JTG Daugherty Racings Marcos Ambrose will have a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500 and the next four Sprint Cup race, but Phoenix Racings #09-Brad Kesolowski will have to race his way into the events, NASCAR sources said Thursday morning. Sanctioning body officials decided that allowing the transfer of a car number for a rookie to run a fifth car wasnt the intent of the points-transfer rules and wont allow a transfer of Chip Ganassi Racing points from last season to Phoenix Racings Keselowski. The move will lock Ambrose into the seasons opening five events. Ambrose was told of the situation Thursday morning, and NASCAR sources confirmed that Ambrose will be among the top 35 cars from owner points last year that get locked in the first five races this season. NASCAR doesnt allow teams to sell points outright but generally approves transfers to other teams as long as the original owner has a minimal ownership stake.
Keselowski was expected to get the points from the #41 car (33rd last year) as part of a deal that would allow him to be a fifth Earnhardt Ganassi Racing car under the four-car cap provision that allows for an additional car for a driver preparing for a full-time ride in the future. But NASCAR officials indicated they have ruled that the points-transfer rules were not designed to give team a fifth car for a rookie. Ambrose was 36th in car owner points and thought he would be locked in over the winter until the last couple of weeks when three car owners who had top-35 points but no plans to run this year began making deals with other teams outside the top 35.
#34-John Andretti will get the #15 points from Dale Earnhardt Inc. as part of a deal with the new Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Richard Childress Racings #33-Clint Bowyer appears set to get the #01 points that DEI had last year. But no one will end up with the #41 points, allowing Ambrose in the field.(SceneDaily)
AND NASCAR notified the team Wednesday that the #47 secured the final spot in the top 35 in owner points, guaranteeing Ambrose a starting position in the first five races for the season. A quick glance at last year’s owner points expected to see the #15, #22, #01 and #41 parked for the season, which would automatically lock in the #47, 10 [now #44], #77 and #21. Inevitably, the #15 points aligned with the #34 and John Andretti at Front Row Motorsports (who will have a technical alliance with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing). The #22 points went to Penske Championship Racing and Bill Davis will be minority owner. And the #01 points partnered with Clint Bowyer in the #33 at Richard Childress Racing where Bobby Ginn will be the minority owner of that team.
At the end of last season, the #47 Toyota was listed 36th in the owner points standings and advanced to 35th. George Gillett’s #10 Dodge, listed 37th at the end of last season, was not so lucky. AJ Allmendinger, who now occupies that car which has since been changed to the #44, remains hopeful and confident. “We’re just going to have to race our way in, but you know what, that’s the way it should be anyway,” Allmendinger said. “I wish everyone had to race their way in. I have had to race my way in the last two years and have gained a lot of knowledge from both of those experiences. I know we are going to have a great car to get the job done and we as a team are just going to have to go out there and make it happen. I am confident we are still going to be in the field for the Daytona 500, we are just going to have to do it the hard way and fight our way into the race from the duels.”(FoxSports), see my 2009 Owners Points – 1st five races page for the breakdown.(2-5-2009)
