Hearing that the deal for Chad McCumbee has been finalized for the move to Sprint Cup in 2009, and an announcement is expected sometime within the next week.(8-9-2008)
UPDATE: Petty Enterprises has not decided on a driver for its #45 car next year, team official Robbie Loomis said Friday, but Chad McCumbee remains one of the top candidates for the ride. Michael McDowell and Casey Mears are some of the other drivers who have been mentioned, though Mears appears poised to sign with Richard Childress Racing. Loomis said the team was still speaking with multiple drivers. McCumbee, spending his off-week from the Craftsman Truck Series in the Cup garage at Michigan, said he’s “working hard” on trying to land a ride with the Pettys. The North Carolina native has run several events for the team in its #45 car and recently had a solid run at Pocono. “I’m just kind of floating around for now, waiting to see what’s going to happen,” he said. He added that he expects to hear a decision within the next couple weeks at the latest. Scene Daily)(8-16-2008)
UPDATE 2: Despite several Internet reports that link him to a full-time seat in the #44 car for Petty Enterprises next season, McCumbee said the sagging economy has changed a lot of plans. “We have to wait for sponsorship,” he said. “If we don’t have it, we can’t go racing. We’ve had some things lined up, but when companies start to struggle, NASCAR sponsorship will be the first to go.” McCumbee said he doesn’t “have an answer” to what next year will look like, but is “confident we will be able to run some,” in the Sprint Cup Series. He also said he may return to the Craftsman Truck Series.(MyrtleBeachOnline.com)(11-21-2008)
