MR. ASHLEY JUDD'S CUP FUTURE COMING TO A HEAD

Unceremoniously dumped by Ganassi Racing from the #40 Cup ride last week, Dario Franchitti will drive a Ganassi car in the Nationwide Series race tomorrow night.

However, a meeting with his former Cup boss before that appearance could go a long way in determining whether or not Ashley's husband has a future at the Cup level of NASCAR competition.

"Tomorrow is quite a big day with this meeting with Chip," Franchitti said according to Angelique Chengelis of ESPN.com.

"We're starting to look around, starting to talk, [but] nothing is going to happen until I talk to Chip and see what his plan is for the future and see if it's something I'm interested in. I certainly owe Chip that much."

NO TROPHY NECESSARY

Just how bad are this year's crop of NASCAR rookies? Regan "Freaking" Smith is the leader at the halfway point in Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

Let me repeat that: Regan Smith, driver of the #01 DEI Chevy, is the "best" rookie thus far in 2008. Sam Hornish Jr., who spins so often he rubber-necks his own wrecks anymore, is second in the standings.

Second!!!

Anyway, here are the complete standings:

ROOKIE	POINTS
Regan Smith	167
Sam Hornish Jr.	160
Patrick Carpentier	140
Michael McDowell	119
Dario Franchitti	97

In all fairness, Patrick Carpentier has been the best rookie of the year by far. Unfortunately, he started his inaugural NASCAR campaign in a car outside of the top-35 in points and has failed to qualify for three races in '08. The good news for Carpentier fans is that after falling as low as 48th in the points (following the first Daytona race) and as many as 297 points out of 35th (following the Atlanta race), the likable Canuck has scratched and crawled his way into 37th, 163 points out of a guaranteed spot in the starting grid.

Smith, by comparison, has started in 17 of the 18 races, while Hornish Jr. has crashed... spun... wrecked... started all races on the schedule.

TUESDAY NIGHT ROUND-UP

News and notes from around the NASCAR world:

Juan Pablo Montoya supports the decision to cut ties with former teammate Dario Franchitti, says the long-term benefits to Ganassi Racing far outweigh the short-term hurt it has caused.

Michael Waltrip and his new sugar daddy, Rob Kauffman, had breakfast with owners Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates the morning of the Coke Zero 400. Is there a merger in the offing?

Want a good read on the downward spiral of the Company Formerly Known As Dale Earnhardt Inc.? Click HERE for the view from Beyond The Track, a blog by the Oakland Press' Matt Myftiu. My favorite part of the piece: "DEI is about to succumb to squabbling of a nature Dale Sr. would not have allowed. His death has had many major effects on the sport, and it appears the demise of DEI is the latest." If that doesn't give you chills, then nothing will.

Jimmie Johnson is a McCain man. Really? An immensely wealthy professional athlete with a Republican lean? In other news, the sky is blue and water is wet...

This is from yesterday, but it's chock full of great Silly Season tidbits, including: The Wicked Witch of the Southeast looking to sell, Tony Stewart's future, Jack Daniels rocketing to a new driver, and UPS on the move to RCR.