Friday morning at the Richmond International Raceway, Tony Stewart announced that Daytona 500 winner Darian Grubb will climb atop the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot pit box to serve as Stewart's crew chief in 2009. After six years at Hendrick Motorsports, Grubb will join the newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing for what is being described only as a "multi-year contract."

"It's a very huge moment for me," Grubb said of the announcement. "Everything I've looked forward to in my life and challenges I've been presented with and to be able to step up each time and get that opportunity with Tony, the capability he has as a driver and a past champion. The future heading forward is extremely bright and I couldn't be happier."

With nine of the ten races in the 2008 Race to the Chase, all the focus is centered squarely on the 3/4 –mile short track in Richmond, Virginia. After nine weekends of hard racing and ups and downs, things are still up in the air as to who will be in that final transfer spot for this year’s Chase.

While the story at the top of the standings revolves around the battle between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, the fight to make the Chase is the sole concern for three drivers. Clint Bowyer is the man with everything to lose, while David Ragan and Kasey Kahne will have to run the races of their careers and have a bit of luck on their side in order to clinch a spot.

Feeling as if it was in his best interest to skip out on the Cup season this year and regain his confidence, David Stremme decided to step down to the Nationwide Series and drive for Rusty Wallace Inc.

Ranking 12th in the Nationwide point standings and accumulating five top-5 and 13 top-10 finishes, it seems that Stremme has done just what he set out to do.

Now his efforts and planning are paying off.

This weekend marks the final race before the twelve-man Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set. With the top-5 in the series standings already locked in, things are still up in the air for positions 6-12. 

Points leader Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Burton are already locked into the field, while Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick will clinch their spots by simply taking the green flag Saturday night at Richmond.