BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Just as one mystery at Richard Childress Racing was solved, others developed Saturday.

As expected, Casey Mears was named the fourth driver of the growing RCR stable prior to Saturday's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Beginning in 2009, Mears will drive the No. 07 car sponsored by Jack Daniel's that currently is being piloted by Clint Bowyer. Bowyer will move to the No. 33 car sponsored by General Mills that technically will be the new fourth car.

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The points will stay with the 07. We've got all the confidence in the world in Clint and his team. We've got some things working for that, as well.

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RICHARD CHILDRESS

There was much speculation that Bowyer would move to the No. 33 car, but that RCR was petitioning NASCAR to allow him to take the No. 07 owner points with him next season. Team owner Richard Childress said Saturday that will not be the case.

"There have been a lot of questions asked about what we're doing. One that I get a lot is about the points," Childress said. "The points will stay with the 07. We've got all the confidence in the world in Clint and his team. We've got some things working for that, as well."

The new mysteries surrounded just how the two teams will be built, where owner points for the No. 33 may come, and just what Childress may have up his sleeve next.

Among the more interesting comments made Saturday was Childress' response to one reporter's question about if he was looking at possibly merging with another team in some way. Childress did not rule it out.

"I can't comment on that right now," he said in a cryptic response. He did not elaborate.

There was speculation that Childress might attempt to purchase owner points for Bowyer's new ride from another organization, or that some type of joint venture might be in the works. The most obvious potential player in any such scenario would be Dale Earnhardt Inc., with which RCR already shares an engine-building operation in Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies.

Bobby Hutchens recently left his job as general manager of Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies to become vice president of competition at DEI in what was described by Childress and others as a decision made jointly by both operations. (Continued)