Martin, Almirola to drive No. 8

The main change relative to their current line-up is that NASCAR veteran Martin and newly-signed Almirola will be switching from the No. 01 car to the No. 8, where they will replace Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The main sponsor of their car will be the US Army, which currently backs their No. 01 Chevrolet. This means that is very likely that Budweiser will no longer sponsor them, looking likely to go to Gillett Evernham with Kasey Kahne.

Truex Jr and Menard will continue driving the No. 1 and No. 15 entries respectively, running with their current sponsors Bass Pro Shops and Menards. Smith will also drive for the team but his number and sponsor will be revealed at a later stage.

"Our line-up is a perfect blend of veteran leadership and youthful promise," said DEI president Max Siegel. "The addition of Mark Martin's leadership and his desire to mentor our drivers is huge for us.

"Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr. have been with our company for several years, and we have confidence and great expectations in both of them, which allows us to further develop our future with two rookie drivers in Regan and Aric."

Martin is expected to complete a limited schedule next year, consisting of 23 to 26 races, while Almirola will take over from him in the remaining events. The 48-year-old led the Nextel Cup standings this year until he missed the first race at Bristol, where Regan Smith drove his car.

"This has been a great opportunity for me and this team," Martin said. "It's a great honor to drive for Dale Earnhardt Inc., and it's a great honor to drive the No. 8 car for this organization.

"I raced against Dale Earnhardt for a lot of years, and I know what kind of competitor he was on the track. We have a really big legacy to live up to, but I'm confident that we are putting together an organization that he would be proud of."

DEI merged with Ginn Racing in July this year, and since then they have taken over their entries and drivers, including Martin, Almirola and Smith. They also took over the team's headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina, the same town where DEI is based at.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr has struggled to make the Chase for the Nextel Cup in his last year with DEI before joining Hendrick Motorsports, Martin Truex Jr has emerged as the leading driver for the team, scoring their sole victory of the season thus far, and being their only car in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.