As the 2009 season winds down and 2010 is looming large on the horizon, NASCAR teams are beginning to swap drivers and crew chiefs in preparation for next season. With seats opening up left and right for one reason or another, the drivers who have been left out are being scouted by several other organizations and announcements of new partnerships are being made almost on a weekly basis.

Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, started the 2009 Season in the Hall of Fame Racing/Yates Racing No.96 but was replaced by rookie Erik Darnell in early September.  Labonte, currently 30th in points, will finish the season driving for TRG Motorpsorts No.71 TaxSlayer.com car and is will run full time with that team in 2010.

Jamie McMurray, currently 22nd in point standings, has been ousted from the No. 26 for next year as Roush Racing drops from five teams to four to comply with NASCAR’s 4-car per team rule.  McMurray has been talking with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, and with Martin Truex Jr. going to MWR to drive the No. 56 Toyota full-time next season, McMurray is expected to wheel the No. 1 in 2010. EGR is expected to make the announcement sometime this week.

With Richard Childress Racing buzzing with talks of reducing to a three car organization due to lack of sponsorship, Casey Mears may be left without a ride.  Mears is currently 20th in Sprint Cup standings and is a candidate for Phoenix Racing if this was to happen.

Reed Sorenson, currently 28th in Sprint Cup points, lost his ride in the Richard Petty Motorsports/Yates merger.  Sorenson is left with an offer to drive for Braun Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driving the N0. 32 Toyota and having to share with Brian Vickers for nine races, he is also on Phoenix Racing’s short list of potential drivers.

David Stremme was replaced by Brad Keselowski before the end of the 2009 season; Roger Penske wanted Keselowski to have seat time to prepare for 2010.  Stremme, 31st on the point charts, has two possible options, drive for Front Row Motorsports in Cup or drop back to the Nationwide Series and potentially run for Rusty Wallace. He will pilot the Phoenix Racing No. 09 in this Sunday’s Ford 400 at Homestead.

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