BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Just as one mystery at Richard Childress Racing was solved, others developed Saturday.

As expected, Casey Mears was named the fourth driver of the growing RCR stable prior to Saturday's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Beginning in 2009, Mears will drive the No. 07 car sponsored by Jack Daniel's that currently is being piloted by Clint Bowyer. Bowyer will move to the No. 33 car sponsored by General Mills that technically will be the new fourth car.

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The points will stay with the 07. We've got all the confidence in the world in Clint and his team. We've got some things working for that, as well.

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RICHARD CHILDRESS

There was much speculation that Bowyer would move to the No. 33 car, but that RCR was petitioning NASCAR to allow him to take the No. 07 owner points with him next season. Team owner Richard Childress said Saturday that will not be the case.

"There have been a lot of questions asked about what we're doing. One that I get a lot is about the points," Childress said. "The points will stay with the 07. We've got all the confidence in the world in Clint and his team. We've got some things working for that, as well."

The new mysteries surrounded just how the two teams will be built, where owner points for the No. 33 may come, and just what Childress may have up his sleeve next.

Among the more interesting comments made Saturday was Childress' response to one reporter's question about if he was looking at possibly merging with another team in some way. Childress did not rule it out.

"I can't comment on that right now," he said in a cryptic response. He did not elaborate.

There was speculation that Childress might attempt to purchase owner points for Bowyer's new ride from another organization, or that some type of joint venture might be in the works. The most obvious potential player in any such scenario would be Dale Earnhardt Inc., with which RCR already shares an engine-building operation in Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies.

Bobby Hutchens recently left his job as general manager of Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies to become vice president of competition at DEI in what was described by Childress and others as a decision made jointly by both operations.

Asked how that might have a bearing on the future at RCR, Childress replied: "We do engines with DEI. Bobby will do a great job over there. You can't get points [for Hutchens moving over]. We can't merge. They've got five teams or four or whatever."

DEI currently fields four Sprint Cup teams -- the No. 1 driven by Martin Truex Jr., the No. 8 that will be driven full-time next season by Aric Almirola, the No. 15 driven by Paul Menard and the No. 01 driven by Regan Smith. It has been speculated with DEI struggling to find sponsorship for Smith's No. 01 ride, it may consider selling the owner points for that car to Childress to use for the No. 33.

Mears to RCR

As expected, Casey Mears is Richard Childress' choice to fill out his driver lineup as RCR makes the switch from three full-time Cup entries to four.

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The No. 01 car entered Saturday night's race 29th in the point standings. Teams who finish in the top 35 in owner points this season are guaranteed starting spots in the first five races next season, while those left on the outside -- or new teams without them -- will be forced to qualify on speed for those five races.

In addition to the cars that will be driven next season by Mears and Bowyer, RCR also fields the No. 31 driven by Jeff Burton and the No. 29 driven by Kevin Harvick.

Also yet to be determined is whether the crew currently being used by Bowyer in the No. 07 will go with him to the No. 33, and who will be Mears' crew chief and other crew members. Childress preached patience on those issues, saying that first he must make certain RCR is doing all it can to get the cars of Burton, Harvick and Bowyer into the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup.

With three races remaining before the cutoff for the Chase prior to Saturday night's race, Burton was fifth in the point standings, Harvick eighth and Bowyer tied for 13th. The top-12 drivers in points qualify for the Chase.

"Right now, like we do every year at this time, we start evaluating our competition -- where we're at with all of our teams," Childress said. "We're just thrilled about next year. But we've got our work cut out for us the next three weeks. That's what we're concentrating on right now. We want to get into the Chase, and at that point we want to be a championship contender, which I know we will be. We want to get through that, and once we get through that, we'll start addressing other things."

Mears, who confirmed his deal with RCR is for three years, said he cannot wait to join his new team and organization at the end of this season (watch video). He will finish out the year in the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

"To still be affiliated with Chevrolet is a big deal for me, and to be part of the RCR team is very exciting," Mears said. "Richard and I have known each other for a quite a while now. He's been one of those guys throughout the garage who, even though I would be driving for other owners, he would talk to me quite a bit throughout the last few years. I always noticed whenever I did well and had a good race, he would always come up and saw a few words to me.

"So I'm very excited to be a part of their team. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I just can't wait to get started."

Also
• RCR struggling to regain winning form since spring
• RCR drivers look forward to adding fourth car to mix