2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series - Major Changes For 2006

Major Changes For 2006

Several new drivers were in their first stint as regulars on the NEXTEL Cup circuit in 2006. Martin Truex Jr. raced the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) after winning back-to-back Busch Series championships in 2004 and 2005. The No. 15 car, which was vacated by Michael Waltrip, is being driven by another rookie, Paul Menard, and is being sponsored by his father's Menards Home Improvement stores and ran a partial schedule of seven races.

The vacancy left following Rusty Wallace's retirement from the Penske No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, was filled by former 2004 NEXTEL Cup champion Kurt Busch. Jamie McMurray took over for Busch in the No. 26 Sharpie / Crown Royal / Irwin Tools ride for Roush Racing which had previously been the #97. In addition, Mark Martin continued his "Salute to You" tour for an encore with new sponsorship from AAA and 3M, who replaced Viagra on the hood of the No. 6 Ford.

With the egressing of both McMurray and Sterling Marlin from Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Casey Mears became the senior driver and moved from the No. 41 Target Dodge to the Texaco Havoline No. 42 car. Reed Sorenson took the wheel of the No. 41 Target ride and David Stremme became the pilot of the No. 40 car sponsored by Lone Star Steakhouse and Coors Light. Marlin, who was the driver of the No. 40 a year ago, drove the No. 14 (formerly #10) ride for MB2 Motorsports, which was sold to resort magnate Bob Ginn during the season, with partial sponsorship from Waste Management. Scott Riggs took the No. 10 Valvoline-sponsored car and number to Evernham Motorsports, where they switched from Chevy to Dodge.

The No. 66 (formerly #0) car, now with full-time sponsorship from Best Buy Electronics stores and vacated by Mike Bliss, was driven by Jeff Green, leaving Petty Enterprises' fabled No. 43 Cheerios car open for former Joe Gibbs Racing driver (and former Cup champion when the series carried the Winston Cup Series banner) Bobby Labonte to step in, and new teammate/boss Kyle Petty has brought Wells Fargo, NTB and Schwan's to the No. 45 Dodge he drives, with Schwan's moving from the No. 49 ride. J. J. Yeley took the wheel of JGR's No. 18 Interstate Batteries ride and Denny Hamlin, who scored three top ten finishes at the end of last season in the No. 11 FedEx ride, earned the full-time seat for 2006, paying off with two wins and Rookie of the Year honors.

Waltrip and his sponsor, NAPA, left DEI for Bill Davis Racing and the new No. 55 car, but ownership was transferred to the newly merged (with the old No. 77 team) Waltrip-Jasper Racing in order to ensure that Waltrip made the first five races. Despite the change, the No. 55 still receives most of its equipment and crew from Bill Davis Racing. On January 23 in Charlotte, North Carolina as part of the annual Media Tour, NASCAR announced that the Toyota Camry will be added to the series in 2007, and become the first non-American brand to run in the premier series since Jaguar raced in the mid-1950s. Waltrip-Jasper Racing and BDR will become one of the first Toyota teams because, despite the fact that they currently race Dodges in Nextel Cup, they have done so without Dodge's support because BDR races Toyotas in the Craftsman Truck Series. The team recently hired Dave Blaney to take the wheel of the No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge. A third Toyota team, which will carry the No. 83, will be owned and sponsored by Red Bull Energy Drink, with Brian Vickers scheduled to drive. There were stories that they would also buy the No. 7 Jim Smith-owned team driven by Robby Gordon, who is sponsored by Red Bull, but those were denied. Bill Elliott, the 1988 series champion drove in an attempt for three races for Red Bull in a Dodge, as the 2006 Camry was not approved for racing. He didn't make any of the races in the ride, nor did former Champ Car driver A.J. Allmendinger.

Hall of Fame Racing, a new NASCAR team created by former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, fielded their first car, the No. 96 sponsored by Texas Instruments' DLP technology. Terry Labonte, a two-time series champion, drove the car for the first five races utilizing the past champions provisional rule, as the team was new at the start of the season, and Tony Raines took over at Martinsville. Terry Labonte will officially wound down his career "Texas Style" in the No. 44 Hendrick Motorsports second Kellogg's ride following the Dickies 500 race in November in his home state at Texas Motor Speedway, finishing 34th.

Brent Sherman took over the No. 49 Dodge for BAM Racing with new sponsor Serta Mattresses and State Water Heaters, but was replaced by Kevin Lepage, who had started the season in the Peak Fitness Racing No. 61, which was the No. 66 in 2005. Ken Schrader moved to the famous Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford for Ricky Rudd which not only has the U.S. Air Force and Ford Motorcraft sponsorship, but also Little Debbie on board as a new sponsor, and the No. 07 car, sponsored by Jack Daniels with Blaney's departure, was piloted by Clint Bowyer for Richard Childress Racing.

Other moves saw Scott Wimmer moved to the Morgan-McClure Motorsports Aero Exhaust Chevrolet replacing Mike Wallace, Travis Kvapil moved from the Jasper team to the PPI Motorsports Tide Chevrolet team. Front Row Motorsports hired Chad Chaffin to run for Rookie of the Year honors and Randy LaJoie, who has been replaced by Chad Blount, to run full-time in its No. 34 and No. 92 teams, then bought Peak Fitness Racing's No. 61, suspending the operations of the No. 92 car. Chaffin planned to run for rookie of the year. Furniture Row Racing announced it would run full-time with Kenny Wallace in the No. 78 Chevrolet.

Competitive Edge Motorsports closed, Marathon Petroleum Company now to sponsor Kyle Petty. Jeremy Mayfield was released for Evernham Motorsports, Elliott Sadler was released from Robert Yates Racing. Sadler will drive the No. 19 for Evernham and David Gilliland will drive No. 38 of Robert Yates Racing taking effect at GFS Marketplace 400. Scott Wimmer parted from Morgan-McClure Motorsports, and in a game of musical drivers, 2002 Daytona 500 champion Ward Burton, who had been sitting on the sidelines, took over late in the season. Mike Bliss took over in the No. 49 for BAM Racing.