Phoenix Racing owner James Finch said:

Tag Heuer wanted to sponsor a race, and they’ve got some interaction with (Richard) Childress and them. They wanted to put Dillon in my car, and I said that’s fine with me.

Regan Smith finished seventh in the season-opening Daytona 500 for Phoenix Racing, and AJ Allmendinger followed that up with an 11th-place finish in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Finch attributed the team’s solid runs to the fact that the playing field is level with the new Generation 6 car. He said:

To everybody it’s all brand new, but the big teams with all the money and technology will start taking over here before long. The car has more downforce to it, and they took some lead out of it. It’s lighter, and there’s more downforce. That makes it a really nice race car. I’ve got my third driver in a third race, and if we have a really good run there that will really speak volumes [about the team].

Finch’s goal for Dillon is to finish the race in the top 15, and finish the race.

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Allmendinger has eight starts at the one-mile oval, with two top 10s and a pole.

Allmendinger said:

This will be good. It’s been a few months since I’ve been in a stock car. I haven’t been in one of the Gen 6 cars yet, so I think it will take a little time to get acclimated to it. Phoenix International Raceway is a great place for me to get back behind the wheel. I’ve always enjoyed the race track. It will definitely feel different, but I’ll be ready to go.

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Truex will drive Phoenix Racing’s No. 51 Chevy.

I will be making my SPRINT CUP debut at Richmond in the #51 for Phoenix Racing. Running multiple races in 2013 as well as Indy NNS race

— Ryan Truex (@Ryan_Truex) February 18, 2013

The plan seems to be to run Dillon in six to eight, possibly more, Cup races this season to prepare him for 2014.

Dillon will drive for Circle Sport, a satellite team of Richard Childress Racing, the team owned by his grandfather. Dillon will also drive one race for Phoenix Racing and owner James Finch.

Dillon made one start for Circle Sport in the Sprint Cup Series last season, finishing 24th in the No. 33 Chevy in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Stephen Leicht, Tony Raines, Elliott Sadler, Hermie Sadler, and Cole Whitt also drove for Circle Sport in 2012, with Leicht winning Rookie Of The Year honors.

Childress indicated that he didn’t know how many Cup races his grandson would run, saying that it depended on sponsorship.

Austin’s younger brother Ty Dillon may also run some Cup races. In 2014, the younger Dillon will move from the Camping World Truck Series to the Nationwide Series full time.

Many speculate that the elder Dillon may drive the No. 3 Chevy, which hasn’t been run in Cup since 2001, when Dale Earnhardt Sr died in a last lap crash in the Daytona 500.

Dillon finished third in the Nationwide Series standings, winning two races last year. He will look to improve upon that in 2013.

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According to Finch, the team has secured sponsorship for both Daytona races in February.

Regan Smith, who has committed to run in the Nationwide Series full time for JR Motorsports, will drive Phoenix Racing’s Sprint Cup entry throughout the season. But, because of his commitment to JRM, Phoenix will look to another driver to run some races. That driver is said to be AJ Allmendinger.

Allmendinger was suspended for violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy last season, but was later reinstated.

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The team made a push to field two full time Nationwide teams in 2013, but it is becoming increasingly likely that the team will only field the No. 5 full time. A second car will be fielded on a limited basis with Dale Earnhardt Jr and other drivers behind the wheel.

That leaves Cole Whitt without a ride.

The No. 5 will feature sponsorship from TaxSlayer.com.

JRM General Manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller said:

Our goal is always to field two full-time teams  and that could still happen next year with other potential opportunities  but what we have right now is a strong team with Regan and Greg that will compete for a championship, and a part-time team with Dale Jr. that will compete for wins. Our focus is to streamline our company and equip those teams with everything they need to compete at a high level.

Smith signed with JRM after filling in for Earnhardt Jr in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy while Earnhardt Jr recovered from concussions. Smith was told he would not be back with Furniture Row Racing earlier this year. FRR opted to hire Kurt Busch.

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Busch removed his helmet and climbed out of the car. But, after assessing the damage and figuring the car could be fixed, Busch jumped back into the car and attempted to drive it back to the garage. Safety crews were still working on the car as this happened, and Busch drove away while a crew member had his arm in the car and a medical kit was on top of his car. The medical kit fell off.

