Who's Where In Nextel Cup ?

[mctigersportsfan]

The 2005 Silly Season Swap Meet was like an episode of 24, sans the terrorist activity, heartless carnage and overall inhumanity, of course.

 

The backstabbing was there. The payback. The strategy. And remembering who was working with (and for) whom required full, unmitigated attention from the fan.

 

And just when you felt comfortably caught up, felt you had a solid grasp on the Silly Season scope, wham! Another bombshell revelation. So many drivers switched seats, in fact, fans everywhere found it impossible to keep up.

 

Believe me. I'd never compose a comprehensive who's where with whom list were I not asked to. Begged, even. Hopefully this will be of some assistance to the dazed and confused.

 

If not, forgive me. I tried.

 

No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet

 

Dave Blaney was a steady hold-me-over until Clint Bowyer got enough Busch Series experience to suit team owner Richard Childress. A yearlong battle for the NBS title with Martin Truex Jr. sufficed, so the 26-year old Kansas native is the new face of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, the best whiskey in the world.

 

Gil Martin, Bowyer's Busch Series crew chief, moves to Cup, as well. Together, they'll run for rookie of the year in one of the deepest, most talented rookie fields ever.

 

No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet

 

Truex Jr., the two-time defending Busch Series champion, moves to Cup full time in the No. 1 Chevrolet. Kevin "Bono" Manion, crew chief on both Busch Series championship teams, also makes the leap.

 

Most of Truex's Chance 2 Motorsports Busch Series crew ascended to his Cup Series effort, but a handful of crewmen from Dale Earnhardt Jr's No. 8 team were reassigned to the No. 1 for 2006, most notably car chief Greg Osbourne.

 

This season will mark the first time in five years the No. 1 runs the entire schedule with just one driver. Not since the 2000 season, before Steve Park suffered a severe head injury in a crash at Darlington Raceway, has Dale Earnhardt Inc. fielded the No. 1 Chevrolet full time for one driver.

 

Side note: The No. 1 team inherits the championship owner points from the former No. 15 team.

 

No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge

 

Rusty's Last Call was Kurt Busch's Happy Hour.

 

Busch, hoping for greener pastures and a more lucrative, less stringent contract, left behind 14 wins and a Nextel Cup championship at Roush Racing to take over Wallace's legendary No. 2.

 

Under the direction of crew chief Roy McCauley, who led Ryan Newman to five consecutive Busch Series victories in 2005, Busch's high-performance standard will not wane.

 

He may, however, need a few extra rounds of wedge to compensate for that fat wallet he's sitting on.

 

No. 4 AERO Exhaust Chevrolet

 

Scott Wimmer, fresh eagle droppings still on his head (he was informed of his release from Bill Davis Racing through the U.S. Mail), departed BDR uncertain what the following year would bring. A month passed, nothing.

 

Then, in mid-December Morgan McClure Motorsports secured Wimmer as the driver of the No. 4. If he and crew chief Chris Carrier don't run respectably, this could be his last hurrah in the Cup Series.

 

Don't read that wrong. Wimmer is quite talented and a stellar individual, but the window of opportunity is slim these days.

 

No. 6 AAA Ford

 

Mark Martin is back for a second final season, though he'd certainly rather be Trucking. In the wake of the Busch / Jamie McMurray contract fiasco, Roush Racing coaxed the selfless veteran into running a 19th season despite his obvious desire to kiss the Cup circus g'bye.

 

Crew chief Pat Tryson is back to lead a championship-caliber team to a third-consecutive Chase appearance. Martin, new sponsor AAA in tow, could drop the curtain on a Hall of Fame career by hoisting the Nextel Cup come Homestead.

 

No. 10 Valvoline Dodge

 

After three seasons of steady improvement at MB2 Motorsports, Scott Riggs packed up his motor oil and headed to Evernham Motorsports. The addition of a third full-time team shook up the entire EMS landscape. Here's a quick synopsis:

 

In 2006, EMS has no crew chiefs, rather a "leadership team" similar to standard corporate structures. Each Evernham Motorsports team has a team director, a car director and a lead engineer.

 

The former No. 91 team, Bill Elliott's part time effort, is now Jeremy Mayfield's team on the No. 19 Dodge. Chris Andrews will serve as team director, Kirk Almquist is car director and Tim Malinovsky is the No. 19 engineer.

 

Mayfield's old team, led by team director Kenny Francis, is considered the most consistent of the three by team owner Ray Evernham. They move to Kasey Kahne's No. 9 Dodge. Mike Shiplett is car director and Keith Rodden is lead engineer.

 

Kahne's old team, sans former crew chief Tommy Baldwin, who departed EMS to head up Elliott Sadler's No. 38 team at Robert Yates Racing, is now Riggs' team on the No. 10 Dodge. Rodney Childers, Riggs crew chief while at MB2, moved with him to EMS and is the acting team director on the No. 10.

 

How confused are you? That was a serious commitment. I feel like that dude in the new Bud Light commercial: PUT THAT IN MY REVIEW!

