AS THE RUMOR MILL CHURNS, 7/11/08

We continue to hear rumblings from those inside the garage that Bass Pro Shops -- currently the sponsor of Martin Truex Jr.'s #1 DEI Chevy -- is considering joining Stewart-Haas Racing next year as the primary sponsor for Tony Stewart's second car. It's expected that Ryan Newman will be the driver of that second car, although there are some insiders who think that Truex Jr. could follow Bass Pro Shops to SHR. Truex enjoys a very solid relarionship with his current sponsor, which could lead them to push for adding Truex if they do bolt from DEI.

One industry source has told Stock Car Talk that Newman is #1 on Richard Childress' list to fill his recently-created Cheerios/General Mills team at Richard Childress Racing. Of course, that could lead to a battle of checkbooks between RCR and SHR, which will make the current driver of the #12 Dodge a very, very rich man when all of the dust settles.

Speaking of RCR, another name being floated as a possibility to fill their fourth team is current Michael Waltrip Racing driver David Reutimann. With his contract being up at the end of the year, as well as that of his primary sponsor UPS, Reutimann's name hit the rumor mill earlier this week when it was reported that he would replace Kyle Petty in the #45 Dodge. Both Reutimann and MWR vehemently denied that report.

Barack Obama, the presumptive presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, will be on the hood of the #49 BAM Racing Dodge for the Aug. 2 Pocono race. Obama would be the first presidential candidate to be the primary sponsor for a NASCAR race team, although it's expected to be only a one-race deal. -- Source: Tom Bowles of SI.com