NASCAR ordered him to stop, to keep him from scattering debris on the track. But, because Busch didn’t have his helmet on, he didn’t get the message.

Eventually, he did stop and he was parked for the remainder of the afternoon.

Busch was making his final start in James Finch’s No. 51 car, as he moves to Furniture Row Racing’s No. 78 this week as he readies for 2013.

Afterwards Busch said:

This is the way my life works. Today is a perfect example: I am leading, I wreck, I run out of gas. I tried to get back in the race, and now NASCAR is yelling at me because I don’t have my helmet on, and I’m trying to get it to the garage so the guys can work on it. Now I’m in trouble. This little storm right here; this is my life. I’m not complaining; I put myself in a lot of these situations.

While I don’t see anything that, on its own, should have resulted in Busch getting parked, Busch isn’t given as much leeway as other drivers because of his other transgressions. He doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. For example, if a driver like Mark Martin or Jimmie Johnson did the same thing, I have a hard time believing NASCAR would have parked them for the rest of the race.

Busch, however, is subjected to more scrutiny and harsher penalties because of his previous actions. Almost anything Busch does or says during or after a tough run is attributed to anger, whether or not he is actually angry.

If Busch jumps in the car and drives off with no helmet, he may have done so to get back to the garage as fast as possible, so he didn’t lose more time. But, because of his history, it is assumed he did so in anger. If Busch drives off, knocking a medical kit off his car in the process, he may have drove off without seeing it. But, again because of his history, it is assumed that he drove off in anger, not waiting for the crew to get their equipment off the car.

Busch is right when he says he put himself in this situation. He doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt because of his previous behavior. And, he never will again.

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Steve Barkdoll, of Phoenix, said:

We’re looking forward to having Regan in our car. Regan performed the tire test at Kansas, and that should be helpful at intermediate tracks. We believe he can help get our program back on track and help attract sponsorship going forward.

This deal seems to be a one-off deal, with no word on who will drive the team’s No. 51 after Charlotte.

Smith is said to be a candidate to drive for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series next season. Smith’s former crew chief Ryan Pemberton moved to JRM last month, which could make Smith a good fit for the team.

Update: Dale Earnhardt Jr sustained a concussion in a last lap crash at Talladega, and he will miss the next two Sprint Cup races. Smith will fill in for him in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevy, meaning he won’t drive the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevy at Charlotte. No word on who Smith’s replacement will be.

Update 2: AJ Allmendinger will drive the No. 51 car at Charlotte.

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Furniture Row Racing is said to be one of the teams considering Busch. With the team’s commitment to Regan Smith in the No. 78, it is highly unlikely that Busch would replace him. So, the most likely scenario is FRR fielding a second car for Busch.

Busch has also spoken with Richard Petty Motorsports about a potential ride. RPM could replace Aric Almirola with Busch in the No. 43, but the team seems set (and is performing) with Marcos Ambrose in the No. 9 Ford. Busch could also join the team in a third car, though that car would need sponsorship, and RPM officials would need to feel that they are ready to field a competitive third team.

Richard Childress Racing is also said to be an option, one FoxSports calls Busch’s “best option to get his career back on track.” While that is true, Busch would have to secure sponsorship, something he has been unable to do with Phoenix. It would also mean becoming teammates with Kevin Harvick. Because both are type A personalities, and both are known for their abrasive styles, they could butt heads both on and off the track. But, with a championship under his belt, RCR could be willing to take the risk on Busch.

Busch was released from the No. 22 Penske Racing team at the end of last season following several radio tirades and tense exchanges with reporters. Busch was also suspended for one race this season for another tense exchange with a reporter.

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Reutimann spent the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing in the No. 10 that he shares with Stewart Haas Racing and Danica Patrick. He also drove for BK Racing in the team’s No. 93 Toyota Camry in two races, and one race in the No. 51 for Phoenix Racing, filling in for the suspended Kurt Busch in the Pocono 400.

Reutimann could drive a second car for JTG in 2013, if sponsorship can be found. Or, he may replace Bobby Labonte in the No. 47. No word has been given.