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2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
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The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the sixty-first season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008 season on February 7th, with the first points race being the 2009 Daytona 500 to be held on February 15th. The 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup will start on September 20th with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, and ending November 22nd with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.
biggest changes for 2009 in a NASCAR schedule realignment adds the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway to the 2009 Chase, the shifting of the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway to a later autumn date, and the placement of the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to Labor Day weekend as a night race.
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Encyclopedia
The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the sixty-first season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008 season on February 7th, with the first points race being the 2009 Daytona 500 to be held on February 15th. The 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup will start on September 20th with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, and ending November 22nd with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.
Schedule
The biggest changes for 2009 in a NASCAR schedule realignment adds the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway to the 2009 Chase, the shifting of the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway to a later autumn date, and the placement of the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to Labor Day weekend as a night race. Additionally, there will be a fourth bye week between the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and the Pep Boys 500. The schedule changes are listed in boldface on the chart below.
NOTE: All race dates, names, distances, television and radio stations and start times are subject to change.
The total distance of the season will be .
KEY TO SYMBOLS:
1 - All races will be broadcast on Sirius XM Radio.
* - Television times are listed. Fox will start (except for Daytona 500 and Aaron's 499) with a 30-minute pre-race show, TNT will have a 90-minute pre-race show and ESPN/ABC will have a one-hour pre-race show. Add an extra fifteen minutes following the pre-race show for the scheduled green flag of the race.
? - This race will be run at night or begin in the day and finish that evening.
¶ - Non Points race.
? - This is a pair of races that will set the field for the Daytona 500.
† - This race will be produced and distributed by IMS Radio and the broadcast will be produced in conjunction with Performance Racing Network.
Drivers and teams
Because of the merger of DEI with Chip Ganassi, the #01 and #15 shops closed after the 2008 season. However, the owners' points from the #15 were transferred to the #34, while points from either the #01 or #41 will be transferred to the #09, with the #33 owned by Richard Childress possibly receiving the other. (NASCAR allows for a transfer if the original owner maintains some stake in the team to which points are transferred.) Also Bill Davis Racing was bought by Triad Racing, however the #22 was bought by Penske Racing with Bill Davis holding minority interest. The #22's points were transferred to the #77, thus guaranteeing that car a spot in the Daytona 500 should all other transfers occur.
NOTE: Only confirmed drivers and sponsors are listed.
Those with a pink background must qualify on time for the first five races.
§ — This driver will have up to six championship provisionals available as a past series champion.
(R) — Rookie of the year candidate.
? - This car will not have a primary sponsor. There was one year remaining in the #12 team's sponsorship package when the sponsor was sold. This breaks the grandfather clause, and the new sponsor decided to run the car as unbranded, similar to Marlboro in Formula One and the IRL.
# — This car ran as the #00 in 2008, and inherits those points.
˜ - This car ran as the #10 in 2008, and inherits those points.
? - This car ran as the #15 in 2008, and inherits those points.
! — This car ran as the #28 in 2008, and inherits those points.
+ — This car ran as the #34 in 2008, and inherits those points.
& — This car ran as the #38 in 2008, and inherits those points.
? - This car ran as the #44 in 2008, and inherits those points.
° — This car ran as the #70 in 2008, but inherits the points of the #66.
× — This car ran as the #66 in 2008, but inherits the points of the #70.
• — This car ran as the #84 in 2008, and inherits those points.
a - Inherits the points from the now defunct #01 EGR Chevy.
b - Because the points were not transferred due to the closing of the #41 EGR Chevrolet, the #47 car will automatically qualify for the first five races.
c - Inherits the points from the now defunct #22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota.
