Regan Smith (Chevy no 01) is the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the year... but he has nowhere to go for next season.
Indeed, Smith, a DEI driver, has no car to drive yet for 2009. Smith was one of two remaining rookies at the end of a season that saw quite a handful of new drivers showing up in Sprint Cup racing last February.
Most of them came from open-wheel racing including Jacques Villeneuve that made not even one race, Dario Franchitti who quit early, Sam Hornish Jr (Dodge No 77) who did not qualify for the last race of the season but ended up second in the ROTY standings.
In addition, Michael McDowell who was bumped in order to get the car qualified by another driver within the 35 first in the owners' points (it did not work) and Canadian Patrick Carpentier (Dodge No 10) who also got bumped in order to get A.J. Allmendigner to place the car within the 35 first in the Owner's standings (it stayed in 37th).
Final rookie standings:
1-Regan Smith: 236 points
2-Sam Hornish Jr: 229 points (-7)
3-Patrick Carpentier: 210 points (-26)
4-Michael McDowell: 193 points (-43)
5-Dario Franchitti: 119 points (-117)
photo:NASCAR
Indeed, Smith, a DEI driver, has no car to drive yet for 2009. Smith was one of two remaining rookies at the end of a season that saw quite a handful of new drivers showing up in Sprint Cup racing last February.
Most of them came from open-wheel racing including Jacques Villeneuve that made not even one race, Dario Franchitti who quit early, Sam Hornish Jr (Dodge No 77) who did not qualify for the last race of the season but ended up second in the ROTY standings.
In addition, Michael McDowell who was bumped in order to get the car qualified by another driver within the 35 first in the owners' points (it did not work) and Canadian Patrick Carpentier (Dodge No 10) who also got bumped in order to get A.J. Allmendigner to place the car within the 35 first in the Owner's standings (it stayed in 37th).
Final rookie standings:
1-Regan Smith: 236 points
2-Sam Hornish Jr: 229 points (-7)
3-Patrick Carpentier: 210 points (-26)
4-Michael McDowell: 193 points (-43)
5-Dario Franchitti: 119 points (-117)
photo:NASCAR