as it has, that’s for sure … but, alas, I must do my small part in life to contribute to this nonsense, because – well, quite frankly it intrigues me.It all started just a few weeks into the ‘08 season when Richard Childress Racing announced the addition of a fourth team to their arsenal next year, and immediately everyone started pointing towards Bobby LaBonte to fill the seat in that ride due to his ties with RCR and Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. While nothing has come of that since then, RCR has gone ahead and already secured the current #1 sponsor over at Petty Enterprises in General Mills.

RCR got the ball rolling with contract talks, and then a small focus within the media shifted over to Roush-Fenway Racing. Roush will be forced to part ways with one of their team cars after 2009 due to a new rule that will be implemented in NASCAR that will limit to teams limiting no more than four cars. However, two of their five current Cup Series drivers – Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle – have contracts that currently run only through the end of this year. While there’s not really much speculation that Edwards has any plans of leaving the organization – and, may in fact actually nab one of NASCAR’s largest sponsors next season in UPS – Biffle was earlier reported to be about “90% done with his contract renewal.” Talks since then appear to have slowed a bit, and now there’s some minor speculation lingering out there that the Biff may be headed in a new direction. Of course, then you also have the notion that Roush may work out a deal with Yates Racing that would send one of their cars over to that organization in somewhat of a partnership deal, in which case Roush could essentially really wind up not losing anyone after next year.

Fast forward a bit, and then you’ve got Tony Stewart reportedly looking into all sorts of offers, though his contract doesn’t officially end at Joe Gibbs Racing until after the 2009 season. The most widely known offer that seems to be on the table right now for Stewart is a deal that would give up as much as 50% ownership at Haas CNC Racing, and would also return Smoke to his long-tenured relationship with General Motors. There’s been a lot of speculation that Tony has been trying to get out of his contract with JGR following this season, but both parties claim that no such talks have taken place. Additionally, Joe Gibbs himself has stated that their organization is pretty much set the way that it is in terms of ownership, but if that’s something that Tony was interested in, something could possibly be worked out that would set Stewart in the right direction for such a venture.

There was some question regarding Martin Truex Jr’s contract at Dale Earhardt, Inc, which only went through the end of this season. With the team struggling early on, there was a bit of doubt whether or not the organization would pick up the option they had on Martin for 2009, but they recently inked that deal earlier this week and our now working on a deal that would keep Truex at DEI beyond 2010.

Staying somewhat out of the public eye in terms of contract negotiations has been Ryan Newman, who has driven for Penske Racing since entering the Sprint Cup Series, but his contract also expires at the end of the year. Newman has stated that he hasn’t been talking to any other teams about potential options, but he also admitted that he has yet to sign a renewal with Penske and that they haven’t really talked about it. It’s also no huge secret that Newman hasn’t been happy with some of the engines that have been handed to him through the Penske garage, so who knows?

There are also some rumors that Casey Mears could be let go from his ride with Hendrick Motorsports, which would not only free up another driver for a potential signing, but would free up another seat for one of these other guys. And, let’s not forget the blowout that occurred within Chip Ganassi Racing not all that long ago. If Chip’s not happy with his race teams, then who knows who might be available for signing by the time we roll into 2009.There’s a lot of circumstantial talk within these rumors, and I’ll admit that this post is probably somewhat premature, but all the same – it looks like we’re going to have plenty to keep talking about as 2008 pushes forward.Current Rides Available:
#12 – Penske Racing (Ryan Newman)
#16 – Roush-Fenway Racing (Greg Biffle)
#21 – Wood Bros. (Bill Elliott / Jon Wood)
#33 – Richard Childress Racing (new team)
#43 – Petty Enterprises (Bobby LaBonte)
#70 – Haas CNC Racing (race-by-race)
#99 – Roush-Fenway Racing (Carl Edwards)

Post from: EveryJoe

Let’s Talk Contracts

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Ahh yes, what would April be without speculation for next year’s silly season? The latest in the slew of ongoing rumors and negotiations in our dramatic world that we call NASCAR has fallen on the lap of non-other than Roush-Fenway Racing driver, Carl Edwards.

Edwards’ contract with car owner the no. 99 Ford Fusion, Jack Roush, expires at the end of the season. There have not yet been any indications that Carl is looking elsewhere for a seat, and experts expect Edwards to resign with the team by the end of the year. At the same time, however, Office Depot’s sponsorship contract on the 99 car also expires at the end of this year, and rumors are surfacing that the price tag for renewal may have just gone up to a price that they’re just not comfortable with.

Three years ago Office Depot signed a deal with Roush Racing that had them spouting out about $12 million to $14 million a year. Sources are saying that Roush is now reportedly looking to make somewhere in the neighborhood of $22 million to $24 million off of Edwards. With Office Depot’s stock dropping by over $25 per share over the last calendar year, that is looking to be well out of their price range.

One sponsor that doesn’t seem too shy about spending the dough, however, will coincidentally be up for grabs at the end of the year. UPS’s 2-year deal with Michael Waltrip Racing is up at the end of the year, and Carl Edwards is reported to be their number one option. All indications are that if Office Depot hasn’t finalized a deal with Roush by the end of their exclusive negotiating period in mid-May, then UPS will be hot on the hunt after Cousin Carl.

In Other News:
- Clint Bowyer lost control of his no. 07 Chevy Impala on Tuesday while demonstrating a burnout at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The demonstration was in preparation for NASCAR’s first-ever Pennzoil Burnout Contest prior to the May 17th All-Star Race held at Lowe’s. The event will feature five drivers performing a burnout, with the winner to be determined by how fast they can begin from a standing start and complete a full drag racing-style, tire smoking burnout and two doughnuts before reaching the finish box. The winner will receive $10,000 to be donated to the charity of his choice. The event is being compared to MLB’s Home Run Derby or the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest.

- Ryan Newman is reportedly unhappy with his engine department at Penske Racing after blowing up during the last Sprint Cup Series event in Phoenix. The incident isn’t the first engine failure that Newman has suffered this season, and the trend has sent him plummeting in the standings since winning the opening Daytona 500 back in February.

Post from: EveryJoe

Express Delivery for Carl Edwards