“We have inquired about the possibility of acquiring an existing team,” DEI Vice President John Story said Monday.
Story said the move could come as early as this season and the purchase of a team already in the top 35 of car owner points would be used to shore up DEI’s No. 15 team driven by Paul Menard. Menard is 39th in owner points and has failed to qualify for six races this season. Story declined to name the teams with which DEI has talked about the possibility of purchasing, but multiple sources Monday confirmed Ginn Racing’s No. 13 Chevrolet team driven by Joe Nemechek is DEI’s prime target.
I'll put my money on Jim Utter over Lee Spencer. Look for DEI to acquire the 13 from Ginn next week. Immediately Menard will find himself in the 13 and Nemechek in the 15 working for DEI as the driver of their fourth car. Hell, in reality only the names may switch places. The drivers might actually stay in the same shops as merger talks continue.
That will leave Sterling Marlin in the 14 for now. However, that may not last long. Given the discontinuance of Ginn's No. 4 Busch team, Sterling could find himself out of work next week as well if Regan Smith is immediately put in the 14 to gain experience for next year. Experience tells me Bobby Ginn does not mess around. It appears that when he wants something to change, it happens, and it happens sooner rather than later.
I guess the phones didn't ring after the unsponsored cars at New Hampshire. I don't know why Ginn thought they might.
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