Earnhardt to use number 88 in '08

After months of speculation about the number Earnhardt Jr would race next year, Hendrick Motorsports were able to strike a deal to get the No. 88 from Yates Racing and put it on his newly-signed driver's car from the 2008 season.

It was also announced that AMP Energy by Mountain Dew, an energy drink brand owned by PepsiCo, will be the main sponsor on Earnhardt's car, while the National Guard, which currently backs the No. 25 Hendrick car driven by Casey Mears, will also be a sponsor.

"I want to thank Robert and Doug Yates for working with us in obtaining this number. This was a number, actually, we didn't think we would have the chance to get," Earnhardt Jr said at the press conference.

Mountain Dew has already been a NASCAR sponsor, backing Nextel Cup champion Darrell Waltrip to two of his three championships. Waltrip as well as Ricky Rudd and Dale Jarrett, who took the 1999 Nextel Cup title with it driving for Robert Yates, have raced the No. 88 previously.

Earnhardt Jr announced in June this year that he was leaving his long-time team DEI to join Hendrick Motorsports on a multi-year contract from 2008. Last month DEI officials revealed that they would keep Earnhardt's popular No. 8, despite the driver's and Hendrick's efforts to get it.

Yesterday it was announced that Budweiser, Earnhardt's long-time sponsor, will back the No. 9 car of rival Kasey Kahne.

Mark Martin and Aric Almirola will drive DEI's No. 8 car, which has backing from the US Army.