2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
While gas (and diesel) prices came down to nearly $2.00 per gallon, corporate America was reluctant to shell out millions of dollars to sponsor teams due to the volatility of the stock market.
On November 14, 2008, NASCAR announced, as another cost-cutting measure, that teams will no longer be allowed to test on NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in all three major series.
This meant that the annual "Pre-Season Thunder" testing events, which covered all three major touring series at Daytona was cancelled for 2009.
Similarly, the Chrysler bankruptcy led to several Dodge Sprint Cup teams, including Richard Petty Motorsports, losing their manufacturer support; as stated earlier, RPM will merge with Yates and have the No.
On Tuesday, May 26, 2009, NASCAR held a town-hall meeting closed to the public and media with its drivers and owners to discuss a range of topics.
This change came at the request of fans, drivers, owners, and the media and as a result in a decrease in TV ratings during the NASCAR on Fox portion of the season.
Cars who choose to stay out and not pit during a caution flag who are in front of the leaders are now waved-around to restart (double file) at the back of the field.
The only reasons cars do not line up double-file in the order they are position wise on the leaderboard is if they are serving a penalty (in most cases, for pit road violations).
Two hours prior to the race at Darlington, NASCAR announced that driver Jeremy Mayfield has been suspended for a substance abuse policy violation.
The suspension is indefinite until Mayfield completes NASCAR's substance abuse program, which includes rehabilitation and additional testing.
An initial court hearing for a restraining order that would have allowed Mayfield to compete at Dover was ruled in NASCAR's favor.
NASCAR has also countersued Mayfield, accusing the suspended driver of willfully violating the substance abuse policy, breach of contract, and defrauding competitors of earnings.
NASCAR said Mayfield was notified by an Aegis representative at 1:18 pm Monday to report to a nearby testing center within two hours, but the driver said he had to first speak to his attorney.
Many drivers have said that since the controversy began, the drug testing time has gone from a quick 5-minute in and out to a prolonged 45-minute process that includes identity verification.
[citation needed] The most significant schedule changes in the 2009 NASCAR schedule realignment included the addition of the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway to the 2009 Chase, the shifting of the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway to a later autumn date, and the placement of the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to Labor Day weekend as a night race.
New to Fox telecasts was 3-D CGI animated adventures of "Digger", the network's gopher cam mascot and his friends, Annie, Marbles, Grandpa and rival Lumpy Wheels (named after former Lowe's Motor Speedway chief Humpy Wheeler).
Hours before the July New Hampshire race on TNT, Bill Weber was removed from the broadcast booth and replaced by Ralph Sheheen for undisclosed personal reasons.
But ESPN continues to face heavy criticism from NASCAR fans in result of bored announcers, bad camera work, excessive commercials and lack of post-race coverage.
Terrestrial radio rights are being handled as follows: Speed (replacing ESPN Classic) and MRN will be the broadcasters at the annual Sprint Cup Banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel Casino in said city on December 4.
Network Ten also showed Qualifying, Final Practice (Happy Hour), a 1-hour highlights package and selected races live on its new digital sports multichannel, ONE.
Matt Kenseth took the checkered flag and became the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 1997 to start off a Cup season by winning the first two races of the year.
The tandem duo of Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were running first and second coming to the white flag when another tandem duo of Carl Edwards and Nationwide Series regular Brad Keselowski drafted and blew right by Newman and Earnhardt Jr., breaking away down the back straightaway to settle the race among themselves.
64 – Geoff Bodine The Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400 was held on Saturday, May 2 at Richmond International Raceway.
64 – Geoff Bodine (withdrew) The 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is a non-points event, held on Saturday, May 16, at the Lowe's Motor Speedway.
When drivers and teams decided on pit strategy in the ensuing couple laps, David Reutimann chose to stay out on the track, inheriting the race lead.
87 – Joe Nemechek (qualified but was replaced by Scott Speed) The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 was held on Sunday, June 28 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
64 – Mike Wallace (withdrew) The Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 was held on Monday, August 3 at Pocono Raceway.
Top 10 results Failed to qualify: No.37 Tony Raines (withdrew) The Dickies 500 was held on Sunday, November 8 at Texas Motor Speedway.
08 – Derrike Cope (withdrew) The Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 was held on Sunday, November 15 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Despite struggling early in the year, Logano became the youngest winner in Sprint Cup Series history by winning the rain shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301.
