#09 Team loses sponsor: James Finch learned late Thursday afternoon that Miccosukee Resort and Gaming will no longer sponsor his Phoenix Racing teams. Finch had a contract for the full Nationwide Series schedule (#1-James Buescher) and 18 Sprint Cup races (#09-Aric Almirola) but when the Chairman of the Miccosukee tribe Billy Cypress lost the last election, Phoenix Racing became sponsor-less for Daytona and beyond. “They’re not going to do anything,” Finch said of the Miccosukee future involvement in NASCAR. “We had a contract, but our only recourse is to go in front of the tribal council and that’s not a case I’m going to win. If it was back in the old days, I could go in the parking lot and steal some hubcaps to race, but no one uses hubcaps anymore.” Although Finch attempted to make light of the situation, he seemed more distressed by his inability to lock into the Daytona 500 field. Finch won the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega last spring but was 38th in points after running just 27 Cup races. “If I could buy my way into the Daytona 500 I would,” Finch said. “Losing my sponsor isn’t going to keep me from racing next Sunday. I could finish fourth in the 150s and go home. The rules are (messed) up. I’m not going to pay more for the points than I can get for winning. I've seen a lot of people come and go from this sport. I stay because I'm a racer. But when you get to where you can’t race because of the rules, that’s B.S.”(FoxSports)(2-5-2010)

Phoenix Racing gets assoc sponsor: Graceway Pharmaceuticals along with Billy Ballew Motorsports announced the continuation of their partnership for the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season. In 2010, Aric Almirola will be the driver of the #51 Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota for Billy Ballew Motorsports. Nate Monteith will join Almirola in a second Graceway sponsored Tundra for Billy Ballew Motorsports in seven of the 2010 truck series events. Graceway Pharmaceuticals will also be the associate sponsor on the #09 James Finch NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car with Aric Almirola piloting the entry in 2010. The AKAwareness.com design will return this year. Graceway's sponsorship is part of a national public education campaign to raise awareness of actinic keratosis (AK) - a potential early warning sign of skin cancer - as well as the long-term consequences of sun damage over a lifetime.(Billy Ballew Motorsports)(2-4-2010)

Miccosukee sponsorship leaving the sport?: Sponsorship from Miccosukee Indian Gaming in all three of NASCAR's national series - Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Trucks - could be terminated as a result of an early February vote by the Indian tribe. The tribe, which runs Miccosukee Resort and Gaming located in Miami and along the southeastern edge of the Florida Everglades, elected a new chairman, Colley Billie, on Jan. 5 who campaigned on promoting a new and "proactive" economic development platform. Several sources confirmed the tribe plans a Feb. 4 vote to decide whether it will continue its sponsorship in NASCAR, which includes Cup [#09-Almirola] and Nationwide teams [#1-James Buescher] to be fielded in 2010 by team owner James Finch and a Truck team [#18] owned and driven by Kyle Busch. The chances the NASCAR sponsorships will continue are considered slim, sources said.(Charlotte Observer)(1-26-2010)

Almirola in the #09 car for full season? UPDATE: hearing Aric Almirola will drive the #09 Phoenix Racing car in 2010. The team plans on running the full 2010 season in Sprint Cup. No word if the team will remain a Chevy/Dodge team or form an alliance with another team or switch manufacturers.(1-9-2010)
UPDATE: Aric Almirola said he will drive the #09 Phoenix Racing car in 2010. The former Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver said the plan is to compete in all the races in the James Finch-owned car. “I went into Homestead [last year] having no idea what I was going to do [in 2010],” Almirola said Saturday at the Sprint Sound and Speed event. “Over the winter months, I was pleased to find out that I’m going to run the #09 Cup car. … I talked with James about it. His plan is to go full-time. [We’re] still working on a lot of things. When I got off the phone with him just the other day, it was, ‘We’re going racing, and the rest will take care of itself.’ Hopefully we can get everything situated in the next couple of weeks." Almirola drove in eight races last year. He finished 29th at New Hampshire in September in his lone start for the Phoenix Racing organization. “I’ve asked them, ‘Are we going to race or start and park? What’s our plan?’” Almirola said. “[Finch] told me, ‘Just get in and drive it.’ So I’m excited. I’m looking forward to 2010. I’m ready.” Almirola said he also plans to run a Billy Ballew Motorsports truck in select races this year.(SceneDaily)(1-10-2010)

