On the heels of Furniture Row Racing announcing plans for a limited 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, the team announced today a contract buyout of its driver Joe Nemechek.


�Just like the reduced schedule announcement, this buyout of Joe�s contract has nothing to do with his on-track performance,� said team president Joe Garone. �But our contract with Joe for 2009 was for a full schedule and we�re not able to fulfill that part of the deal.�


�Joe has been a great leader, mentor, and driver for Furniture Row Racing,� added Garone. �This move is doing what is best for both Joe and our team. It doesn�t require us to have him drive for Furniture Row in 2009, but it doesn�t restrict him from doing what he loves -- and that�s racing at the highest level every week of the season.�


In only its third year as a Sprint Cup Series team, Furniture Row Racing is coming off its best year, qualifying for 32 out of 36 races, earning a pole position at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and having several strong finishes.


As announced before, Furniture Row Companies � the team owner, primary sponsor, and one of the nation�s largest furniture retailers � is a privately-held entity and does not make its sales figures public. But the company is looking at retail sales trends and is tightening all expenses as a result.