2008 Cup season officially becomes history Sunday

This weekend is the last time 2008 car owner standings in the Sprint Cup series will mean anything.

Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway is the fifth race of the season and the last time this year that the top 35 in last year's final owner points will be assured of a starting spot in a Cup race.

After Sunday, this year’s weekly owner standings will count toward guaranteeing a spot for the March 29 race in Martinsville, Va. Each week's owner standings will determine 35 spots for the following 30 races.

Racing on Bristol’s 0.533-mile oval never lacks for action but Sunday will have the added drama of drivers not necessarily contending for victory but fighting to get into the top 35.

Among those in jeopardy are Mark Martin (35th), rookie Joey Logano (33rd) and Ryan Newman (32nd).

Martin, however, won his second straight pole Friday for the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, and Newman qualified second for Stewart-Haas Motorsports.

Logano qualified 23rd in the No. 20 Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing. ...

Scott Riggs (No. 36) and Jeremy Mayfield (No. 41) failed to qualify for Sunday’s race.