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PITPASS: Will Mears have a ride?

by Timothy J. Raub
Weekender Correspondent

One of the most prevalent storylines of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season hasn’t dealt with the big wins or hard-to-overcome losses. It hasn’t been about the rivalries that have been created or the penalties accumulated or even the terrible veteran slumps or the promising and up-and-coming rookie sensations.

No. This year’s Sprint Cup season, much like the rest of the country, has been a constant story about the economic state of the sport and what the future holds for stock car racing. Teams have folded and closed up shop, drivers are without work and many of the NASCAR’s garage guys are struggling to find work somewhere else.

Last week, Jack Daniel’s announced it was pulling its sponsorship of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 07 car, leaving one of the Sprint Cup’s big-name teams searching for some help.

Now, it seems Casey Mears, who is currently driving the No. 07 car for RCR, may be out of work at the end of the year after just one season behind the wheel. Numerous media sources are reporting that RCR has yet to pick up Mears’ option for the 2010 season, although that may be because RCR is still looking for sponsorship dollars for the car.

The problem for Mears, though, seems to be that RCR’s potential suitors for the No. 07 are of a sponsor/driver nature. The most prevalent name to be thrown around over the last week has been that of Yates Racing driver Paul Menard. Menard, who’s Yates Racing Ford is sponsored by his father’s Midwest home improvement chain Menard’s, was seen touring RCR’s facility in Welcome, N.C., according to a ESPN.com insider, although Paul Menard has been quick to deny the potential move publicly.

According to ESPN.com, Menard is unhappy with Yates’ potential merger deal with Richard Petty Motorsports, which was announced earlier this month, and is looking to take his driving abilities — and his daddy’s sponsorship dollars — somewhere else.

The Yates-RPM merger talks heated up a few weeks back in Richmond when both teams issued a press release announcing that they had executed a letter of intent to merge and announced a potential four-driver lineup for the 2010 season, which included Menard from Yates and RPM drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger.

Other names circulating throughout the rumor mill as potential replacements for Mears, according to various sources, include Hall of Fame Racing/Ask.com and Bobby Labonte.

RCR team owner Richard Childress told FOXsports.com last week that there has been some serious sponsorship interest for the No. 07 car but refused to give any further information since no deal has been reached.

UNLUCKY NO. 7

Driver/owner Robby Gordon was dealt a major blow last week when Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., maker of Jim Beam Bourbon, announced that it was pulling its money out of NASCAR and focusing its attention in other places, according to a multiple reports.

This is a major blow for Gordon as a driver/owner of a one-car team, who will now have to look elsewhere for the much-needed sponsorship dollars it will take to keep his team afloat.

Beam, which has been the sponsor of Gordon’s No. 7 Toyota since 2005, made its announcement just one day after the Jack Daniel’s announcement with the No. 07 at RCR.

THIS WEEKEND

The Sprint Cup returns to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the third leg of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods. ABC will televise Sunday’s race, slated for a 2 p.m. start time, beginning at 1 p.m. with NASCAR Countdown.