When a driver emerges from his racecar after battling a road course as demanding as Infineon Raceway and the first thing he wants to know is what's up with the latest rumor in the garage, you know one thing:

The NASCAR rumor mill is churning at warp speed.

So it was at Sonoma, where Juan Montoya did just that. It was a weekend when one good rumor deserved another, and facts mixed freely with at least some forms of fiction. Luckily we're here to help separate fact from fiction, or at least we sure hope so.

With that in mind and one prominent NASCAR official's constant and wise mantra that "this isn't the war in Iraq," which means not everything needs to be or should be treated with the same seriousness as items of national security, it's time to analyze the latest rumors flowing through the garage one-by-one.

Rumor: Tony Stewart is gone from Joe Gibbs Racing, perhaps as soon as the end of this season if it can be worked out that he is released from the final year of his contract. Why? Because he has been offered a sweetheart deal with Haas CNC Racing, which has longed to become a player in the sport and, with Stewart on board likely as a 50-percent owner, could be positioned to finally become one. It's important to remember that Haas gets its Chevrolet engines and other assistance from Hendrick Motorsports, which Stewart finds attractive.

Fact: Stewart's move to Haas -- once considered nothing more than a pipe dream or a smoke screen, depending on one's point of view -- is "a very real possibility," according to one source close to the situation. At the same time, the same source said it's not the only attractive option on the table Tony is considering and it's way too premature to call it a done deal. Look for Stewart to make up his mind with the appropriate announcement sooner rather than later (with July being "a pivotal month"). Stewart likely will want to have his future secure and all distractions out of the way before the Chase (assuming he makes it; he is hanging onto 11th place in the point standings).

Rumor: Stewart will move on, presumably to Haas, and phenom Joey Logano will replace him as driver of the No. 20 Toyota. Joe Gibbs Racing will be willing to sever its long-term relationship with Stewart to get Logano into a full-time Cup ride and at the same time give sponsor Home Depot a cheaper avenue to remain prominently involved in the sport (i.e. Logano will cost less than Stewart).

Fact: Stewart still has one year remaining on his contract with Gibbs, and hasn't asked to be released from it yet. He may at some point, or JGR may bring it up as a possibility if contract extension talks with Stewart break down and pass the point of no return, but neither party has discussed it at this point. Until that happens and Stewart's status for 2009 is resolved beyond dispute, all this talk about Logano stepping in is premature.

Rumor: Once Stewart is at Haas, he will do what it takes to pony up and land a top-notch second driver.

Fact: Too soon to tell because the aforementioned variables first would have to fall into place. But it seems questionable that Stewart would want to hire anyone who might outshine him from the start. Stewart may want an equal, or what he perceives as a younger version of himself whom he can help develop. It's unlikely Stewart would want to risk putting himself in position where he's no longer the top dog -- sort of like the position he now finds himself in behind red-hot Kyle Busch (and, to a lesser extent, Denny Hamlin) at JGR.

Rumor: Reed Sorenson, who was replaced in the No. 41 Dodge by Scott Pruett for last Sunday's road-course event, soon will be out altogether at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Fact: Sorenson appears to have sealed his fate by missing at least one very important sponsorship appearance, combined with lackluster performances on the track, and by what some Ganassi employees see as lack of dedication by a talented driver who may have been given too much too soon and won't appreciate that fact until he's on the street looking for his next ride. No way he lasts past the end of this season.

Rumor: Aric Almirola will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc. full-time next season.

TNT Summer Series

Date	Race	Time
June 29	Loudon	12:30 p.m. ET
July 5	Daytona	6:30 p.m. ET
July 12	Chicago	6:30 p.m. ET

• TNT Summer Series

Fact: This is no rumor. Almirola will indeed be in a full-time ride next season, according to DEI officials. But they are still working on the details of how to make it happen.

Rumor: Veteran Mark Martin, who is sharing the No. 8 ride with Almirola this season (code for saying Almirola gets to drive at the tracks Martin doesn't like, and too few others), is leaving DEI and going to Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet -- a ride he presumably would share with Brad Keselowski, who currently drives in the Nationwide series for JR Motorsports.

Fact: This one appears to be true. Martin wants to continue driving a part-time schedule and has resisted DEI efforts to get him back in a full-time ride. Almirola needs more seat time and DEI knows it cannot afford to impede his progress any longer. And Keselowski's boss on the Nationwide side, Dale Earnhardt Jr., already is tired of pumping his own money into what he quickly discovered is a money pit of a proposition. Oh, and besides ...

Rumor: Casey Mears is out as driver of the No. 5 at Hendrick following this season and will become driver of the fourth Richard Childress Racing car that begins operation next year.

Fact: Mears does appear to be out at Hendrick and in at Childress. General Mills, sponsor of the fourth RCR car, finds Mears an attractive candidate. These days, matching up drivers with sponsors who want them is at least as important as winning races -- as long as said drivers eventually produce some victories, too. Mears is a great guy with some talent who needs to start producing no matter where he ends up.

Rumor: The No. 8 car for DEI will lose the U.S. Army as its sponsor to either Red Bull Racing or Bill Davis Racing.

Fact: No way. While the Army is obligated to look into all possibilities of how to spend its government-funded marketing budget, Almirola appeals to them as a young spokesman who may lure potential recruits. Besides, you think the U.S. Army is going to plaster its logo all over the front of the Toyotas that are fielded by Red Bull or BDR? It's just not going to happen.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.