■ New team owner Tony Stewart is getting signatures on contracts for his new Sprint Cup operation, and it looks like Tony Gibson, who has been Mark Martin's crew chief at DEI, will be running Ryan Newman's half of the team, and Jeff Meendering, the former Hendrick crewman currently at Petty Enterprises, may take over Stewart's own part of the team.
Bobby Hutchens appears set to head the competition department for Stewart and Newman.
■ Meanwhile, the Chip Ganassi-Teresa Earnhardt merger may be back on, with Ganassi the on-track presence for what would be a two-car DEI operation, under the Chevy banner.
Earnhardt needs a second team sponsorship in order to keep her Chevrolet technology deal.
However, why Ganassi would really want to merge is unclear, and how Ganassi might get out of his contract with Dodge is also unclear.
Regardless of what happens with the possible merger, Ganassi is expected to pair Juan Pablo Montoya with his full Target sponsorship, and DEI's Aric Almirola would get the 12-race Wrigley's sponsorship.
That would leave Regan Smith the odd-man out at DEI.
■ The pace car for NASCAR's season finale at Homestead will be a hybrid electric Ford, a 2010 model. It will be a first for the sport.
No word yet on what General Motors, Toyota or Dodge might do with their pace car programs for next season.
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