Quick Off Season NASCAR Headlines

2000 Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte has left Petty Enterprises and lets be honest was really never competitive in that #43 car.  Petty is still in exclusive talks to merge with Gillet/Evernham Motorsports which would create a 4 car organization with the #9, #10, #19, and #43.  Labonte said he is not under contract yet with any other team.

Despite his last name, Kyle Petty is no longer with Petty Enterprises saying “I don’t work for Petty Enterprises, when they did their deal and sold to Boston Ventures, Chad [McCumbee] was going to drive the second car and Bobby [Labonte] was going to drive the first car; they pretty much let me know there wasn’t a place for me there going into ‘09. My deal runs out at the end of the year, but I don’t go over there [to the shop in Mooresville, N.C.] because I don’t work there.”

At least 3 dozen people have been laid off at Petty Enterprises this week leaving only 70 still on board for the organization.  To put this in perspective, Hendrick Motorsports employs over  500 people.  Petty Enterprises is certainly at a crossroads with Kyle Petty saying this week he is no longer with the team, and the possiblilty of Petty merging with Gillett / Evernham.

Teams representing all 4 manufacturers wrapped up a Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last week.  On hand were Mark Martin for Chevy, Brian Vickers for Toyota, David Stremme for Dodge, and Carl Edwards for Ford.  Driving the Penske #12 Dodge since Ryan Newman went to Stewart Haas, David Stremme is glad to get some seat-time—”I can’t put a value on what we hope to accomplish here, We’re here testing tires for Goodyear first and foremost, but the more time I get in these cars the better. They didn’t have to try very hard to get me to come and do this test. I love coming out here, and more for the track than the rest of it.”

The newly formed Earnhardt / Ganassi Racing has shut down it’s #40 Nationwide Series team this week.  Most of the road crew and some shop employees were released as part of the closure, but no word yet on where driver Bryan Clauson will go for 2009, he is still under contract.

Red Horse Racing has wrangled up themselves a champion, this year’s truck series champion no less.  Johnny Benson joins the team for the 2009 season as the driver of the #1 truck as a teammate to David Starr.  Not only that, he’ll bring along his crew chief Trip Bruce keeping that championship chemistry alive.  The team is still looking for sponsorship, but having a driver like Johnny should help.