Jeremy Mayfield has joined the fleet of full-season start-up teams that have sprouted as the 2009 Sprint Cup season approaches -- but owner/driver Mayfield's is the only one to date that's announced significant sponsorship.

"Team ownership is something I've always wanted to pursue," Mayfield said. "Things have really fallen into place this year with the NASCAR rule changes -- the ban on testing -- and with All Sport coming on board as a partner. I never could have done this without all the right people."

Gary Smith, CEO of Big Red Inc. is co-owner of Mayfield Motorsports. Big Red's All Sport brand of isotonic sports drink is the No. 41 Toyota's primary sponsor for Daytona Speedweeks.

"It's gratifying and at the same time it's a relief," Mayfield said of the deal, "because we've been watching and hearing the same things [about teams starting up sponsorless]; so for us to come out and announce our deal with a sponsor is just unbelievable.

"That's something I'm pretty proud of right now, that not only do we have a sponsor signed and ready to go, but it's a credible sponsor that has a product that a lot of people have already heard of."

And make no mistake, when Mayfield says he's formed a race team, that's exactly what he means.

"We started this deal without a sponsor and we had every intention of running every race, with or without a sponsor -- and we never had any intention in any way, shape or form of being a start-and-park team," Mayfield said. "That never even entered my mind because I would not do one of those type deals. That's the way we put it together and things just started happening from there." (Continued)