Economic challenges
The Economic crisis of 2008 is still causing problems even before the 2009 season begins. While gas (and diesel) prices have come down to nearly $2.00 per gallon, corporate America is reluctant to shell out millions of dollars to sponsor teams due to the volatility of the stock market. As a result, Chip Ganassi Racing is merging with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to form what will be called Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the coming season. They will field the #1 and #8 from DEI and #42 from Ganassi, and shut down the DEI #01 and #15 teams as well as Ganassi's #40 and #41 teams, as the #40 was a full-time team in 2008 until July, when it was closed for a lack of sponsorship. The #42 team will run under the Chevrolet banner under the merger as it changes from Dodge. In addition, Front Row Motorsports will have EGR support for their #34 car, to be driven by John Andretti. On January 19, Petty Enterprises merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the merger with Petty's famous #43 joining the newly renamed Richard Petty Motorsports. On December 22, 2008, Bill Davis Racing was sold to California businessman Mike Held and BDR vice president Marty Gaunt, and was renamed Triad Racing Development. Hall of Fame Racing announced an alliance with Yates Racing on January 13, 2009 and named Bobby Labonte as the new driver of the #96 team as they move from Toyota to Ford.
On November 14, 2008, NASCAR announced as another cost-cutting measure, teams will no longer be allowed to practice on NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in all three major series. Traditionally, they had had pre-season practices at Daytona and Las Vegas, along with as many as four additional in-season sessions at tracks, but all teams also use unsanctioned tracks (such as Rockingham Speedway) for their tests. The testing ban covers all tracks used on NASCAR's three national series, plus tracks that host events in the Camping World East and West circuits. This radically reduces the number of tracks that can be used for testing, with Rockingham being one of the few major tracks still available. This meant that the annual "Pre-Season Thunder" testing events, which covered all three major touring series at Daytona was cancelled for 2009. However, a fan fest remained in place with the thunder provided by the Richard Petty Driving Experience for fans to ride in a special two-seat stock car.
Rules change
One rules change this season concerns the final moments of all races in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Previously, when the race was inside the final ten laps, all cars/trucks on the lead lap were in a single-file restart in that window. As of the 2009 season, the window has been changed to the final 20 laps. The "lucky dog"/"free pass" rule will still be eliminated in the last ten laps of a race.
Television and radio
USA
In their third year of the current NASCAR television agreement, FOX will carry the Bud Shootout, the Daytona 500 and the first 13 races through Dover's June race. Fox-owned SPEED Channel will air the Gatorade Duels and Sprint All Star Race XXV. TNT will then pick up the next six races starting at Pocono including the summer race at Daytona, the Coke Zero 400 with its' "wide open format" coverage and ending at Chicago. The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will start ESPN/ABC's coverage, including the entire Chase for the Sprint Cup on ABC.
New to FOX telecasts will be 3-D CGI animated adventures of "Digger", the network's gopher cam mascot and his friends, Annie, Marbles, Grandpa and rival Lumpy Wheels (named after former Lowe's Motor Speedway chief Humpy Wheeler). According to Digger's backstory, creaed by Fox Sports chairman David Hill, Digger lives underground at Talladega Superspeedway. The characters will also be used in segues into and out of commercial breaks.
The annual changes at ABC/ESPN continue. Mike Massaro will become a third host of NASCAR Now on ESPN 2, beginning on February 2; Vince Welch will replace Massaro on pit road and Marty Reid, will do selected Nationwide Series events as well.
On radio, Sirius XM Radio will carry all races in the series. Terrestrial radio rights are being handled as follows:
ESPN Classic and MRN will be the broadcasters at the annual Sprint Cup Banquet in New York City from The Waldorf=Astoria Hotel on December 4th.
Other North American channels
In Canada, TSN and TSN 2 will have full coverage for the 2009 season.
International
In Australia, FOX Sports will show all Sprint Cup races live across their networks. Network Ten will also show races on its' new digital sports multichannel, ONE.
In Portugal, all races this season will be telecast on SportTv 3, while in Sweden, Viasat Motor will televise the races. In nearby Finland, Urheilu+Kanava will telecast the season's events, and in Great Britain and Ireland, the whole season will again be telecast on Sky Sports.
2009 season races
See List of 2009 NASCAR races for a complete list and schedule of the 2009 season races.
