Carpentier hoping to return to Gillett Evernham
By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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SCENE ON THE CIRCUIT
Patrick Carpentier said July 25 he expects to know by mid-August if he’ll be back at Gillett Evernham Motorsports. The driver of the team’s No. 10 Dodge has qualified for 15 consecutive races, and 17 of 20 overall this year, despite being outside the top 35 in owner points.
Competing as a rookie, the former open-wheel driver left the July 27 Allstate 400 36th in driver points and 39th in owner points after an 18th-place finish. He has one pole this year, at New Hampshire, and a top finish of 14th (at Daytona in July).
GEM also fields Dodge entries for Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.
“For us, it will probably be mid-August,” Carpentier said of a decision on his future at GEM. “They will tell us if I will stay or what will happen. It’s all sponsorship dependent, the sport has always been that way.
“I know I’m happy with the team, and I think they are happy with what we are doing. It’s all going to come down to money. Hopefully, we get the right stuff and I get to stay here and have fun. Because I feel at home.”
Minority owner Ray Evernham said Carpentier has a one-year agreement with Gillett Evernham, with a one-year option.
“I think Patrick has done a good job,” Evernham said. “Ultimately, that will be a business decision with George [Gillett, majority owner]. ... In my opinion, Patrick has excelled higher than a lot of other people that have come in here. He’s a great personality. If Patrick is not back next year, it would be that it’s purely a matter of economics.”
Evernham said economics would also dictate how soon the organization adds a fourth team.
“Really that’s up to George,” he said. “We’ve talked about it. But I think he wants to move slowly. It’s definitely in his plans, but it’s got to be built around driver and sponsorship. Because if you don’t do the right things, you’re not going to perform and all it’s going to do is make the sponsor mad.”
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Patrick Carpentier
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