hearing that Frank Stoddard, owner of the #32 FAS Lane Racing team, has worked out a deal where the #55 Michael Waltrip Racing team [Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip as drivers] gets the 2011 owners points and a guaranteed starting spot in the Daytona 500 and next four races. Supposedly Terry Labonte will be the driver of the #32 Ford in the Daytona 500 and will have the past champions provisional to use if needed. Then the twist’¦.after the Daytona 500, the #32 takes over the #6 owners points and will be guaranteed the next four races after the Daytona 500. This is all contingent on NASCAR’s approval.(2-13-2012)
UPDATE: More points swapping and acquisition between race teams has landed veteran Mark Martin with a guaranteed starting position in this year’s Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip Racing has worked out an agreement to transfer points from the FasLane Racing team to the #55 Toyota that Martin will pilot in 25 races this season. FasLane wound up inside the Top 35 of owner points last year and thus was guaranteed a starting spot in the first five events of the new year including the season-opening Daytona 500. While Waltrip will drive the #55 entry in Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout, Martin will now not have to worry about qualifying for the Daytona 500 through time trials or the Gatorade Duel qualifying races. #32-FasLane is still expected to field a car this Sprint Cup Series season and veterans Terry Labonte and Ken Schrader remain part of the roster. Labonte brings a past champion’s provisional with him that would guarantee a Daytona 500 start for the team if he is tabbed to drive in the season opener.(CBS Sports)(2-13-2012)
