“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.

Hello?  Furniture Row?  About that ride...

more...

http://www.thatsracin.com/242/story/5407.html<
/a>

http://motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=13&I=
nascar-cup/2007/da2/nascarcup-2007-da2-jd-0014.jpg
&FS=NASCAR-CUP&SN=1_12.226.103.130:33905&S=NASCAR-
CUP

Oh no, according to Sporting News writer Lee Spencer, Mark Martin is considering pulling another George Foreman (Michael Jordan).

For those who thought Mark Martin was cutting back, think again. He was expected to run a limited schedule in 2007, but that could change if he is in points contention entering the Bristol race in March. Martin expects his Chevrolet to be competitive when his team arrives at Daytona. He says Ginn Racing G.M. Jay Frye will give him the flexibility to race as much as he wants. -- Lee Spencer

Sterling Marlin fans are a little upset about this, maybe because they don't want to play second fiddle to a lot of hype about whether or not Martin will run another full season.  Martin left Rousch Racing at the end of last season and will drive the 01 Army Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Ginn Racing next season.  It was originally announced that Mark would drive 20 races with David Regan driving the other 16.  Joe Nemechek will drive the number 13 next year for Ginn Racing.  Sterling Marlin drives the 14 for Ginn.

KYSterlingfan is not too happy.

KYSterlingFan



Age: 29

Location: Jackson,KY
Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:05 pm  

Oh for the love of pete...

How many more years are we going to have to put up with him retiring...then deciding not to retire...

This is getting old...

If you are going to retire...retire like Rusty did..Don't drag it out...
 

rhendryx


Age: 52

Location: Cigar City
Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:04 am   Here is your local resident contrarian, again!

I hope Mark Martin races the entire year. If he is doing well, I believe that will translate into better performance for a certain other driver that a lot of us around here like. And a certain other driver who all of us respect who qualified well. It may help with sponsorship dollars, too.

I can understand why some people may take issue with the way he is resisting retirement, but Ginn Racing may be better off with him on the track. And whats good for Ginn racing, is good for me as a fan of Sterling Marlin.

Not to mention, the word retirement is going to be creeping into Sterling's vocabularly more and more in the next year or two and I'm wishing for anything possible that might help him have something decent to drive.