The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 60th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 37th modern-era Cup season. It was contested over thirty-six races, and began on February 9 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout exhibition race, followed by the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17. The season continued with the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup beginning on September 14 with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and concluded with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16.
As a result of the merger between Sprint Corporation and Nextel Communications, NASCAR's premier series was renamed as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2008 season,USA Today: NASCAR changing top series name to Sprint Cup 2008 marked the first season that the Car of Tomorrow was used for the entire season after being used for select races during the 2007 season. Coors Light also replaced Budweiser as the Official Beer of NASCAR, thereby becoming the new sponsor of the Pole Award given to the pole winner in each Sprint Cup Series race. However, Budweiser was still the official sponsor for the Bud Shootout at Daytona in February. Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports was crowned champion at season's end, making him only the second driver in NASCAR's top division to win three championships in a row, with the first being Cale Yarborough.
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Car of Tomorrow All Sprint Cup races utilized the Car of Tomorrow (CoT) template.NASCAR.com: It's official: CoT will be used full time in '08 season NASCAR announced on May 22, 2007, that the original timetable, which would have the full-time use of the single car template in 2009, was being abandoned as 80% of all owners were in favor of moving the full-time use of the CoT one year ahead so they would not race with two sets of rules for all but ten races. The cars approved for the 2008 season were the Chevrolet Impala, the Dodge Charger, the Ford Fusion and the Toyota Camry. Dodge had used the Avenger in the 2007 CoT races, but stated that the Charger would be used full-time in 2008.
Economic problems affect NASCAR The 2008 financial crisis, with high gas prices over US $4 a gallon caused NASCAR's largely blue-collar fan base to feel the pinch.High U.S. gas prices pinch NASCAR fans
While Bristol was one of a few tracks that still sold out, others saw crowds shrink. Daytona International Speedway sold out the Daytona 500, but not the Coke Zero 400. Some track ticket packages now included all-you-can-eat deals, and tracks also offered nearby campgrounds to entice those who come for several days to see Nationwide and Craftsman Truck races. For their fall race, Lowe's Motor Speedway offered discounts on local hotel rooms, novelties and food and drink.
The economy also affected the teams themselves with high diesel fuel prices, with that fuel needed to power the semi-trailer trucks which transport the race cars to and from racetracks. Sponsorships also grew increasingly harder to come by, further increasing the gap between teams.NASCAR feeling pinch of struggling U.S. economy Before the season began, Morgan-McClure Motorsports ceased operations for their single-car team, while Yates Racing had no major sponsor on the No. 28 and No. 38 cars that they run in the series, as their M&M's sponsorships moved to the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 team. The Yates team made do in piecemeal fashion, finding companies to sponsor a few races at a time, a practice that paid the bills but stretched the marketing department. As a result of the cutbacks, half of the one hundred employees at Yates were laid off.
Even better sponsored teams struggled. On July 1, Chip Ganassi Racing shut down its No. 40 team with 2007 IndyCar Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti driving because of a lack of sponsorship funding, becoming the first major victim.NASCAR.com: Lack of funding forces Ganassi to shut down #40 team Ganassi Racing lost 70 jobs as a result of the closure. Other companies also switched teams for 2009. Caterpillar Inc., despite its decade long relationship with Bill Davis Racing and its flagship No. 22, moved to Richard Childress Racing's No. 31 car driven by Jeff Burton, while General Mills, associating itself with Petty Enterprises since 2000, also left to head for RCR's fourth team.
To counter many of these problems, teams also took on financial partners, much like Fenway Sports Group joining Jack Roush and George N. Gillett Jr. teaming up with Ray Evernham last year. In June 2008, Petty Enterprises sold a majority share to Boston Ventures as another example of the economic struggles.
Teams and drivers Complete schedule List of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams in 2008 (43 full-time teams). ManufacturerTeamDriver(s)Crew chief Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt, Inc.01 Regan Smith (R) Dan Stillman Ron Fellows 1 Martin Truex Jr. Kevin Manion8 Mark Martin Tony Gibson Aric Almirola 15 Paul Menard Doug Randolph Haas CNC Racing66 Scott Riggs Bootie Barker Max Papis 70 Jeremy Mayfield Dave Skog Steve Genenbacher Johnny Sauter Ken Schrader Jason Leffler Scott Riggs Tony Raines Max Papis Richard Childress Racing 07 Clint Bowyer Gil Martin 29 Kevin Harvick Todd Berrier 31 Jeff Burton Scott Miller Hendrick Motorsports 5 Casey Mears Alan Gustafson 24 Jeff Gordon Steve Letarte 48 Jimmie Johnson Chad Knaus 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Tony Eury Jr. Furniture Row Racing 78 Joe Nemechek Jay Guy Dodge Chip Ganassi Racingwith Felix Sabates41 Reed Sorenson Jimmy Elledge Donnie Wingo Scott Pruett 