Almirola drops lawsuit: Aric Almirola has dropped his breach-of-contract lawsuit against Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Almirola, who drove in seven Sprint Cup races this year for the team before his car was parked because of a lack of sponsorship, filed the complaint earlier this month in North Carolina Superior Court. He had it dismissed last Thursday, according to court records.(SceneDaily)(11-26-2009)

Miccosukee to sponsor #37 at Homestead: SPEED's Hermie Sadler reported on NASCAR Live that #37-Travis Kvapil will carry the colors of Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort as the car normally sponsored by Miccosukee failed to qualify for the race when David Stremme spun on his qualifying lap Friday for the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(11-21-2009)

Sterling Marlin....retiring? denied: Sterling Marlin plans to enter Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway [Marlin is not on the entry list, but the #70 Chevy driver is listed as TBA-to be announced, so maybe.....] then, after over 30 years of life in the fast lane, will "probably" hang up his helmet. "Will I miss it? Yeah, in some ways," said Marlin, 52, who raced his way out of the Carter's Creek tobacco fields and into international fame with back-to-back Daytona 500 victories in '94 and '95. "But in some ways I'll kinda be glad when it's over. The sport has changed. It's not much fun any more."(Racin' Today)(11-17-2009)
UPDATE: been told that Marlin says he is not retiring but would think about retiring in the off-season because it just wasn't fun anymore. Marlin has no plans to drive at Homestead. Marlin can be heard on a scheduled radio interview, Thurssday, Nov 19th on Race 2 Win Radio around 1:20pm/et.(11-19-2009)

Almirola files lawsuit: Aric Almirola has filed a lawsuit in North Carolina Superior Court alleging that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. have breached their contract with him. Almirola, who drove in seven Sprint Cup races this year for the team before his car was parked because of a lack of sponsorship, filed the complaint last Thursday. DEI had announced last year that Almirola would run a full season in 2009, but the organization later merged its Cup operation with Chip Ganassi Racing to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The complaint does not detail the circumstances surrounding the breach-of-contract claim and asks the court to refer the matter to arbitration. Almirola had filed two notices of a claim last month, and he had until Thursday to file the actual complaint. He is dismissing his claim against Chip Ganassi Racing and EGR co-owner Teresa Earnhardt but proceeding in the one against EGR and DEI. The team had no comment.(SceneDaily)(11-11-2009)

Sorenson and Mears candidates for #09 ride in 2010 UPDATE: Casey Mears, currently running the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevy for Richard Childress is a leading candidate for the #09 Phoenix Racing ride in 2010. Reed Sorenson, out of the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports ride after the 2009 season is also a candidate for the #09 ride.(FoxSports)(11-7-2009)
UPDATE: Casey Mears and Reed Sorenson are among the four drivers #09 Phoenix Racing is considering for the 2010 Sprint Cup season. The Spartanburg-based organization will run David Gilliland this weekend at Phoenix and David Stremme in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. If neither earns the ride through performance, then Mears and Sorenson will become the front-runners, general manager Mark Reno said. Reno said both drivers have called him inquiring about the #09. "A lot of good candidates," he said. See more at ESPN Insider.(11-9-2009)

Stremme to run #09 at Homestead..and 2010?: David Stremme, who has been replaced by Brad Keselowski in the #12 Penske Dodge, will drive the #09 Chevy for Phoenix Racing at Homestead — a race Keselowski had signed on to do. For 2010, Stremme has two options to consider. One, return to the Nationwide Series and drive for Rusty Wallace (who Stremme accompanied to Las Vegas earlier this week) and/or drive for the Bob Jenkins' owned [#34 or #37] Front Row Motorsports.(FoxSports)(11-6-2009)

