Silly season, July 9 edition
Y'all have heard about the McMurray-to-Roush-in-2007 deal that's been kicking around. As Dustin Long reports today (third item), McMurray's current boss, Chip Ganassi, has until September to decide if he wants to exercise his one-year option on the No. 42 driver.
In other words, there's a chance McMurray will be driving Mark Martin's current ride in 2006. If Ganassi wants to keep McMurray around -- and I can see that being a very long season for everyone at Ganassi if that happens -- Roush is considering three guys for the No. 6: Sterling Marlin, Ricky Craven and Jon Wood. Intriguing.
A couple of drivers will be staying put in 2006: Joe Nemecheck re-upped with MB2, and Carl Edwards will stick with Roush. Not that anyone thought Edwards is going anywhere -- the news is that he has a single primary sponsor, Office Depot. I fully expect Office Depot's 2006 ad campaign to feature a lot of backflipping employees.
12:45 p.m. update: thatsracin.com has a couple of more tidbits:
* Scott Riggs is losing his sponsor (Valvoline) and his car number (10) to Evernham next year. But he's got an extension from current team MB2 on the table. He's mulling.
* Casey Mears is in limbo. Ganassi hasn't yet let him know if they'll exercise his option for 2006.
Man, this is getting silly, isn't it?
Sunday update: I corrected the Scott Riggs entry to reflect that Valvoline (for sure) and the No. 10 (maybe) is going to Evernham instead of Roush. Valvoline was on Mark Martin's No. 6 way back when, which is probably how I screwed that up.
Comments (5)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
If Riggs has a contract on the table he better sign it.
As far as the #6 I would like to see Craven get 1 more chance in topline equipment, that's the Yankee in me. Realistically though in the MTV world of NASCAR time is up for both Marlin and Craven.
That stinks, please don't ever have a post on a "Driver Development Program" anytime soon, because at the moment I can't afford to replace my laptop after I throw it out the window.
Posted on July 9, 2005 9:29 PM
Does the 10 car moving to Roush mean that Roush is going to field 6 teams next year?
Posted on July 10, 2005 9:48 AM
I had the understanding that Valvoline will be with Evernham Motorsports in a fractal ownership role as they were with MB2/MBV. The number 10 is staying at MB2. I guess Mears needs to wait at home for the UPS guy to show up with the contract. As is apparently , Ganassi's way of doing things. Exercising the last year option on McMurray's contract is win/win for Ganassi.. it gives him just that much more time to season Reed Sorensen for the Cup jump, and he gets to keep Havoline in place for the future. And until Jamie gets into the 6, the names Ricky Craven and Sterling Marlin are being thrown around. Jon Wood's name is off the table at this point, he's awaiting the family team's news from Rudd..and Mark, I keep a Developmental Driver Program line going pretty regularly and I'm looking forward to seeing Erin Crocker, Ryan Moore, Chris Bristol, Aric Almorola, Gabi DiCarlo, Allison Duncan, etc. get their chance to race and watch them grow into the future ( possible) of this sport.
Posted on July 10, 2005 11:51 AM
Jon: I don't think Roush is going to start a 6th team anytime soon -- or at least I haven't read anything about it.
As Scotsman pointed out, the Valvoline sponsorship is going to Evernham, not Roush, next year. Roush used to have it -- remember the No. 6 Valvoline Ford that Mark Martin used to drive?
According to the thatsracin.com story, the No. 10 will go with it if Valvoline (and Evernham) want it. Sounds like that's one (of many) decisions yet to be made here.
Mark: Don't worry -- I don't see any driver development posts in my future (unless maybe N.C. A&T grad Chris Bristol does something big). It's hard enough to keep up with the Cup and Busch series.
p.s. I'd *love* to see Craven in the 6 car next year.
Posted on July 10, 2005 1:39 PM
Bristol is doing big things in Late Model Series racing at Hickory. 7 top ten starts, 9 top ten finishes, including a win , currently sits third in the points and has lead the points this season.
Posted on July 10, 2005 2:32 PM