Notes: Martin announces race schedule in DEI's 8

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Mark Martin, who came within a half-car-length of winning the 2007 Daytona 500, announced a 26-race Sprint Cup schedule Monday, including a Daytona 500 rematch, 23 other point races and two special events.

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Martin will kick off his 2008 season and debut in the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet with his record-extending 20th consecutive Budweiser Shootout. Following the 50th Daytona 500, Martin will run the next three events, at Las Vegas, California and Atlanta, before giving way to youngster Aric Almirola, who will run at Bristol and the 11 remaining Sprint Cup point events.

"I think it's going to be an exciting season," said Martin, who will enter his 26th year of Cup racing. "I'm so excited to be behind the wheel of the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet and to be working with Tony Gibson [crew chief] and the No. 8 team.

"Those guys on this team really had some fast cars a year ago, and we are looking to build on that. Our goal is to be competitive and race up front this season."

Martin finished second to Kevin Harvick in the 2007 Daytona in a No. 01 Chevrolet tuned by crew chief Ryan Pemberton, who's left the company. Gibson was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car chief on the No. 8 for most of last season.

Other highlights of Martin's 2008 schedule include the Coca-Cola 600, Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, the Sprint All-Star Challenge and pairs of point events at Daytona, Atlanta, Texas, Richmond, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Dover, Pocono and Michigan.

Martin is scheduled to make his 700th career start at California Speedway on Feb. 24.

Keller tests for GEM

Keller

Nationwide Series "iron man" Jason Keller, who set a series record last season with his 422nd career start, is testing Gillette Evernham Motorsports' No. 98 Dodge Charger at Daytona, an effort tended by test team director Pete Rondeau.

"We're going to run a schedule similar to what we did with the No. 98, our R&D team, last season," GEM's Keith Barnwell said after getting down from Daytona's spotters' stand. "At this point, we're not exactly sure what that schedule will be."

Barnwell said the car wouldn't participate in the tests at Las Vegas and California due to the logistical difference of "taking a van to Daytona Beach and only being able to put a certain number of people on a plane to the West Coast."

Keller, who has previous Cup starts on his resume in the former "standard car," as well as a test last season for GEM and one a couple of weeks ago at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in his native South Carolina, said the Car of Tomorrow's higher profile and center of gravity resulted in as-advertised handling characteristics, but said he appreciated the better forward visibility in the car, likening the view out the front glass as being similar to "watching an 18-inch TV and then moving to a 52-inch wide screen."

Yates seeking sponsors

Yates Racing co-owner Doug Yates has been around the sport his entire life, but his entrée as the sole owner of his family race team is on uncertain territory as Preseason Thunder opened at Daytona.

Kvapil

The team's No. 28 Ford -- formerly the No. 88 before former owner and Yates' father, Robert, ceded the number to Rick Hendrick for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s use -- is on hand with new driver Travis Kvapil.

But instead of sponsor signage the two cars are wearing decals on their quarter and TV panels that say "SponsorYates.com."

"The paint jobs are the same as everybody else's cars here -- they're all primer," co-owner Max Jones said through a smile. "We're working away and we've got lots of things in the works, but we're just trying to make sure we put the right situation together."

The Web site has a letter from Doug Yates and advises that "opportunities are available for both the 28 and No. 38," scheduled to be tested next week by David Gilliland.

"I'm hoping there's something on 'em by Speedweeks," Jones said of the likelihood of the cars appearing in Yates Racing livery, alone. "When you're down here, there's curiosity and everybody's looking -- so there's no harm in having people look at our Web site."

Gordon happy to be speaking Frank-ly

Robby Gordon's disgruntlement with the cancellation of the Dakar Rally was evident Monday morning at Daytona (read more), but so was his pleasure at being reunited with crew chief Frank Kerr, who last season worked with rookie David Reutimann at Michael Waltrip Racing.

Gordon

"This is my third time with Frank Kerr, so he's not a new crew chief to me," Gordon said. "I was looking for what made our program competitive in the past -- we won Busch races with him and ran really good with Frankie and Greg [Erwin]. There were two of them there, but they were a team [because] this is not a one-guy sport anymore.

"Obviously, he was the best-running Toyota last year hands-down. If you look maybe not where they finished with a rookie, but they were the best qualifying Toyota. They did a good job, they really and truly did.

"I know Frank, Frank knows us. He was part of our team when we started it when it was a Busch car and I'm glad to have him back in the house."

Roush Fenway, 3M to benefit Red Cross

Greg Biffle, who won his first Cup Series event in the 2003 Pepsi 400 at Daytona, took advantage of Preseason Thunder's opening to announce that Roush Fenway Racing, in conjunction with its No. 16 Sprint Cup Ford's primary sponsor, 3M, will donate the car's full paint scheme to the American Red Cross for two races in 2008 -- at Talladega in April and Phoenix in November -- along with donating space on the rear-quarter panel of the car where the Red Cross logo will appear in eight other races during the year.

"I'm honored to help support an organization that touches millions of lives every year in communities nationwide," Biffle said. "Besides collecting blood and helping people recover from disasters, they give incredible support to our military personnel and their families [so] I want to help get the message out to race fans that the Red Cross needs our help, now."

Gilmore back at track

Richie Gilmore, the chief operating officer for ECRT -- Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies, the new combined Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. engine collaboration -- is back at the track for the first time since being stricken with an aneurysm this past October at Talladega, and was looking fit Monday at Daytona as he tended after DEI's No. 1 and No. 8 Chevrolets, driven by Aric Almirola and Mark Martin, respectively. (test speeds)

Mayfield's new number

In his four-race debut for Haas CNC Racing last season, Jeremy Mayfield was in the team's No. 66 Chevrolet, but as Preseason Thunder opened, Mayfield was in the sister car, the No. 70 Impala SS.