Dodge's ranks in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continue to thin.

Gordon

Robby Gordon Motorsports announced this week that it will run Toyotas in the 2009 Sprint Cup season, while an Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team spokesman confirmed to Scenedaily.com that team will run Chevrolets next season out of what was the Chip Ganassi Racing team's shop in Concord, N.C.

Gordon's switch to Toyota is a reunion of sorts. Gordon has raced with Toyota's TRD racing arm in off-road, sports car and Indy car competition in his career.

"After watching their progress last season, we decided that a switch to Toyota was the right package for our team," said Gordon, the driver and owner of the single-car Cup operation. "We are confident that fielding a Toyota Camry will add to the success of our organization and the competitiveness of our performance on the race track."

Lee White, president of TRD U.S.A for Toyota, said he has known Gordon for nearly 20 years.

"I've known Robby as a driver, team owner and fierce competitor since 1990," White said. "We have shared many memorable challenges and victories. It will be exciting to see how the association between Robby, his team, Toyota and TRD will develop in 2009. I promise you that it will not be boring to watch."

Last week, it was announced that Jim Beam will continue its relationship with Gordon in 2009.

Gordon will have Jim Beam, which makes the world's No. 1-selling bourbon, as the primary sponsor on the No. 7 car for 13 races next year. Jim Beam will also be an associate sponsor for the rest of next season's races.

Centurion Boats has opted out of the final year of its contract as title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, according to an Associated Press report.

Officials with Centurion Boats cite the struggling economy as a reason for their decision.

Les Clark, East Coast general manager for Fineline Industries, the parent company of Centurion Boats, said production has been cut 50 percent, resulting in layoffs for half the work force at its North Carolina manufacturing facility.

The Glen's Cup race returns for its 24th consecutive year in August.

Two years ago, the arrival of driver Bobby Labonte at Petty Enterprises was touted as another huge component in the rebuilding of the Sprint Cup series' most victorious team.

Last week's announcement that Labonte was leaving Petty serves as another signal that the team's rebuilding effort is on the verge of collapse.

Labonte, the 2000 Sprint Cup champion, said last Thursday that he and the Pettys have split and that, at the moment, he has no ride for the 2009 season.

"Petty Enterprises and I had serious and very sincere discussions about what was best for myself and everyone involved at Petty Enterprises moving forward," Labonte said in a statement. "These discussions culminated with us

agreeing that moving in a separate direction will be the greatest way to reach our end goals. It was by no means an easy decision."

Labonte has 21 Cup victories. He has finished in the top 10 in Cup points seven times. He has driven for four Cup teams during his 15 years in the series.

Labonte moved from Joe Gibbs Racing, the team for which he won his championship, to the Pettys after the 2005 season. The move, at the time, was viewed as huge for a team that had not won a race since 1999.

Shortly after the hiring, Kyle Petty, said, "We believe Bobby can win races - and will win races - in the 43 car."

Labonte, who has steadfastly rejected the description of
team savior, never did get
a Petty car to Victory Lane.

Last year, General Mills, the sponsor of Labonte's car, announced it was moving to the Clint Bowyer-driven Richard Childress Racing team. No replacement has been found.

In an effort to increase cash flow, Petty Enterprises was sold to Boston Ventures last year. Rumors have persisted in recent weeks that Petty Enterprises was in talks to merge with Gillette-Evernham Motorsports. Last Thursday, those rumors were confirmed by the Petty team.

"We expect these discussions and decisions to take several weeks and will have further comment at the appropriate time," David Zucker, chief executive officer of Petty Enterprises, said. "Gillett Evernham Motorsports is a                  first-class team with                  great drivers, sponsors                  and management."