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With last week’s decision by Ricky Craven and PPI Motorsports to part ways after this NASCAR season, the question is where will the Newburgh native end up next year?
If anyplace.
Craven has said he only wants to drive for a Nextel Cup team that will put him in a consistently competitive car.
He won’t accept a part-time ride and doesn’t want to be just a weekly field-filler.
At this point, that would mean nine multicar teams would be high on his list.
One would be Roush Racing. Owner Jack Roush said Sunday, “Ricky Craven is on my short list of people I think can do a nice job in these cars.”
Let’s look at the nine teams in alphabetical order:
Richard Childress Racing
Drivers, current points standings: Kevin Harvick (9), Robby Gordon (22)
Car: Chevy
Summary: Harvick and Gordon teamed up for 15 top-fives and three wins a year ago. Gordon had two of the wins. Harvick finished fifth in points and Gordon was 16th. They have five top-fives but no wins this season. Johnny Sauter began the season with them but was replaced by Dave Blaney, who is in the midst of a six-race trial. It was a three-car team in 2002 and 2003.
Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Drivers, current points standings: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2), Michael Waltrip (16), John Andretti (41, 5 races)
Car: Chevy
Summary: Andretti is running a partial schedule this year and is slated to drive a third DEI car on a regular basis next year. Busch Series rookie and points leader Martin Truex Jr. is being groomed to move up to Nextel Cup. Earnhardt Jr. has won three times this season, and he combined with Waltrip for four wins last year.
Evernham Motorsports
Drivers, current points standings: Jeremy Mayfield (11), Kasey Kahne (14), Bill Elliott (47, 3 races)
Car: Dodge
Summary: This is just the fourth year of the program since Dodge returned to Nextel Cup under Ray Evernham’s direction. Elliott, who is in semi-retirement this season, won a race last year and teamed with Mayfield for 13 top-fives. Kahne has five top-fives and is leading the rookie points. Evernham was Jeff Gordon’s crew chief when Craven was with Hendrick Motorsports.
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
Drivers, current points standings: Jamie McMurray (13), Casey Mears (17), Sterling Marlin (18)
Car: Dodge
Summary: McMurray and Marlin are where they were in points at the end of last season, but Mears is 18 places better. This is a fifth-year team with five career wins but none since 2002.
Joe Gibbs Racing
Drivers, current points standings: Tony Stewart (4), Bobby Labonte (7)
Car: Chevy
Summary: Stewart has 18 wins in six seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing. Labonte has 14 during the same span and 21 since 1995. This has always been a one- or two-car team since its inception 13 years ago. Stewart and Labonte were seventh and eighth in points last year. Labonte won the points title in 2000 and Stewart won it in 2002.
Hendrick Motorsports.
Drivers, current points standings: Jimmie Johnson (1), Jeff Gordon (3), Terry Labonte (20), Brian Vickers (21)
Car: Chevy
Summary: Gordon and Johnson have combined for seven wins already this season after teaming up for six last year. Johnson was second in points a year ago, Gordon fourth and Labonte 10th. Hendrick fired Craven in 1998 soon after Craven returned after being sidelined with crash-related post-concussion syndrome and an inner ear problem. Gordon and Craven are friends and they were teammates in 1997 along with Labonte. Labonte will be 48 in November and his son, Justin, runs semi-regularly in the Busch Series. Vickers is a rookie. Hendrick won points championships from 1995 through 1998 (Gordon won three and Labonte one).
Penske Racing South
Drivers, current points standings: Ryan Newman (10), Rusty Wallace (19), Brendan Gaughan (29)
Car: Dodge
Summary: Newman had a series-high eight wins and 11 poles last season. This is the first time in 21 years the team has had three full-time drivers. Gaughan is making the jump from the Craftsman Truck Series. Newman and Wallace each have a win this season.
Roush Racing
Drivers, current points standings: Matt Kenseth (5), Kurt Busch (6), Mark Martin (15), Jeff Burton (23), Greg Biffle (25)
Car: Ford
Summary: Roush Racing has five wins this season to give the team 71 in 17 seasons. Kenseth won the points title last year and Martin was second in 2002. Roush is hopeful it can secure a full-time sponsor for Burton’s No. 99 Ford. Biffle occasionally has considered leaving Roush Racing.
Robert Yates Racing
Drivers, current points standings: Elliott Sadler (8), Dale Jarrett (12)
Car: Ford
Summary: There has been significant improvement this year as Sadler finished 22nd in points last year and Jarrett was 26th. They have combined for six top-fives. Robert Yates Racing almost always has been a two-car team. Jarrett won the points title in 1999 and RYR has won at least one race every year since 1989.
Petty Enterprises has just one top-five finish since 1999 and has Kyle Petty (31) and Jeff Green (34) in the fold. Bill Davis Racing has Scott Wimmer running 27th in points, but it could expand with Toyota eventually coming on board. MBV-MB2 has Joe Nemechek and Scott Riggs 24th and 30th in points, respectively. Ward Burton is 26th for Haas GNC Racing, and BAM Racing’s Ken Schrader is 33rd.
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