The 2010 Top 35- An Attempt To Clear Up Any Confusion!

Its one of the most confussing things coming into the NASCAR season. Who will make the top 35 and who will have to race their way into the 52nd running of the Daytona 500.

This is my attempt at clearing up the confusion and trying to have you NASCAR fans understand just who is in and who is out.

There are four teams that were in the top 35 in 2009 that will not be running in 2010. Richard Childress Racing's No. 07 car, Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 44 car, Hall of Fame/Yates Racing's No. 96 car and Jack Roush's No. 26 car, will all not race in 2010.

This week, Jack Roush had sold the points to an independent owner named Bill Jenkins. He has kept the number 26 and will race full time in 2010, with a driver and sponsor to be announced at a later date.

So that leaves  three postions free in the top 35. Now those points might be sold to another team, but nothing yet has been announced and the No. 96 has not announced their plans for 2010 either.

So If those three positions are open come Daytona in February, these are the three teams that would make it in. Scott Speed's No. 82 team was 36th in the owner points so they would make it in. Bobby Labonte's No. 71 team was 37th in owner points so they again would make into the 52nd running of the Daytona 500. The 38th team in owner points would get in as well. That means Aric Almirola and his No. 09 Dodge will make the first five races of 2010 as well.

So who is on the outside looking in? Well poor old Joe Nemechek who is still trying to find some funds to run all the races on the schedule next season finished 39th in the points and is now on the outside looking in thanks to Bill Jenkins buying the No. 26 points.

Regan Smith and his No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet would be next in line, however, they did not attempt every race in 2009, which would not make them eligible for the top 35, unless they buy the points of one of the afore mentioned teams, which would knock out the No. 09 team.

Other noteable outs of the top 35 including Tommy Baldwin's No. 36, who attempted every race in 2009. PRISM Motorsports No. 66 Toyota, Front Row Motorsports No. 37 with Rookie Kevin Conway, Germain Racing's No. 13 car with Max Papis and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford with Bill Elliott behind the wheel. Both teams did not attempt every race in 2009, so would not be eligible anyway.

SO hopefully this clears everything up a little bit. Again that is as of right now and things might change. Hopefully everyone is a little less confused!