(MOORESVILLE) -- Dale Earnhardt Incorporated is absorbing Ginn Racing in a merger deal. This immediately give DEI a four-car team. DEI will add the number one Chevrolet, which is co-driven by Mark Martin and rookie Aric Almirola. Martin will drive the number one car under the DEI banner this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

DEI will take the season points from Ginn's number 14 team and apply them to their number 15 with Paul Menard behind the wheel. The number 14 has been driven this season by Sterling Marlin, but he was released from his duties last week. Ginn also released Joe Nemecheck and dissolved the number 13 team.

Moving forward, there was a report that Mark Martin was on the short list of possibilities to replace Dale Earnhart Jr. in the number 8 car next season when Earnhardt leaves for Hendrick Motorsports. The Charlotte Observer confirmed Wednesday that Martin and Almirola will continue sharing driving duties in the number 1 car next year and that DEI's search for an Earnhart replacement continues.