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Red Bull announces 2009 driver, crew chief lineup

By Sports Network

Published: Dec 01, 2008

Red Bull Racing set its 2009 Sprint Cup Series roster Monday with Ryan Pemberton serving as Brian Vickers' new crew chief and Jimmy Elledge guiding Scott Speed as he runs for rookie of the year honors.

Pemberton joins Vickers' No.83 team after serving as crew chief for David Reutimann at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2008. Reutimann ended the season by winning his first career Sprint Cup pole at Homestead.

Speed, a former Formula One competitor, will drive the No.82 Toyota for Red Bull and start next season locked inside the top-35 in car owner points. He will be guaranteed a starting position in the first five races, including the season-opening Daytona 500.

"We're entering our third Sprint Cup season with driver and crew chief pairings that have what it takes to consistently compete at a high level," team manager Jay Frye said in a statement. "Brian and Ryan are each at a point in their respective careers where they can bring home wins and make a run for the championship. Scott earned his Sprint Cup ride by exceeding our expectations in ARCA and trucks. He has a great asset in Jimmy, who has experience working with both rookies and open-wheel drivers." More

Nov 26, 2008

• JJ's three-peat, economic woes among 2008 highlights, lowlights

At the season-ending Sprint Cup Series awards banquet next week in New York City, Jimmie Johnson will be honored for his record-tying third consecutive championship. Johnson, who finished the season 69 points ahead of Carl Edwards, joined Cale Yarborough (1976-78) as the only drivers in NASCAR's 60-year history to win three Cup titles in a row.

Nov 24, 2008

• Earnhardt Jr.'s 1st year with Hendrick ends on disappointing note

Even though Dale Earnhardt, Jr. made the field for the 2008 "Chase for the Sprint Cup" championship, his first year with Hendrick Motorsports did not live up to expectations.

Nov 21, 2008

• Nemechek, Furniture Row Racing agree to contract buyout

Furniture Row Racing announced Friday it has bought out the contract of driver Joe Nemechek. The racing organization recently made known it would field a Sprint Cup Series team on a limited schedule in 2009.

Nov 20, 2008

• Kenseth signs contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing

Roush Fenway Racing announced Thursday it has signed Matt Kenseth to a multi-year contract extension. Kenseth, the 2003 Cup Series champion, has been with the racing organization since 1998.

Nov 19, 2008

• Johnson enjoying his place in NASCAR history

Days after capturing his third-consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship, Jimmie Johnson has returned to his home in North Carolina to relax and allow his record-tying accomplishment to finally sink in. Johnson, who finished 15th in last Sunday's season-ending race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, matched Cale Yarborough's 30-year-old record of three titles in a row.

Nov 18, 2008

• Menard to drive No.98 for Yates in '09

Yates Racing announced Tuesday that Paul Menard will drive the No.98 Ford for the team during the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Nov 17, 2008

• Johnson, No.48 team the next dynasty in professional sports

After capturing his third-consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship Sunday at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jimmie Johnson and his No.48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet crew have not only established themselves as one of the greatest teams in NASCAR, but as the latest in a string of professional sports dynasties.

Nov 16, 2008

• Three-Peat: Johnson captures record-tying third-straight Cup title

Carl Edwards dominated Sunday's season-ending Ford 400, but Jimmie Johnson was the "tropic" of conversation at the Homestead-Miami Speedway as he drove into NASCAR's record books with his record-tying third consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship. Johnson finished 15th to join Cale Yarborough as the only drivers in NASCAR's 60-year history that have won three titles in a row. Yarborough accomplished the feat from 1976-78.

Nov 14, 2008

• Logano grabs pole for Nationwide race at Homestead

Joey Logano won the pole for Saturday's Nationwide Series season-ending Ford 300 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The No.20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver rounded the 1.5-mile oval in 31.962 seconds (168.951 m.p.h.).

Nov 14, 2008

• NASCAR cancels 2009 testing at sanctioned tracks

In an effort to cut costs for teams, NASCAR announced it will suspend testing at its sanctioned tracks for its three national touring and two regional racing series during the 2009 season.

Nov 12, 2008

• NASCAR - Sprint Cup - Ford 400 Preview

Nov 11, 2008

• This Week in Auto Racing November 14 - 16

Sprint Cup Series

Nov 10, 2008

• Nothing "funny" about moving tail end of NASCAR race to ESPN2

With the second-to-last race in the "Chase for the Sprint Cup" reaching its climactic point and Jimmie Johnson on the verge of clinching his record-tying third consecutive series championship, viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones were stunned to see the remaining 34 laps of Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway switched from ABC to ESPN2.

Nov 09, 2008

• Johnson on the brink of third-straight title with Phoenix win

Jimmie Johnson took a huge step closer towards capturing his record-tying third-consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship with a dominating victory in Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Johnson led 217 of 313 laps and held off Kurt Busch in a green-white-checkered finish.

Nov 07, 2008

• Hamlin takes pole for Nationwide race at Phoenix

Denny Hamlin won the pole for Saturday's Hefty Odor Block 200 Nationwide Series race at the Phoenix International Raceway. Hamlin, who went out 38th in the 50-driver qualifying order, turned in a lap around the one-mile track in 27.085 seconds (132.915 m.p.h.).

Nov 04, 2008

• NASCAR - Sprint Cup - Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 Preview

Nov 04, 2008

• This Week in Auto Racing November 7 - 9

Sprint Cup Series

Nov 03, 2008

• Edwards could make it an interesting Chase after all

Just when it looked like Jimmie Johnson was going to run away with this year's "Chase for the Sprint Cup" championship, here comes Carl Edwards with a late-season surge.

Nov 02, 2008

• Fuel strategy pays off for Edwards with Texas victory

Carl Edwards took a huge gamble in gaining ground on points leader Jimmie Johnson in the championship Chase standings as he drove the final 69 laps without pitting for fuel to win Sunday's Dickies 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway.