Check out all of the NASCAR Fanhouse Daytona Speedweeks Coverage.

The start of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season has brought together two names that ultimately ended the 2007 season on the opposite ends of the spectrum.

Michael Waltrip will start alongside pole winner Jimmie Johnson for Sunday's 50th running of the Daytona 500.

Johnson, last year's Sprint Cup champion, drove a lap at 187.075 mph to secure his second-career pole for the season-opener. Waltrip, who finished 44th in last year's season standings, guaranteed his spot in the Daytona 500 with a lap of 186.734 mph.

Both laps were faster than the pole-winning speed in 2007.

While Johnson was excited to be on the pole for the season's biggest event, it was Waltrip that was nearly speechless about his effort. Exactly one year ago, Waltrip was facing the biggest storm of his career after his car was found to have an illegal additive in the engine prior to qualifying for the 2007 edition.

It would lead to a season that saw both he and his Michael Waltrip Racing team miss several races, fall out of the top-35, and lose sponsors for 2008. Somehow, his team trucked on and this time around at Daytona, all three MWR cars face a go-or-go-home situation if they want to make the event.

Waltrip, a two-time 500 winner, joined teammate David Reutimann and Joe Nemechek as the three drivers that guaranteed a spot in next Sunday's race based on time. The third MWR car with Dale Jarrett on-board will have to race his way into the race on Thursday during the qualifying races.

Nemechek's near pole-winning run was doubly impressive considering the team operates out of Denver, Colo. and has only been in business for three years.

This weekend in Indianapolis, ousted Ginn Racing driver Joe Nemechek is wearing his emotions on his sleeve:

"It's just a deal where you're a little disappointed only because of the promises that were made to you at the beginning of the year ... We accomplished a lot.

"Being locked in is a big, big deal. That's tough. And all of a sudden to see all the points just disappear is pretty tough. That is something I worked hard at. I had a lot of pride in it and all of a sudden it's gone. In this business, we're finding out you never know what's going to happen."

Nemechek agrees with most that the team's failures were sponsorship-related:

"I own my own Busch team. I've owned a Cup team. I know what makes these teams go ... The one area they failed was locking down enough sponsorship dollars to do it. If any one person has to keep forking out millions of dollars, it gets old pretty quick."

I'll bet it does.

When Bobby Ginn bought MB2 Motorsports last season, the move was heralded as a way for the small team to compete with NASCAR Nextel Cup's big teams.

After all, Ginn was known as a real estate mogul with some deep pockets, and the guy promised to do everything possible to get into victory lane .

The season started incredibly for the new owner. He had already landed Ford-forever driver Mark Martin to pilot his No. 01 Chevy and he was inches from having a Daytona 500 victory.

His way of handling his operation was different -- especially after booting Joe Nemechek from his stable ride that he had consistently performed in. He kept Nemechek around in a No. 13 ride, but it wasn't the same, and for Nemechek, it really was a raw deal.

Ginn did dive in head first with his pockets. Not only did he start Nemechek's team, he had to manage Sterling Marlin's No. 14 and Regan Smith would be driving full-time Busch in addition to splitting time with Martin in the No. 01.

But all of that big action has seemingly caught up with the (former?) owner who has his own blimp.

Ginn Racing's decision to cut veterans Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin was "sponsor driven." I suspect that the majority of fans accept that. That doesn't mean we to have to like it. And we don't:

Both Marlin and Nemechek are among the most popular drivers in the Nextel Cup garage. When word of their firings became public yesterday, internet message boards lit up with comments critical of Ginn Racing. Ginn's own Fan Forum was shut down late Tuesday, after fans clogged it with scathing criticism of the team.

Where is the respect for our elders?
It's hard not to be critical of a team firing two veteran drivers maintaining position in the top 35 in owner points in the middle of the season. But the move is far from surprising--with change in ownership usually comes a change in key personnel.

Update: Official Release Almirola grateful to Gibbs, Nemechek released ...

A month ago, Aric Almirola denied wanting to leave Joe Gibbs Racing, despite being unhappy about the team giving his first win to his teammate, Denny Hamlin, at Infineon:

"I'm under contract at JGR. I have a long history with them. I've been there since I was 18 years old. I started racing late models with them, and they've become like family to me. I see our relationship growing."

I guess he meant growing apart.

No official announcement has been made, but according to Dave Moody, Aric Almirola has asked to be release from his contract with JGR and David Caraviello confirms the move to Ginn.

I understand that some fans, including the Fanhouse's own Geoffrey Miller, were quite passionate about Almirola getting robbed of his first win by his own team and called on him to leave the team immediately. But really? Almirola knew he was the fill-in driver for that race. Yeah Hamlin was late, but it was his car and his race to run. Everyone was on the same page going in.

As Almirola himself said, he has a long history with Gibbs. I certainly wish him the best whatever decision he should make for his future, but I sure hope he considered more than just one bad day at the office before making a career-move like this one.

Almirola's plan is to head to Ginn Racing to split the remainder of the 2007 season in the #01 with Mark Martin, with Regan Smith moving over to the #14 taking over driving duties for Sterling Marlin. The plan presumably eliminates the idea of a full-blown Ginn / DEI merger, but I imagine the #13 is still in play.

Apparently, Bobby Ginn's attempt to attract sponsorship for Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin didn't produce the results he was looking for.

A few days ago, the team announced several layoffs in the shop citing too fast of growth and a need to re-evaluate. They did not confirm or deny any additional forthcoming layoffs.

This afternoon, a source is telling me that tomorrow Ginn Racing will completely shut down the #13 and #14 teams, both of which are in the top 35 in owner points. This info has not been confirmed with team officials.

Damn. I thought funding wasn't supposed to be an issue with this team 'cause Ginn has all this money?

If true, what a shame for both drivers. Of the two of them I feel the worse for Nemechek because he already got kicked off the priority team and now stands to lose his job on this one. Nothing against Mark Martin and Regan Smith, I get what Ginn was trying to do and it's been successful. Good for them. But Nemechek got the shaft in the deal. And now he stands to get it again.

If this comes to fruition, I hope the other owners look out for Nemechek and Marlin. It's really going to suck if they aren't able to continue running for points this season. Such is the life of a veteran in NASCAR these days, huh?

Update 07.09.07 - I don't have a full update, but a source has confirmed today that TJ Majors, spotter for the #14 team has been let go. Majors is a good friend of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and also spots for the #88 NAVY Busch team. Hmmm. Can't very well have a driver on the track without a spotter.

Update #2 - From the sounds of this press release, doesn't look like anything has changed with the #14 team.

Jeff Gordon will be out front on Sunday when the cars of tomorrow take the green flag.

All four manufacturers have at least one car starting inside the Top 10.

Toyota drivers A.J. Allmendinger (Red Bull Racing) and Jeremy Mayfield (Bill Davis Racing) both made the field for the first time in five attempts. Brian Vickers also made the field for his third race of the season.

Michael Waltrip Racing's #55 (Waltrip) and #00 (David Reutimann) both failed to qualify. Dale Jarrett qualified the #44 on time and still maintains two championship provisionals.

Top 35 bubble driver Paul Menard (DEI) failed to qualify, as did Kevin LePage (0-5). Joe Nemechek and Johnny Sauter both failed to qualify for the first time in 2007.

Food City 500 Starting Lineup