 

No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet

 

Denny Hamlin is in for the foreseeable future following his performance late last year as an untested Busch Series rookie. In such a team-oriented sport, it is absurd to infer that one guy changed everything. But in this instance, one guy changed everything.

 

Hamlin's performance gave FedEx reason to appreciate its significant financial commitment to JGR. Like Busch, he'll need some extra wedge to offset the bulging wallet.

 

No. 14 Waste Management Chevrolet

 

After eight respectable seasons at SABCO/Chip Ganassi, Sterling Marlin was kicked in the pants, front-side, by the marketing machine, sent packing with logic that your daddy doesn't drink beer.

 

The quote of the year, unquestionably:

 

"Coors came to us and said their marketing strategy had to be changed to young people. That's who buys beer today," team owner Felix Sabates said in June, when David Stremme was officially announced as driver of the No. 40 Dodge.

 

"You don't find many 50-year-old men, old guys, drinking beer. This business is a young man's sport today. Coors brand is catering to the 22- to 30-year-old crowd. Unfortunately we all get old. Not that Sterling is old, but he's not a marketing dream."

 

Undaunted, Marlin jumped in the trash.

 

He'll drive MB2 Motorsports' No. 14 Waste Management Chevrolet, the former No. 10 Valvoline car. And he just might win right out of the box. That team was impressively fast in plate races last year, but just fell victim to bad luck, and Marlin was quick in testing this week.

 

Marlin is 48 years old. If he does, in fact, win the 500, I'll bet he shotguns a celebratory cold one.

 

No. 15 Menard's Chevrolet

 

With Michael Waltrip having taken his shtick -- and his sponsors -- to Bill Davis Racing, DEI plans to enter Paul Menard in seven Nextel Cup Series races in 2006. I am extremely impressed with Menard's driving ability. It's not just Daddy's Money. He's a sleeper.

 

No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet

 

Bobby Labonte's departure from Joe Gibbs Racing rivals Busch's departure from Roush as shocker of the year, if not the decade. Labonte's tenure at Gibbs produced one of the most successful unions in NASCAR history, one that resulted in 21 victories and the 2000 championship.

 

But since midseason 2004, performance had fallen off drastically, to the point that 2005 was an embarrassment for an organization that fielded the series champion. So Labonte cut ties and headed to Petty Enterprises, to pilot the most successful car in NASCAR Cup Series history -- the No. 43 Dodge.

 

That makes way for rookie J.J. Yeley, a highly touted yet unproven talent that has Stewart's blessing. His propensity to find accidents means the overtime will continue for JGR's fabrication department in 2006.

 

No. 21 Little Debbie Ford

 

Kenny Schrader leaves BAM Racing to drive the Wood Brothers Ford for retired iron man Ricky Rudd.

 

Ice cream for snack cakes, pretty even trade for Schrader.

 

Auto parts for snack cakes. Fatback is elated.

 

No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge

 

Once Wimmer got the boot, Mike Skinner seemed a shoe-in for the No. 22 Dodge. But when Richard Childress displaced Dave Blaney with Bowyer in the No. 07 Chevrolet, Bill Davis quickly snatched Blaney up to pilot his flagship ride.

 

And Blaney isn't the only marquee addition to the CAT crew. Former Richard Childress Racing crew chief Kevin Hamlin comes on to lead the No. 22 charge.

 

Blaney began his Cup Series career at BDR in 2000. I'm with Bon Jovi: Who says you can't go home?

 

No. 26 Crown Royal / Irwin Ford

 

Jamie McMurray's move to Roush Racing was the initial earthquake in Silly Season 2005, and sent tremors throughout the industry that continued until late in the year.

 

McMurray, long rumored to want out at Ganassi Racing, was handpicked to replace Martin in the No. 6, but was reassigned to the No. 97 when Busch signed with Penske Racing.

 

In an effort to completely wash away the Busch era, Roush and its sponsors chose to change the car number from 97 to 26.

 

No. 32 Tide Chevrolet

 

Penske Racing's last-minute decision to shut the doors on the No. 77 team left Travis Kvapil in the unemployment line with few open seats left. The Cal Wells / Bobby Hamilton Jr. marriage had been shaky for some time, so Wells sent Hamilton on his way and brought in Kvapil.

 

Aside from an outside pole at Atlanta last spring, 2005 was abysmal for the No. 32 bunch. Average start: 26th. Average finish: 32nd.

 

It'll take all the Tide that Proctor & Gamble can muster to clean up that deal in one season.

 

No. 36 MB2 Motorsports Chevrolet

 

Bill Elliott will drive the No. 36 Chevrolet in the Budweiser Shootout and the Daytona 500, and MB2 hopes to run Boris Said in nine to 12 races, pending sponsorship. Nextel Cup veteran crew chief Frank Stoddard remains the point man on that program.

 

As I said Tuesday, if Elliott wins the 500 in a Chevrolet, the Silverado will, in a week's time, become the most popular vehicle from Dawsonville to Dahlonega.

