Notes: Ambrose, Bowyer locked into Daytona 500

JTG Daugherty Racing's Marcos Ambrose will have a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500 and the next four Sprint Cup races, but Phoenix Racing's Brad Keselowski will have to race his way into the events, Ambrose and Keselowski said Thursday morning.

Ambrose

Bowyer

Martin

Sanctioning body officials decided that allowing the transfer of a car number for a rookie to run a fifth car wasn't the intent of the points-transfer rules and won't allow a transfer of Chip Ganassi Racing points from last season to Phoenix Racing's Keselowski. The move will lock Ambrose into the season's opening five events.

Ambrose was told of the situation Thursday morning, and when the haulers entered the track, Ambrose and that of Richard Childress Racing's Clint Bowyer were among the top 35 while Keselowski was not.

Bowyer will be in his first season driving RCR's No. 33 car, a newly formed team. RCR acquired the owner points from Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s No. 01 car, which has shut down.

Penske Racing's Sam Hornish Jr. was locked into the first five races earlier this week after inheriting points from Bill Davis Racing.

Martin rues lack of track time

When the field takes the green flag for Saturday's Budweiser Shootout, Mark Martin will be on the sidelines.

The 1999 winner of the race, who moves from a part-time ride at Dale Earnhardt Inc. to a full-time spot in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet, isn't eligible for the event under the new qualifying format -- and Martin is acutely aware of the advantage in track time the 28 drivers in the race will enjoy.

Consequently, he's thinking more about the Feb. 15 Daytona 500 than he is about winning the Sprint Cup championship, which has eluded him for more than a quarter-century.

"We're starting a little bit behind as a race team," Martin said. "We haven't had an opportunity to work together before. We didn't work together last year. We're not in the Shootout, which puts us at a major [disadvantage].

"I feel really left out because there are 28 cars -- more than ever -- and this is the first time in 20 years that I haven't been in that race and we won't even hit the race track in race trim until Wednesday. They all hit it [Friday], so we have a lot more important things to be worried about than trying to worry about whether or not we can win that Cup."

Martin will practice in qualifying trim on Saturday in preparation for Sunday's Daytona 500 time trials.

Reutimann's No. 00 gets full sponsorship

Team owner Michael Waltrip said Thursday that Aaron's will be the primary sponsor the No. 00 Toyota of Michael Waltrip Racing's David Reutimann for the full 2009 Sprint Cup season.

The rental store chain had previously committed to sponsoring the car for half the season but recently agreed to come on board for the full 36-race campaign, he said.

A news conference is scheduled this weekend to officially announce the sponsorship, Waltrip said.