ESPN Sprint Cup

ESPN.com preseason rank: No. 18

2009 Outlook

Martin Truex Jr. faces a daunting task in 2009. The instability that permeated Dale Earnhardt Inc. throughout 2008 gains a bit of structure following the offseason merger between DEI and Chip Ganassi Racing.

But the newly formed Earnhardt Ganassi organization still faces key unknowns as the new year dawns.

Specifically for the No. 1 team, if EGR manages to quickly gain the requisite structure, Truex could contend for the Chase.

The equipment is there, no question. The chemistry is there with longtime crew chief Kevin Manion. And for the first time ever, Truex will have a go-to owner at the racetrack in Chip Ganassi.

"It's probably going to take us a little time to mold all the parts and pieces together from what they did over there, and some of the things that they've done to be successful and some of the things that we've done, putting them together and making the best race car we can because right now I think our stuff is all a little bit different," Truex said. "So that's going to be a challenge.

"I don't think it's been very disruptive to our team at all, as far as I can tell," Truex continued, in reference to all the recent change surrounding his race team. "Obviously I don't make the decisions for the race team or run the show. That's [Manion's] job, other people's job. There's a possibility there could be some things different there, I don't know.

"From the outside looking in and as much as I'm a part of it, I don't see much change there. So I don't think that it's very disruptive to us at all."

Despite a lack of volume -- Truex will race alongside Juan Pablo Montoya and, possibly, Aric Almirola -- Truex is optimistic that they'll field quality over quantity.

"What's disruptive to our team, we still have less teammates, we have less information to go around," he said. "Roush has four cars or five cars and Hendrick has got four and Gibbs has four or three, or whatever. We're down to two or three. It makes it more difficult for us, for sure. There's no two ways about it.

"Can we be successful? Yes. The best year we ever had we were a two-car team, 2007. So it can be done. We can do it."

2008 Review

Last season was tumultuous for Truex. High expectations following a breakthrough 2007 campaign were not met. It was a contract year, too, and with that came incessant media scrutiny about his future.

He ultimately signed a one-year extension with DEI, meaning he'll enter 2009 as a coveted commodity yet again. He finished 15th in the championship standings, failing to follow up on 2007's Chase march.

Will win the title if: The EGR chemistry quickly concocts a potent potion. Getting behind early will quickly seal his fate.

He won't win the title because: EGR isn't yet ready to compete with the Big Three.

-- Marty Smith