Immediate changes way for some to get '08 start

For the next four weeks, you'd better pay pretty close attention to the entry list at Atlanta, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.

The bulk of the drivers and sponsors listed will remain the same, but there are some teams that will look much different by the time the green flag waves at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 18.

It's already started: Jeremy Mayfield will be in the No. 66 Best Buy/Garmin/Haas CNC Chevrolet at Atlanta, replacing Jeff Green. Johnny Sauter is still, as far as he knows, the driver of the No. 70 Yellow Transportation Chevrolet for the same team, but Scott Riggs has been signed by the team for 2008.

That leaves Sauter in an interesting position: Does he have a job or not? He has a sponsor in Yellow Transportation that is committed to the series, and they seem happy with Sauter. Latest is that Sauter will go to a second team with Robby Gordon, taking Yellow with him.

At last count, at least 18 full-time teams and as many as 26 full-time/part-time teams will make some sort of change for 2008. That's driver, sponsor, manufacturer or all three, take your pick. (Silly Season)

Why the unrest in the garage area?

Well, it isn't unrest, exactly. It's the continuation of a trend throughout the past few years, ostensibly brought about by the Chase, where teams that are racing for spots outside the top 12 are simply getting a jump on the next season by making moves now instead of after Homestead.

Mayfield is the most recent to move, leaving Bill Davis Racing and its troubled No. 36 for Haas' No. 66. Davis, who is not shy about revealing that his team is for sale to the right buyer, will use Craftsman Truck Series drivers Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson to finish out the season.

That makes sense, because they are already under contract to BDR. Those two will keep the seat warm for newcomer Jacques Villeneuve, who figures to bring some money of his own to the mix for 2008.

"Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson are seasoned veterans of the Nextel Cup Series and we are hopeful the skills and knowledge they both have acquired throughout their racing careers will help us to work toward getting the No. 36 team back on track for the reminder of this season and beyond," Davis said.

It's all about getting ready for next year right now, unless you happen to be battling for the title, 13th place in the points or the top 35 in owner points. If you're pretty much locked in or so far out as to make a jump over the next four races, such a plan has merit.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. did the same thing in 2006, switching back to his original crew for the final 10 races and getting a jump on 2007. It didn't work out as planned, but it gave the team a 10-race head start on rewiring the chemistry.

Some of the drivers displaced by earlier moves -- Scott Riggs, David Stremme and J.J. Yeley -- are busy getting ready to join new teams (Riggs and Yeley) or looking for a ride (Stremme).

The new drivers in the fold (Dario Franchitti, Villeneuve) are looking for seat time and experience, as well as letting the sponsor dollars roll in for a full run in 2008.

And team owners are busy making changes to the 2007 plan to get it ready for Daytona, which is as of today just slightly more than 15 weeks away. That includes signing new deals, drafting new personnel, changing out/dumping old inventory or reinventing the wheel, in some cases.

Some, like Richard Childress, are fine-tuning and re-signing ancillary partners. Childress announced a continued relationship with BB&T Corporation to continue as the team's official bank.

If you don't think it's beneficial for a team to have a bank as a sponsor/partner, then you're not paying attention. Not only does BB&T sponsor RCR's Busch (soon to be Nationwide) Series program, it will step up to primary sponsorship for two Virginia races next spring at Martinsville and Richmond.

Here's why: "Clint Bowyer and Richard Childress Racing have been ideal partners, delivering success on and off the track," said BB&T chief marketing officer Steve Wiggs. "We are very pleased with the BB&T brand extension into the NASCAR community as well as the excitement it has created for our employees and clients. Clint's pursuit of the 2008 championship in the BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS will be the cornerstone of our sports marketing efforts."

With $130.8 billion in assets and more than 1,500 financial centers in 11 states, Winston-Salem, N.C.-based BB&T Corporation is the nation's 11th-largest financial holding company. It uses NASCAR and RCR to build brand awareness and drive traffic, so the marriage has been made in heaven, so to speak.

Tune in next week for more, but first, read the entry list!