By 2009, all of NASCAR’s top three series will have a new name. NASCAR officials confirmed on Tuesday, Craftsman, which has sponsored the Trucks series since its inception in 1995, will depart at the conclusion of the 2008 season. NASCAR has already announced the Nextel Cup and Busch series will change to the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series, respectively, beginning next season. The move comes as a surprise, in part because during the 2005 season, Craftsman announced an extension of its sponsorship of the series through the 2010 season.
Yates Racing will resurrect the No. 28 next season with driver Travis Kvapil. The number, which has been driven by 10 of the 40 winningest drivers in NASCAR history for 76 victories, hasn’t been used since Ricky Rudd was behind the wheel at RYR in 2002. “Hopefully, we can do the things we used to do with it,” said Doug Yates, the co-owner of RYR. Among those that have driven the 28 are Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, Dale Jarrett and Ernie Irvan. Davey Allison won 19 races with the number between 1987 and his tragic helicopter death in 1993.
Robbie Reiser is leaving as crew chief for Matt Kenseth in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series to become general manager of Roush Fenway Racing’s Cup team operations. Reiser replaces Max Jones, who is moving to a role as co-owner and general manager for Yates Racing, the team that Doug Yates is buying from his father, Robert.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. promoted several key industry experts and added a veteran crew chief to its roster. Dave Charpentier, current crew chief of the No. 15 Chevrolet, has been promoted to technical director, and Doug Randolph, current crew chief of the No. 43 Petty Enterprises car driven by Bobby Labonte, will take over as crew chief for Paul Menard and the No. 15. Walter Giles, current race engineer on the No. 1 Chevrolet, was named director of race engineering, and Jason Anderson was named director of design and project engineering. Giles and Anderson will report to Charpentier. In addition, Rex Garrett has been promoted to director of motorsports operations. The nine-year Dale Earnhardt Inc. veteran will oversee the day-to-day activities of the race shop.
Jacques Villeneuve has categorically stated that he has no interest in buying into NASCAR team Bill Davis Racing. The 1997 Formula One world champion has been linked to a purchase of the team he is racing for since his manager Craig Pollock expressed an interest in buying a NASCAR team, but Villeneuve claims that he will not be involved in any takeover bid.
Expect an announcement from Hall of Fame Racing in the next seven to 10 days that it is switching to Toyota for 2008, sources said. HOF is a satellite outfit to Joe Gibbs Racing, which already has confirmed that it will move next year. The team will add a second full-time Spring Cup car in 2009 for 19-year-old phenom Blake Coleman. J.J. Yeley will drive for HOF next season, with Coleman doing as many as seven Cup races in 2008.
Rumors are circulating that a Best Buy sponsorship is a done deal to Gillett Evernham Motorsports No. 19 team and driver Elliott Sadler, who supposedly made a commercial for Best Buy already.
NASCAR officials are considering alterations to the point system for the Nationwide Series that would deny points for most, if not all, Sprint Cup drivers in 2009, several sources have told NASCAR Scene. Beginning in 2009, drivers in the top 35 in the Sprint Cup standings would not be eligible to receive points in the Nationwide Series, under a proposal being considered by NASCAR.
On Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway Tuesday, Bill Davis once again denied reports that Jacques Villeneuve or his agent, Craig Pollack, have purchased the team, saying that he and his wife maintain 100% ownership.
Team Red Bull boss Guenther Steiner said the team hasn’t decided whether it would add a third car for Scott Speed when the former Formula One driver, who will run the ARCA series next year, is ready to move to Cup. But if the two-car team were to expand, additional Camrys wouldn’t be sponsored by Red Bull, the energy drink company that also owns the operation. “First we need to see how Scott performs, but if we did a third car we would try to finance it somehow differently,” Steiner said. “To have three Red Bull cars doesn’t make sense. There is a plan, but at the moment in Cup, we want to perform with two cars at highest level and then proceed to three to four cars in the future.”