August 19, 2007
By Kim Roberson

Kim Roberson

Lately NASCAR seems to be a lot like a good game of musical chairs. There are drivers circling, looking for a good seat to occupy…however there aren’t enough good seats to go around for all the players.

With Kyle Busch officially going to the 18 team this week, that took one driver out of the mix. Two down, a dozen to go.

Let’s look at the 2008 candidates out circling right now: J.J. Yeley, Kenny Wallace, Jeremy Mayfield, Sterling Marlin, Joe Nemecheck, Regan Smith, Kenny Schrader…possibly David Reutimann, Bill Elliott or Ricky Rudd. Those are just current Cup drivers. You also have other drivers looking to move up -- or around in the ranks: Sam Hornish Jr., Scott Wimmer, Chad McCumbee, Brad Coleman, Scott Speed, and Marcos Ambrose.

Now look at the potential openings for 2008; a 4th car for RCR; a 3rd car for Penske; the 8 car; the 78 car; maybe a second car for Robby Gordon; and maybe the 88 car.

It looks like, unless something changes in the next 12 months, Greg Biffle will be the next “top” driver to be looking for a job. Looking at how teams are filling up this year, it looks like he might have a rough road ahead of him when he is shown the door by Jack. Looking at the teams now…they are stacked with young, hot drivers who allegedly have a long road ahead of them. Greg will be 38 at this time next year. As good as he has been there is a real possibility he could be on the outside looking in come 2009.

One of the biggest issues this year has been the number of cars trying to make races. With the top 35 set, you have had upwards of 15-20 cars on the outside looking in every week. Kenny Wallace admitted this week that the stress of that “go or go home” threat every week was what drove him to be happy when asked to step aside from the 78 car for a while. With the addition of possibly three more full time teams next year, that competitive level is going to just be higher.

NASCAR seems to be growing a bit bigger than it can handle. The surge in popularity of the sport is making it hard for the “older” fan favorites to keep their jobs if they aren’t winning every week, no matter how hard they work or how much the failure to succeed -- is not their fault. The top 35 rule was created to help the little teams out, and yet now they are the ones paying the biggest price, being pushed out of the fields because the big teams keep getting bigger.

NASCAR is allegedly taking a look at bunching the “go or go homers” (teams not in the top 35 in owner's points) together for qualifying -- allowing them to get their qualifying out of the way without worrying about being the last in line as a rain cloud looms overhead. It makes sense, which might mean NASCAR will ignore the merits of the idea (after all, when does anything NASCAR does, actually make sense?)

SPEED TV is actually hosting a half hour show before Cup qualifying over the next few weeks called “Go or Go Home” to discuss the perilous position those teams are in.

Next year you are looking at two, possibly three “mega teams”, with the talent stacked between the Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing teams, and the recent success of the Richard Childress Racing team. RoushFenway Racing, which was so dominant just three years ago, is now on the bottom side of the power ladder.

It is amazing that DEI, who started the year with a strong line-up…is now looking to replace Dale Jr. with someone who will in no way have a chance to fill his shoes, at least in the short term. They were the second choice for Shrub (Kyle Busch) behind Joe Gibbs Racing. That had to be a bit of a slap in the face for the team that used to be the Big Dog of the Chevy camp.

Silly season has taken on new meaning this year. Who will fill the chairs and who will be left standing when the music stops is still anyone’s guess. No matter what, you are going to need a score sheet to keep tabs on who is where for the first few races in 2008.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.