Short Laps

With four months still to go this season, three big-name drivers are already looking forward to 2009, when they'll be changing teams. Tony Stewart is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing for Haas CNC Racing, which will make him NASCAR's highest-paid driver and co-owner of the newly named Stewart-Haas Racing. He'll likely struggle in '09—Stewart-Haas will resemble a start-up—but the offer was too good to pass up. Ryan Newman is also moving on after nine seasons with Penske Racing. Since winning the Daytona 500 in February, Newman has fallen from first to 16th in the standings, and a change of scenery was needed. He's rumored to be headed to Stewart-Haas as well. And Casey Mears is expected to sign with Richard Childress Racing. He's winless and 24th in points for Hendrick Motorsports and has been a major disappointment there. If he lands at Childress, the 30-year-old Mears will have one season to prove that he belongs at the Cup level.