The news today was that unless the #8 team can be resurrected with sponsorship, Martin Truex is now within his rights to leave the team, because his contract stipulates that he must have two teammates. Word is he might be headed next year or sooner to a fourth Joe Gibbs team. Gibbs has plans to expand in the near future, so if Truex becomes available, it‘s a distinct possibility.

So far, the Earnhardt Ganassi team has not worked out as hoped. The #8 is probably done after this weekend, Truex is mired far down in the points, and Montoya has been the only bright spot. I was shocked Truex agreed to come back in 2009, and at this point it’s pretty much assured he will be moving somewhere, whether it’s Gibbs or elsewhere, either after or during the 2009 season.

Truex has been a middle-of-the-pack driver for a while now, with occasional flashes of greatness, and I wonder what he could do if he were in top-notch equipment.

It’s possible we’ll find out very soon.

Speed not racing Sunday
The battle for rookie of the race at Texas has already been won by Joey Logano … as Scott Speed could not qualify. The Red Bull team has returned to the struggles of the past couple years with their second car, leaving Brian Vickers as its only positive news. Speed is struggling this year, to be kind, and things aren’t getting better, as this DNF proves. He denied interest in returning to F1, but if he continues not to qualify his attitude could change.

Petty running a car at Indy
I learned an astonishing fact this week. Prior to 2007, Richard Petty had never attended an Indy 500.
Now, two years later, he will enter a car in the race. John Andretti, who earned the last win for Petty Enterprises, will race for Petty in this May’s edition of the race.

Another Nationwide snoozer
When I heard before the season that Kyle Busch was running all the Nationwide races, I said the engravers could start putting his name on the trophy. After Saturday’s snoozer at Texas in the series, with Busch once again making everyone else look like an amateur, it looks like I was right.

On one hand, I recognize and am amazed by the kid’s talent, but I’m really sick of him making the races in this series as exciting as watching paint dry. I like competition for wins, and that doesn’t happen much lately.