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NASCAR Silly Season Still In High Gear

Musical chairs continue in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series as Hass/CNC
Racing announced Monday that Jeremy Mayfield will replace Jeff Green
immediately. “We made the decision this morning,” Haas/CNC Racing
general manager Joe Custer said on Monday. “We’ve made a change. Jeremy
will drive the 66 car at Atlanta and for the remainder of the season.”

Mayfield struggled with the #36 Toyota team in 2007. Mayfield has only
qualified for 13 of the season’s 32 races, with a season-best finish of
22nd. Mayfield who was released from his Bill Davis Racing contract
earlier this week is looking forward to his new surroundings. “Every
indication is that this is a team with unlimited potential,” Mayfield
was quoted. “The shop is state-of-the-art, the equipment is first rate,
there is an outstanding relationship with Hendrick Motorsports here, and
it’s my challenge to make it all equal success on the track. I’m ready
to see how far I can take it.”

Mayfield will remain at Haas/CNC in 2008, as well, Custer said, though
it’s not yet known which number car he’ll drive. “A lot of those
details depend on sponsorship,” Custer said.

Scott Riggs recently signed with the team, as well, and will drive the
other Haas/CNC entry in 2008. With the Mayfield signing it appears that
Haas/CNC driver, Johnny Sauter will be released at the end of the year.
Rumor has it that Sauter may move to Robby Gordon as a second team
(bringing the Yellow Transportation sponsorship with him).

Bill Davis Racing plans to run the car Mayfield was in the remaining
four races. NASCAR Craftsman Truck series drivers Mike Skinner will
compete at Atlanta and Texas for BDR and Johnny Benson, Jr. will race
the car at Phoenix and Miami. “Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson are
seasoned veterans of the Nextel Cup series and we are hopeful the skills
and knowledge they both have acquired throughout their racing careers
will help us to work toward getting the No. 36 team back on track for
the reminder of this season and beyond,” Davis said.

Additionally, Mike Brown, general manager of Bill Davis Racing, said he
is “99 percent” sure former World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve will
compete for BDR in the Phoenix COT race.

A newspaper in Montreal and Autosport.com had reported that,
Villeneuve’s manager, Craig Pollack had talks about purchasing BDR.
Pollock said he is interested in buying a Nextel Cup team and admitted
he has held talks with Bill Davis Racing, the team for which his driver
is currently competing in NASCAR. The former Formula One team principal
and Champ Car team owner said in an interview with Le Journal de
Montreal that he has held talks with a number of Nextel Cup teams,
evaluating different options to become involved as a team owner. Pollock
is understood to be in serious talks with Bill Davis to buy equity in
his NASCAR squad, which currently fields two cars in Cup and three in
the Craftsman Truck Series. Jacques Villeneuve is expected to race for
the team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup next year.”I’m interested in having an
active participation in a NASCAR team, preferably the one where Jacques
drives,” said Pollock. “It’s the best way to make sure that my driver
has access to the best equipment available.” It had been reported during
the weekend at Martinsville and on Canadian radio that Jacques
Villeneuve was the one actually buying BDR, something that Pollock
categorically denies. “Jacques has never spoken with a team with the
intention to invest in it,” he added. Bill Davis would not confirm that
he has already sold his team to Pollock, but has admitted openly that he
is looking for the right partner to buy into his team in a time when
funded investors have shown massive interest for getting involved in
NASCAR.

The Myrtle Beach Sun Newspaper had reported that Petty Enterprises will
continue to groom young driver Chad McCumbee. General Manager Jerry
Freeze said McCumbee will attempt to qualify a third Petty Enterprises
car for the season-ending Nextel Cup Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami
Speedway, or try to qualify for the Busch Series race that weekend. “If
this Busch opportunity comes through, we may let him focus on that,
along with his Truck Series commitment,” Freeze said. “One way or the
other, we’ll run him at Homestead.” McCumbee is likely to stick with
Petty Enterprises next season. Freeze said there are plans for Petty to
partner with an existing Busch team to have McCumbee drive in 22-24
races. McCumbee is also penciled in to drive Kyle Petty’s Nextel Cup car
for the five races he’ll again skip to jump into the broadcast booth.
Plus, there may be opportunities to qualify for a handful of other Cup
races in a third Petty car without jeopardizing his rookie status

Target-Chip Ganassi driver Dario Franchitti will attempt to qualify for
the NASCAR Busch Series race this weekend in Memphis.
message.

Doug Richert was released from Red Bull Racing. Richert who was the
crew chief on the #83 Brian Vickers’ Toyota has been previously employed
by Roush Racing (Greg Biffle) and worked with Dale Earnhardt when he won
his first Cup Championship in 1980.

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