Smith still in limbo over 2009 Sprint Cup ride

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Top rookie Regan Smith still in limbo over 2009 Sprint Cup ride
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Wednesday, December 03, 2008


NEW YORK – Regan Smith doesn’t expect to be part of the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team but said Wednesday he continues to have promising discussions with other teams.

Smith, talking at the New York City bar Foley’s as part of his winning NASCAR’s top Sprint Cup rookie award, said he has little dialogue with the new leadership at Earnhardt-Ganassi in the weeks since he completed his first Sprint Cup season at Dale Earnhardt Inc.

DEI and Chip Ganassi Racing are merging and the No. 01 car Smith drove in 2008 will not be around next season.

“I’m not going to say there’s no chance of it, but I haven’t had very much conversation with them [at Earnhardt-Ganassi] about it,” Smith said. “It’s probably more of a slim chance than some of the other opportunities I’ve got right now.”

Among the teams Smith has visited was Furniture Row Racing in Colorado. That team likely will run a partial schedule next season.

“I’ve been to the shop, and it’s a great place, a great organization and they’ve got a lot of tools to work with out there,” Smith said. “I was definitely very impressed with it. I didn’t realize there was a shop with that much technology outside of North Carolina.”

Smith is no stranger to living in uncertainty, having emerged as a Cup rookie at DEI after the DEI-Ginn Racing merger in 2007.

“I got a great opportunity from those guys this year and they gave me everything they had,” Smith said. “Sometimes change is good for everybody involved. Ultimately, what it boils down to is the 01 car [didn’t] have sponsorship for next year.

“As a company, they’ve got to do what they’ve got to do to survive, and as a driver, I’ve got to do what’s best for me, too.”

At least Smith hasn’t lost his sense of humor. In talking about his award, he was told he needed to stand closer to the microphone. The event emcee, Fox Sports’ Krista Voda, piped in and said it was her fault for crowding the microphone area.

To which Smith replied: “I didn’t know if I was forcing her over or what” when referring on how close to get to the microphone with Voda standing next to them.

Smith, of course, was talking about the race at Talladega Superspeedway where he was the first to cross the finish line, but NASCAR ruled Smith had passed Tony Stewart when he went below the yellow line without being forced. Smith has claimed he was forced below the yellow line and the pass should have been legal.

Even Rick Hendrick, team owner of Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, had something to say about that.

“You had a heck of a year,” Hendrick said. “That was one of the most awesome plate races I have ever seen. And I do think you won that race.”


Top rookie Regan Smith still in limbo over 2009 Sprint Cup ride - Sprint Cup Series | SceneDaily.com - NASCAR News