And the silly season is just getting started

ESPN.com reported yesterday, that Mark Martin is going to replace Casey Mears in the 5 car for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009. Of course this rumor has spawned out of a couple moves by DEI. The first is that Aric Amirola who splits time with Mark Martin in the 8 car at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will most likely drive that car full time in 2009 and with DEI possibly downsizing in 2009, that would leve Mark Martin without a ride, hence the rumor about Mears getting booted out fo the 5 car.

The rumor comes at no surpise to me as Mears has not been performing up to expecations, he just scored his first top 5 of the year yesterday in Somona. But Mears' car owner Rick Hendrick doesn't to seem be ready to let go of Mears just yet.

"I'm committed to him [Mears] right now," Hendrick said on Sunday at Infineon Raceway. "I'm committed to him making that car run better right now."

Another thing to figure in is that Mark Martin is not running full time and will need a driver to split time with Martin and that driver will most likely be Brad Keselowski. It will be interesting to see what comes out of this little drama.

Martin to leave DEI, replace Mears in No. 5 [ESPN.com]