NASCAR Changes for the 2008 Season

The press conference on September 19, 2007 was just the latest in announcements that have rocked the NASCAR circuit this year. Team owner Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt JR announced that Dale JR would be driving the 88 car in the 2008 NASCAR season. The 88 has previously been used by Robert Yates racing on their Ford Fusion and will now be a Chevrolet Impala owned by Hendrick Motorsports. In the press conference, they also announced that the sponsors for the new car in the Hendrick stable would be National Guard and Mountain Dew. Both of which Hendrick motorsports has had a long relationship with.

The first announcement that rocked the NASCAR world was made on May 10, 2007 when Dale Earnhardt JR announced that he was leaving the DEI, the company his father had built from the ground up. Just over a month, later the announcement had come that Dale Earnhardt JR was joining Hendrick Motorsports with top-notch drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Dale JR's car number and sponsors had yet to be determined. The joining of Dale JR left Kyle Busch as a free agent. At this point, there was speculation that Dale JR would take over the number 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet that Kyle Busch would be vacating.

Kyle Busch signed on with Joe Gibbs Racing replacing J.J. Yeley in the 18 Interstate Battery car for the 2008 season. Then Joe Gibbs Racing announced that they were switching to Toyota. Budweiser also announced that they would be leaving their long time relationship with DEI and moving on to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Budweiser will be leaving their Chevrolet sponsorship to sponsor Kasey Kahne and the 9 team in a Dodge. Mark Martin and Aric Almirola will be sharing a ride in the 8 car for the 2008 season.

With all these changes, NASCAR fans are up in arms and there are still questions that remain unanswered. What will happen to the 5 car and the Kellogg's sponsorship? What will happen to J.J. Yeley and will he have a full time ride for the NASCAR 2008 season? Who will be sponsoring the number 8 car for DEI? Bass Pro Shop has signed on as a sponsor but they are still left without a primary.

Oh and to top off all the change for the NASCAR 2008 Season... It will not be the Nextel Cup it will become the Sprint Cup due to the merger of companies.