Who's Where for 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup (Part 6)

Here is the final installment of who’s where for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup team lineup for 2011. Keep in mind as up to date as this may appear, changes to sponsor, driver and crew lineups can and do happen right up until the green flag drops at Daytona….and then start again after the first checkers. What used to be known as the Silly Season taking place towards the end of a season now seems to take place all year.

No. 77 - Penske’s driver Sam Hornish Jr is out of this Dodge Cup ride in favor of a part-time gig in the Nationwide series. Steven Wallace will pilot this Chevy in the opening round at Daytona and more than likely a few others during the year. Veteran racer/team owner Rusty Wallace has procured this cars’ points in order to guarantee his son a starting spot in the great American race.

There are no other details at this time as far as sponsor, crew chief, etc. All my crystal ball sees for this combo are additional caution flags and twisted race cars.

No. 78 - Former rookie-of-the-year Regan Smith returns to this Furniture Row sponsored Chevy with Childress products under the hood.

This young man has proven time and time again, he is a worthy driver that is easy on equipment and will generally get the job done to stay among the top 20 on any given day.

The one-car team managed to finish 28^th in points last year, but without any top 10 runs, and still earned $3.4 million. This team will have to step up their game to gain more sponsors or credibility. Utilizing training of their over-the-wall crew by Stewart-Haas Racing will have to help.

No. 83 - Brian Vickers returns to driving duties in this Red Bull Toyota after being sidelined early last year with serious health problems. If pre-season testing is any indication of not losing any ability to be competitive, he and crew chief Ryan Pemberton should meet in the winner’s at least once. Chase odds? I don’t see any here.

No. 87 - Veteran racer Joe Nemechek has been operating on a shoe string budget for several years now and this year looks no different. Under the capable direction of crew chief Philippe Lopez, they managed to miss only five shows and rack up earnings of $2.5 million despite their normal start-and-park status. No exact word as to their plans for this year, but I would predict more of the same.

No. 88 - Fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr will slide behind the wheel of this Hendrick Chevy with Steve Letarte now calling the shots. The stats for last year were a little more than lack luster with only one pole, eight top 10’s and 21^st in points.

The No. 88 operation has moved into the same building as five-time champion Jimmie Johnson with the hopes of some "goodness" rubbing off.

Amp Energy drinks has returned as backer alongside Army National Guard. Results for this year? I see an improvement, but nothing to write home about. Dale Jr just has too many outside distractions and has lost that ‘eye of the tiger’ needed to be competitive.

No. 90 - I was glad to see Scott Riggs assigned to this Keyed Up Motorsports Chevy for at least the first five races. This is a talented driver that should not be home watching these races from his couch as he has for the past few years.

There are lots of unanswered questions as far as sponsor and crew assignments at this time.

No. 99 - "Cousin" Carl Edwards is well in place to drive this Roush-Fenway Ford with Aflac, Sunway and Kellogg’s signing the big checks. Edwards wrapped up last season with the final two wins with many fans and media having this personable driver as the man to displace Johnson from atop his throne.

Edwards also earned three poles, 19 top 10 runs while finishing fourth in the big picture. If he doesn’t take the whole enchilada, he should be among the top three throughout the season providing those new Ford engines stay glued together.

From Rumorville - Tony Stewart arrested? Yes, the mild-mannered(?) Indiana NASCAR driver was arrested while competing in Australia over the weekend. It appears that Stewart and the track owner disagreed about track conditions whereupon Stewart smashed him in the face with his helmet. The track owner returned the favor by giving Stewart a black eye.

The two-time NASCAR champion has left ‘the land down under’ but may have to return to answer additional questions and appear in court. Does that answer your questions about Tony ‘calming down’?

That’s it for this week. Next week’s RWR will discuss some of the team lineups for the 2011 Nationwide series, along with more racing news from around the globe.

Questions? Comments? Contact Russ at [e-mail]