Budweiser Shootout
| Top Ten Finishers |
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| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
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| 1 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 2 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 3 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Stewart-Haas Racing | | 4 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | | 5 | 44 | | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | | 6 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | | 7 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 8 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing | | 9 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 10 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
Gatorade Duels
| Top Ten Finishers in Race #1 and #2 |
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| Race 1 | | Race 2 |
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| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Team | Make | | Pos. | Car # | Driver | Team | Make |
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| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | | 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | | 2 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | | 2 | 5 | Mark Martin | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | | 3 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | | 3 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Team Red Bull | Toyota | | 4 | 20 | Joey Logano | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | | 4 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | | 5 | 8 | Aric Almirola | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | | 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | | 6 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Penske Championship Racing | Dodge | | 6 | 96 | Bobby Labonte | Hall of Fame Racing | Ford | | 7 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Richard Petty Motorsports | Dodge | | 7 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | | 8 | 36 | Scott Riggs | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Toyota | | 8 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | | 9 | 98 | Paul Menard | Yates Racing | Ford | | 9 | 41 | Jeremy Mayfield | Mayfield Motorsports | Toyota | | 10 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | | 10 | 44 | A.J. Allmendinger | Richard Petty Motorsports | Dodge |
Drivers listed in boldface qualified outside the Top 35 owners points exemption from 2008 season.
Daytona 500
The 51st edition of "The Great American Race" was held on February 15, 2009. For only the fourth time in the history of the Daytona 500, the race was cut short due to rain. On Lap 145 of the 200 lap race, Matt Kenseth took the lead for the first time that day. On the next lap a caution was called due to a wreck between Sam Hornish, Jr. and Aric Almirola. After six caution laps the race was red-flagged and eventually called because of the weather. Kenseth won the race after having lead only one lap under green. There was also controversy over a nine-car wreck that occured on Lap 124 when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. attempted to pass Brian Vickers. When Vickers threw a block on Earnhardt and forced him below the yellow line, Earnhardt came back up and hit the left-rear side of Vickers' car causing the pile-up. Many believed that Earnhardt hit Vickers intentionally and that he should have been fined by NASCAR, though Earnhardt maintains that the contact was accidental. The fact that Earnhardt and Vickers were both a lap down further angered fellow drivers, especially Kyle Busch who was taken out of the race by the wreck after having led 88 laps.
| Top Ten Finishers |
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| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
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| 1 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 2 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 3 | 44 | | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | | 4 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 5 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | | 6 | 6 | David Ragan | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 7 | 55 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | | 8 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Stewart-Haas Racing | | 9 | 43 | Reed Sorenson | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | | 10 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing | |
NOTE: Race was shortened to or 152 laps due to rain.
Failed to qualify:
- Race #1: Joe Nemechek (#87), Brad Keselowski (#09), Carl Long (#46), Tony Raines (#37), Kirk Shelmerdine (#27), Mike Skinner (#23).
- Race #2: Mike Wallace (#71), Kelly Bires (#51), Derrike Cope (#75), Norm Benning (#57), Mike Garvey (#73), Geoffrey Bodine (#64), Boris Said (#08).
Auto Club 500
The Auto Club 500 took place on February 22 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Brian Vickers won the pole, but due to an engine change, would start in the back of the field. After not winning a race in 2008, Matt Kenseth became one of only five people in Sprint Cup history to win both of the first two races in a season, but Kyle Busch failed to be the first person in NASCAR history to win 3 different NASCAR races in one weekend.
| Top Ten Finishers |
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| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
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| 1 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | | 3 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | | 4 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 5 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing | | 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | | 7 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Roush Renway Racing | | 8 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Stewart-Haas Racing | | 9 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | | 10 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team | |
Failed to qualify: Sterling Marlin (#09), Tony Raines (#37), David Starr (#51), Todd Bodine (#64), Mike Garvey (#73).
Shelby 427
The Shelby 427 was held on March 1, 2009 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch won the pole for the race. However, due to an engine change prior to qualifying, he had to start the race at the back of the field. Nevertheless, Busch went on to win for the first time at his hometown track.
| Top Ten Finishers |
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| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
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| 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | | 2 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 3 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 4 | 00 | David Reutimann | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | | 5 | 96 | Bobby Labonte | Ford | Hall of Fame Racing | | 6 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | | 7 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 8 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team | | 9 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 10 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | |
Kobalt Tools 500
| Top Ten Finishers |
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| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
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| 1 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing | | 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | | 3 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | | 4 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 5 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team | | 6 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | | 7 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | | 8 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Stewart-Haas Racing | | 9 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | | 10 | 1 | | Chevrolet | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | |
External Links
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