'08 Rear-View Mirror: Martin Truex Jr.

Warning: Objects in this post may be the only way to successfully live through the NASCAR off-season. For best results, read rearview mirror early and often.

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Team: No. 1 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
'08 Final Standing: 15th (-2845)
Best Race: New Hampshire (4th-place)
Worst Race: Kansas & Phoenix (43rd-place)

Season in a box: After picking up his first career win in 2007, most people would have guessed that Martin Truex Jr. -- DEI's new top driver after the departure of Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- would have been a solid competitor in 2008. Instead, 2008 turned into a season of turmoil, rumor and by the time the 2009 season was starting to take shape, it had left questions as to whether he'd be at DEI in 2009.

Truex's best finish of the season came at the same event that Kurt Busch won in New Hampshire thanks to an ill-timed rain shower for the race's leaders that trapped them well back in the field. The other Top-5's came at Richmond in May and Watkins Glen in August, but the No. 1 did find the Top-10 11 times over the course of the season.

Likely the most memorable part of Truex's season was the rumor mill that took over much of the middle part of the NASCAR season. Truex had an option in his contract for another season at DEI in 2009 and thanks to that possible change, the driver was listed as heading to many other operations for the 2009 season. Eventually, Truex and DEI struck a deal for the driver to remain for 2009, but there's still a question as whether or not the deal will happen.

Through the crystal windshield: That deal seems to be in question due to reports stating the Truex's contract requires that Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing -- the team created just weeks ago thanks to a merger between DEI and Chip Ganassi Racing -- to have multiple, fully-sponsored teams to serve as teammates for Truex. Apparently, that count has not been met.

As a result, Truex's future with EGR is in limbo, but thanks to a secure relationship with sponsor Bass Pro Shops, Truex will undoubtedly be driving a full season in 2009. If that season is Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, I'm certainly not going to be expecting much.

The merger between the two companies wasn't a combination of titans, but rather a joining of Sprint Cup mediocrity and to hope that pays big dividends in terms of performance (the biggest dividend its paying now is keeping the two teams alive ) is a little misguided. Truex, though, will likely be the biggest bright spot for the team in 2009 -- that is, of course, if he's still around.

Next up: Kasey Kahne