Notes: Ginn Racing looking for sponsorship for 13, 14 (cont'd)

"You don't get a sponsor and say you want to start a team tomorrow. We're totally committed to the five-year plan and we had to start it last fall. There were a couple [sponsorship deals] in January that didn't happen -- if you look at some of the names that were on our cars that aren't now, you'll now which ones didn't happen.

"We're at the point of the year anyway that we're evaluating where we're at and what we've got going on. We grew very fast, and now we're evaluating whether or not we have enough people, too many people and people in the right places.

In the interim

Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are ready to move on with their interim crew chiefs -- Johnson with Ron Malec and Gordon with Jeff Meendering.

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"It's that time of the year for any company, because you're starting your plans for 2008."

Frye said those plans included Smith in one full-time Nextel Cup car, either the No. 13 or No. 14. He said Martin's exact schedule, which includes 24 Nextel Cup points races this season, was yet to be determined, and ideally another young driver would be paired with him in the 01 car.

Frye said his ideal, in the later stages of the five-year plan, would be to have "three or four 20-somethings that we've developed, driving our cars."

"I don't believe in the age thing, though," Frye said. "Mark [Martin, age 46] is still one of the best out here, but Mark is special and there are not many guys like that."

Nemechek and Marlin's contracts are both up at the end of this season. Frye acknowledged Marlin wanted to go to a partial schedule next season, but said he would not be in the 01 car. Frye also said Ginn Racing would run at least a partial Busch Series schedule.

Would you or wouldn't you?

Carl Edwards says a team's position in the standings might still compel them to stretch the envelope when it comes to testing NASCAR's resolve on penalties, despite the fact that the last three teams penalized have totaled $300,000 in fines, 600 points deducted and 18 races of suspension for three crew chiefs.

"NASCAR has really taken a strong stance on manipulating the rules around the Car of Tomorrow," Edwards said. "We're fortunate to be seventh in points, we've got a great season going and qualifying is not so stressful for us -- we don't really have to push the envelope, so we're lucky that we're not in that situation."

But Edwards said that, with the example NASCAR has set, teams might think twice about bending the rules once the Chase for the Nextel Cup starts.

"The points penalties are really the things that have an excruciating effect on the teams -- to lose 100 points," Edwards said. "What NASCAR is doing right now, I feel, is making a statement before the Chase starts that, 'Look, this is what we're gonna do. It's gonna cost you 100 points.'

"If that were to happen with eight or 10 races to go while we were in the Chase, it would be devastating."

Burton gets it

Jeff Burton's been around the upper levels of NASCAR long enough to be considered old school, and he's one guy who's smart enough to "get" the message currently being promoted by NASCAR, via penalties for COT infractions.

"NASCAR has made it very clear that they are not going to tolerate anything," Burton said of the most recent penalties, to two Hendrick Motorsports teams. "It was a very, very harsh penalty -- more severe than I would have anticipated.

"They sent a very clear message to the garage area. It's gotten everybody nervous. Everybody is on pins and needles, but that's what they want. We can't think the same way anymore.

"This has been a game of 'what is NASCAR going to let you get by with?' It's no longer that game. There is nothing they want you to do with these bodies. There is no wiggle room." (Continued)