| This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is back | | | | sponsorship funding. The iconic number made famous |
| in action at the Phoenix International Raceway. The | | | | by Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be vacant from the track |
| eighth race of the 2009 season, things are beginning | | | | this weekend and the following weekends unless the |
| to heat up around the cut off for the top-35 in | | | | team is able to find a company willing to support their |
| owner points. With forty-eight cars on the preliminary | | | | cause. By not competing, this team will simply fall |
| entry list for this weekend's Subway Fresh Fit 500, | | | | down the standings and allow others - like Scott |
| thirteen go-or-go-home cars will be vying for eight | | | | Speed in 37th - a better shot at clawing their way |
| spots. | | | | back into the top-35. |
| On the bubble this weekend is Raybestos Rookie of | | | | For the other rookie contender, the season has not |
| the Year contender Joey Logano. Following a | | | | gone exactly according to plan. Speed has struggled |
| 30th-place finish two weeks ago in Texas, the driver | | | | in the opening stages of the season and was unable |
| of the Joe Gibbs-owned No. 20 Home Depot Toyota | | | | to make the show two weeks ago in Texas. |
| dropped one spot in the owner standings. With only | | | | Ninety-six points behind Logano in 35th, Speed needs |
| twenty-three points keeping him from being a | | | | to step it up as the season is about to enter a long |
| go-or-go-homer, Logano is optimistic heading to one | | | | stretch of racing. He is not out of the picture by any |
| of his favorite tracks on the circuit. | | | | means, but better runs and more efficient qualifying |
| "I love Phoenix," Logano explained. "It could be one | | | | efforts are in order if he wants to get the No. 82 |
| of my favorite tracks, if not the favorite. There's | | | | Red Bull Toyota back in the top-35. |
| just something about it -- I took to that place great. | | | | On the safe side of the top-35, Paul Menard was the |
| I ran the Camping World West race there and won. I | | | | big mover leaving Texas. A thirteenth-place finish |
| should have won the Nationwide race there last year | | | | bumped the driver of the No. 98 Yates Racing Ford |
| as we've been fast every time we've been there. I | | | | up three spots in the owner standings to 32nd. |
| did the tire test there and it's just a place that I | | | | Coming off a disappointing 39th-place finish in Texas, |
| seem to take to real good. It's got two different | | | | owner/driver Robby Gordon fell three spots to 34th |
| ends -- one is real sharp and you have to keep | | | | in the standings. Now just forty-four points ahead of |
| working on your forward drive off that one, and the | | | | Gilliland, Gordon has suffered back-to-back engine |
| other is sweeping, more like a New Hampshire corner. | | | | failures and is looking to turn his season around in the |
| It's cool and it wears out your tires quite a bit and | | | | desert. |
| you have to be smart out there with your tires. I | | | | Those thirteen drivers required to qualify for |
| enjoy that place a lot." | | | | Saturday night's race include; Brandon Ash, Trevor |
| The man chasing Logano and looking to make his | | | | Boys, Sterling Marlin, Scott Riggs, Jeremy Mayfield, |
| way back into the top-35 is David Gilliland and his | | | | Dexter Bean, Todd Bodine, Dave Blaney, David |
| TRG Motorsports team. Only twenty-three points | | | | Gilliland, Tony Raines, Regan Smith, Scott Speed and |
| separates Gilliland from the top-35. | | | | Joe Nemechek. |
| Behind Gilliland in 36th is the No. 8 Earnhardt Ganassi | | | | Qualifying for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at the |
| Racing Chevrolet. Team officials announced recently | | | | Phoenix International Raceway is scheduled for |
| the team has been shut down due to a lack of | | | | 7:10pm E.T. |