Dale Earnhardt Inc., Chip Ganassi Racing Ink Plan to Merge Mediocre Teams

Chip Ganassi has found a way to make his team not as pathetic as before and Dale Earnhardt Inc. has found a way to keep grasping at being a relevant Sprint Cup Series team.

That method? Join the two programs together to create strange bedfellows, cut costs and hope that a math equation of subpar plus subpar finally equals something good.

Yep, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will be teaming up to make a four-car team in 2009.

Two of motorsports' biggest names – Earnhardt and Ganassi – will launch a four-car team beginning in 2009 through the combination of the motorsports operations of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Inc. (CGRFS). NASCAR stars Martin Truex Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the Nos. 1 and 42 respectively and future star Aric Almirola will be behind the wheel of the No. 8. The driver of the No. 41 will be named in the near future.

For those of you keeping track at home, this combination of forces currently includes 4 cars, 3 drivers and 2.5 sponsorships. Let's hope that changes before 2009.

Additionally, the overriding rumor is that Chevrolet will be the manufacturer for the organization, mainly because it's very likely Dale Earnhardt would rise from his grave to haunt anything bearing his name that doesn't bear a bow tie. Dodge, Ganassi's current partner, is apparently being shoved out.

There's so many aspects of this situation that are so very interesting. Will this team actually be better because Chip Ganassi will at least be a visible owner in the garage area? Is this Teresa Earnhardt's way of both saving her floundering race team and starting her exit, stage left, of NASCAR? And you think this is what the Intimidator had in mind when he first started DEI?

On the last question, I'd presume an emphatic no, but along those lines I think it'd be doubly hard to believe his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., would be driving for a rival organization had Dale Sr. still been alive.

The saddest part of this inevitable process thanks to such a savage economy and decreased success for both teams is the fact that over 100 people lost their jobs Wednesday. Fortunately, this merger isn't likely to come back to haunt the remaining employees like Bobby Ginn's brief and embarrassing foray into the sport back in the summer of 2007.

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Justin Skinner, driver of the #03 Germain Toyota Toyota, poses on tack prior to the start of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Justin Skinner

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Mike Skinner (L), driver of the #5 Toyota Tundra Toyota, poses with son, Justin Skinner (R), driver of the #03 Germain Toyota Toyota, on the track prior to the start of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Mike Skinner;Justin Skinner

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, celebrates winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, leads the field on the final restart during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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L Carriers Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ron Hornaday Jr.;Johnny Benson;Kevin Harvick

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 18: Johnny Benson, driver of the #23 Toyota Tundra Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 18, 2008 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Benson

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At the end of the day, NASCAR fans can still be satisfied to see that two of the sport's more recognizable drivers -- Montoya and Truex Jr. -- will still be around in 2009.

In the mean time, it's sure going to be weird ditching the "DEI" moniker in lieu of "Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates."

Fun fact about that Sabates character? He gets full name recognition despite only owning 20 percent of the former CGRFS, so by my math, he only owns 10 percent of the new team -- and still gets his full name in there. Now that, my friends, is a smart businessman.

Note: Be sure to head back FanHouse way on Sunday for our season-finale live blog of the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway! We'll kick off the festivities at 3:30pm/EST. See ya then!