It would be like Hank Steinbrenner leaving the Yankees to become the CEO of Red Sox nation, or Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch becoming drinking buddies.

That's what many people had to think when it was announced that Stafford Motor Speedway three-time Late Model champion Ryan Posocco was going to join the No. 48 team owned by Marcia and Pat Kretschman.

"I'm pretty surprised myself," Posocco said.

For the past several years, Posocco's fiercest rival was the 48 team. To take the irony one step further, the driver of that car for the past two seasons, Woody Pitkat, is now Posocco's teammate.

"We've had many heated battles," Posocco said. "When I tell my friends we're now on the same team, they say, 'Who would have thunk it?'"

The partnership of Posocco and the Kretschmans became a reality for the most obvious reasons - Posocco was looking for a ride and the Kretschmans were looking for a driver.

"It was in the works for a while," Posocco said. "Running these cars is so expensive, I made the decision to look for something else this year."

Posocco's sponsor for the past 10 years, Eagle Leasing of Southbury, decided to focus its money on different endeavors, leaving Posocco without a major supporter for his Late Model operation.

"Unless something came up, it looked like I wasn't going to be racing this year," Posocco said.

There also were interesting plot developments taking place with the No. 48 team. It looked as if Pitkat was locked into a Modified Tour ride for 2008, which would have limited his availability to drive the Late Model.

"The Kretschmans wanted a driver that would be there every week," Posocco said. "So Woody recommended me. It turned out that when the Kretschmans called me, it turned out to be a lifesaver. I wouldn't be able to do this without them."

When Pitkat's Modified Tour deal disintegrated, the decision was made for him to drive the Kretschmans' second car in about five or six races. That meant two drivers who combined for seven wins last year - five by Posocco and two by Pitkat - and four of the last five Late Model championships were now joined at the fender. Pitkat, after winning the 2006 title, finished third last year and Posocco was fifth.

"Woody is a big part of this deal," Posocco said. "Having him out there as my teammate is going to be pretty exciting."

There was one more detail for Posocco to work on - to see what his old crew on his No. 3 team felt about it.

"That was another good part," Posocco said. "Pat owns the team, but he was adamant about me bringing some of my guys with me. Not all of them are coming, but many of them will be with us, especially on the night we're running two cars."

Posocco said his former crew chief, John Pisciotta of Stafford, was a big backer of the plan.

"He said it doesn't matter who we race for," Posocco said, "as long as we continue racing is all that matters. I was able to get his blessing."

That means Posocco starts his new relationship with a high comfort level.

"The 48 team has the same equipment, the same chassis and the same motors that I had last year," Posocco said. "It's all good stuff. That's why I think we're going to mesh well."

The toughest past of the deal may be getting used to the sight of Posocco climbing in and out of the 48 car instead of the 3, and the fact that he'll be working with Pitkat instead of banging helmets with him.

"It took me a while to get used to it, too," Posocco said.

His friends have said it best: Who would have thunk it?

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