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Donnie Wingo Jimmy Elledge Brian Pattie Gillett Evernham Motorsports 9 Kasey Kahne Kenny Francis10 Patrick Carpentier (R) Mike Shiplett Terry Labonte Mike Wallace A. J. Allmendinger 19 Elliott Sadler Rodney Childers Kevin Kidd Penske Racing South 2 Kurt Busch Pat Tryson 12 Ryan Newman Roy McCauley 77 Sam Hornish Jr. (R) Chris Carrier Travis Geisler Petty Enterprises 43 Bobby Labonte Jeff Meendering45 Kyle Petty Billy Wilburn Stewart Cooper Chad McCumbee Terry Labonte Boris Said Robby Gordon Motorsports 7 Robby Gordon Frank Kerr Walter Giles Kirk Almquist Ford Roush Fenway Racing 6 David Ragan Jimmy Fennig 16 Greg Biffle Greg Erwin 17 Matt Kenseth Chip Bolin 26 Jamie McMurray Larry Carter 99 Carl Edwards Bob Osborne Wood Brothers Racing21 Bill Elliott Gene Nead Mike Smith David Hyder Johnny Sauter Jeff Green Jon Wood Marcos Ambrose Yates Racing 28 Travis Kvapil Todd Parrott 38 David Gilliland Cully Barraclough Toyota Bill Davis Racing 22 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Jr. Hall of Fame Racing96 J. J. Yeley Brandon Thomas Steve Boyer P. J. Jones Brad Coleman Ken Schrader Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing 11 Denny Hamlin Mike Ford 18 Kyle Busch Steve Addington 20 Tony Stewart Greg Zipadelli Michael Waltrip Racing00 David Reutimann Ryan Pemberton Michael McDowell (R) Bill Pappas Peter Sospenzo Mike Skinner Kenny Wallace A. J. Allmendinger Mike Bliss Marcos Ambrose Frank Kerr44 Dale Jarrett Bill Pappas David Reutimann Ryan Pemberton 55 Michael Waltrip Paul Andrews Bobby Kennedy Team Red Bull 83 Brian Vickers Kevin Hamlin Randy Cox Scott Speed Jimmy Elledge84 A. J. Allmendinger Ricky Viers Jimmy Elledge Mike Skinner Scott Speed Brian Vickers Randy Cox
Limited schedule ManufacturerTeamRace driverCrew chiefRound(s) Chevrolet Front Row Motorsports 37 Eric McClureCal Boprey SKI Motorsports 50 Stanton Barrett Ricky Pearson Richard Childress Racing33 Scott Wimmer Shane Wilson Ken Schrader Mike Wallace Phoenix Racing 09 Sterling Marlin Marc Reno Hendrick Motorsports 25 Brad Keselowski Lance McGrew Furniture Row Racing 87 Kenny Wallace Ed Nathman DodgeBrandon Ash Racing 02 Brandon Ash Kenneth Wood Carl Long Racing 46 Carl Long Charles Swing Chip Ganassi Racingwith Felix Sabates40 Dario Franchitti (R) Steve Lane David Stremme Ken Schrader Sterling Marlin Jeremy Mayfield Bryan Clauson Derrike Cope, Inc. 75 Derrike Cope Dom Turse E&M Motorsports08 Carl Long Tony FurrCharles Swing Burney Lamar Tony Raines Johnny Sauter Ford No Fear Racing 60 Boris Said Frank Stoddard JTG Racing47 Marcos AmbroseFrank Kerr Toyota Team Red Bull 82 Scott Speed Slugger Labbe Joe Gibbs Racing 02 Joey Logano Wally Brown Germain Racing 13 Max Papis Randy Goss Bill Davis Racing27 Jacques Villeneuve (R) Slugger Labbe Mike Skinner Johnny Benson DodgeToyota BAM Racing 49 Ken Schrader David Hyder ChevroletFord Front Row Motorsports34 John Andretti Scott Eggleston Jeff Green Tony Raines Chad Chaffin Brian Simo
Schedule No. Race title Track DateBudweiser ShootoutDaytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachFebruary 9Gatorade DuelsFebruary 141Daytona 500February 172Auto Club 500Auto Club Speedway, FontanaFebruary 24/253UAW-Dodge 400Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NevadaMarch 24Kobalt Tools 500Atlanta Motor Speedway, HamptonMarch 95Food City 500Bristol Motor Speedway, BristolMarch 166Goody's Cool Orange 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayMarch 307Samsung 500Texas Motor Speedway, Fort WorthApril 68Subway Fresh Fit 500Phoenix International Raceway, PhoenixApril 129Aaron's 499Talladega Superspeedway, TalladegaApril 2710Crown Royal presents the Dan Lowry 400Richmond International Raceway, RichmondMay 311Dodge Challenger 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonMay 10Sprint ShowdownLowe's Motor Speedway, ConcordMay 17Sprint All-Star Challenge12Coca-Cola 600May 2513Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism SpeaksDover International Speedway, DoverJune 114Pocono 500Pocono Raceway, Long PondJune 815LifeLock 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynJune 1516Toyota/Save Mart 350Infineon Raceway, SonomaJune 2217Lenox Industrial Tools 301New Hampshire Motor Speedway, LoudonJune 2918Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-ColaDaytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachJuly 519LifeLock.com 400Chicagoland Speedway, JolietJuly 1220Allstate 400 at the BrickyardIndianapolis Motor Speedway, SpeedwayJuly 2721Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500Pocono Raceway, Long PondAugust 322Centurion Boats at The GlenWatkins Glen International, Watkins GlenAugust 10233M Performance 400 presented by BondoMichigan International Speedway, BrooklynAugust 1724Sharpie 500Bristol Motor Speedway, BristolAugust 2325Pepsi 500Auto Club Speedway, FontanaAugust 3126Chevy Rock & Roll 400Richmond International Raceway, RichmondSeptember 7 Chase for the Sprint Cup27Sylvania 300New Hampshire Motor Speedway, LoudonSeptember 1428Camping World RV 400 presented by AAADover International Speedway, DoverSeptember 2129Camping World RV 400 presented by ColemanKansas Speedway, Kansas CitySeptember 2830AMP Energy 500Talladega Superspeedway, TalladegaOctober 531Bank of America 500Lowe's Motor Speedway, ConcordOctober 1132Tums QuikPak 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayOctober 1933Pep Boys Auto 500Atlanta Motor Speedway, HamptonOctober 2634Dickies 500Texas Motor Speedway, Fort WorthNovember 235Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 presented by PennzoilPhoenix International Raceway, PhoenixNovember 936Ford 400Homestead-Miami Speedway, HomesteadNovember 16
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