 

No. 40 Coors Light / Lone Star Steakhouse Dodge

 

See above -- No. 14 Waste Management Chevrolet -- for reasoning why David Stremme is driving the No. 40 Dodge. To his credit, this kid's better than many folks realize and will surprise some people in 2006.

 

But it'll be a significant challenge. He's a rookie driver working with a rookie crew chief and an entirely new team. Jeff Vandermoss, car chief on Matt Kenseth's team forever, moves to Ganassi to head up the No. 40 team.

 

Speaking of rookies, man, being young and marketable is the ticket. Stremme never won a race in two Busch Series seasons and hops directly into a Cup ride backed by steak and beer. Doesn't get much better.

 

I just hope ol' Sterling's trash-collection fee is waved.

 

No. 41 Target Dodge

 

Mears spent three years in the Target Dodge with little success until the decision to replace him was already made. Rookie Reed Sorenson was Ganassi's chosen young gun following a stellar rookie campaign in the Busch Series. Jimmy Elledge remains the crew chief on the No. 41.

 

No. 42 Texaco / Havoline Dodge

 

After months spent wondering whether or not Chip Ganassi would exercise the option year in his contract, Mears was indeed retained for the 2006 season -- albeit with a brand new team devoid of provisionals.

 

But when sponsorship dollars failed to materialize, Ganassi scrapped the No. 39 team altogether and moved Mears into the No. 42 with crew chief Donnie Wingo.

 

Never has Mears felt better about a season. It's about time the guy got a break.

 

No. 43 Cheerios Dodge

 

No team improved more during the offseason than Petty Enterprises. The No. 43 team added three former champions to the fold -- driver Bobby Labonte, crew chief Todd Parrott and team manager Robbie Loomis.

 

Last year I'd have been inclined to say the No. 43 would never win again. I cannot say that now.

 

No. 49 Schwan's Dodge

 

Up-and-comer Brent Sherman, who has just 27 Busch Series starts on his resume, replaces Ken Schrader in the No. 49 Dodge.

 

Here's what I know about Brent Sherman: He's from Chicago and has a new baby (I think.) Stock up on that ice cream, Brent. You have birthday parties coming up, and the rugrats like the Brown Cow popsicle.

 

No. 55 NAPA Dodge

 

Waltrip will drive the newly formed No. 55. NAPA, Best Western and Domino's all leave DEI and follow him to Bill Davis Racing, the latest example that Waltrip is a sponsor's dream.

 

Industry speculation says this marriage will be brief, a stepping stone to Toyota factory-backing for Waltrip before he starts his own Nextel Cup Series team in 2007.

 

Side note: Larry Carter, Rusty Wallace's former crew chief at Penske Racing, joined BDR in the offseason as a consultant. Along with Petty Enterprises, BDR is among the most improved teams from a personnel standpoint.

 

No. 66 Best Buy Chevrolet

 

This was formerly the No. 0 car, but Haas/CNC Racing changed the number to honor its sponsor's 40th anniversary. (Little known fact: Best Buy opened its doors as Sound of Music in 1966.) Jeff Green left Petty Enterprises to replace Mike Bliss as driver.

 

No. 77 Kodak Dodge.

 

The lens cap is on for good, it seems.

 

No. 96 DLP Chevrolet

 

Hall of Fame Racing finally graces the track in 2006 after several years spent floundering in sponsorship purgatory. The No. 96 Chevrolets are essentially Joe Gibbs Racing cars emblazoned with HoF decals.

 

Two-time Cup champ Terry Labonte will pilot the car in the first five races to ensure a spot in the field via the Champion's Provisional, then hand the keys to Tony Raines.

 

 

Comments From Marty Smith//Nascar.com

 

[Sequatchie]

No. 43 Cheerios Dodge

 

No team improved more during the offseason than Petty Enterprises. The No. 43 team added three former champions to the fold -- driver Bobby Labonte, crew chief Todd Parrott and team manager Robbie Loomis.

 

Last year I'd have been inclined to say the No. 43 would never win again. I cannot say that now.

 

As a Nascar fan it will be nice to see the Petty #43 in the leaad pack with a chance to win some races!

 

 

No. 55 NAPA Dodge

 

Waltrip will drive the newly formed No. 55. NAPA, Best Western and Domino's all leave DEI and follow him to Bill Davis Racing, the latest example that Waltrip is a sponsor's dream.

 

Industry speculation says this marriage will be brief, a stepping stone to Toyota factory-backing for Waltrip before he starts his own Nextel Cup Series team in 2007.

 

Side note: Larry Carter, Rusty Wallace's former crew chief at Penske Racing, joined BDR in the offseason as a consultant. Along with Petty Enterprises, BDR is among the most improved teams from a personnel standpoint.[/font]

 

I hope M.W. does good here I think he got a bad deal with DEI last season by switching up crew chiefs and personnel.

[helapaxt]

Are we going to be quizzed over all the changes? That was more than I expected.