Keselowski in the #12 at Texas? UPDATE: Brad Keselowski will begin driving a Penske Racing Dodge in the Sprint Cup series starting this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Keselowski will take over for David Stremme in the #12 Dodge, multiple sources have told FOXSports.com.Keselowski, who finished eighth in Sunday's Amp Energy 500 and is currently third in Nationwide Series points, was announced as Roger Penske's latest addition on Sept. 1.(FoxSports)(11-2-2009)
UPDATE: Brad Keselowski will compete for Penske Racing in the final three NASCAR Cup Series races of the 2009 season. Keselowski will drive the #12 Penske Dodge in the upcoming races at Texas (Nov. 8), Phoenix (Nov. 15) and Homestead (Nov. 22). Over the final three Cup Series events of 2009, Keselowski will step in for David Stremme and work with the Penske Dodge team in the car that will become his full-time ride next season. "Penske Racing wants to give Brad an opportunity to work with the team and get to know the race car as we prepare for the 2010 season," said Roger Penske. "These three races will provide a good base for both Brad and the team as we head into next year. Penske Racing also thanks David Stremme for his contributions to the team this year. We wish David the very best moving forward."(Penske Racing PR)(11-2-2009)

Almirola files papers against EGR: Aric Almirola has filed paperwork in North Carolina Superior Court indicating that he has a breach-of-contract dispute with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Almirola, who competed in seven Sprint Cup races this year for the team before his [#8 Chevy] car was parked because of a lack of sponsorship, filed the notice in the Charlotte court last Friday [10-16], asking for 20 days to file a complaint in the matter. This type of request results in a summons to the other party and typically is filed to start a civil action but the person hopes the matter gets settled before having to file the lawsuit specifics. Almirola indicates that the nature of his claim is breach of contract and unfair and deceptive trade practices. Almirola filed two notices, one against EGR and DEI and another against Chip Ganassi Racing and team co-owner Teresa Earnhardt. Almirola had a contract with DEI, which merged its Cup operation with Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of the 2008 season to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. He has until Nov. 5 to file an actual complaint. “We’re disappointed at the situation with Aric but are hopeful that we will come to an agreement soon,” EGR spokesman John Olguin said. Almirola has 26 career Sprint Cup starts, with a career best finish of eighth at Bristol in March 2008. He drove in 17 races in 2007 and 2008 as he shared the ride with Mark Martin in the #8 Chevy at DEI.(SceneDaily)(10-22-2009)

Keselowski officially signs with Penske for 2010: Penske Racing announced that Brad Keselowski will compete for the team full-time, beginning with the 2010 NASCAR season. Keselowski, a 25-year-old native of Rochester Hills, Mich., will drive the #12 Penske Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. He will also run a full-season schedule in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series, where he will compete for a championship with the team. "We are very excited to welcome Brad to the Penske Racing family," said Roger Penske. "Brad has shown terrific success on track the past several years and has quickly established himself as one of the top young stars in racing. He comes from an impressive family background in motorsports. He is a proven winner and a welcome addition to our team."
A third-generation driver, Keselowski has won at every level in which he has competed. He is currently ranked third in the Nationwide Series standings with three wins to his credit in 2009, including a dramatic victory in August at his home track at Michigan International Speedway. Keselowski also scored his first Cup Series win earlier this year at Talladega Superspeedway and he has produced three top-10 finishes in just eight Cup Series starts this season.
"Penske Racing is one of the top teams in all of motorsports and I am honored to join Roger Penske's organization and compete for wins with his Cup and Nationwide Series teams," said Keselowski. "This is a great opportunity for me to continue competing in the Nationwide Series and to run my first full season in the Cup Series with a strong and experienced team."(Penske Racing), no word on Stremme's plans for 2010.(9-1-2009)