Atwood reunites with Evernham; Edwards to skip some practices
By Bob Pockrass
Monday, June 13, 2005
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Casey Atwood and Ray Evernham will be reunited for the Busch Series race June 18 at Kentucky Speedway and possibly again at New Hampshire and at Pikes Peak.
Atwood, who drove a Cup car for Evernham's start-up team in 2001 and 2002, will drive the No. 6 car in the June 19 race at Kentucky. A driver for FitzBradshaw Racing until late last season, Atwood has competed in three Craftsman Truck Series events but has not had a Busch Series start this year.
"We are just trying to run some different people through there and really still figure out where we're at," Evernham said June 5. "Casey hasn't been doing anything. He's a good friend and he's been out of sight and out of mind, and hopefully, I can give him a couple of rides and people will start to look at him again."
Atwood has not run for Evernham except for Cup races in Pocono and Indianapolis in 2003.
"He had a decent ride last year, and I don't know what happened there," Evernham said. "People grow up. He's grown up. He's always been a good race driver, and I just wanted to try to help him put his name back out there.
"I think he's going to do a good job for us. I know he can run that car in the top 10 and, hopefully, get people to take a look at him. He's only 24-25 years old. He's still got a long career ahead of him. He's grown up, and he's ready for a second shot."
Atwood is one of four drivers the team will have over the next four weeks.
Paul Wolfe, who started the year in the No. 6 Dodge, will drive again June 11 at Nashville. Atwood will compete at Kentucky, Tracy Hines at Milwaukee and Mike Wallace at Daytona July 1. Hines, who drove the No. 6 car twice in 2004, also will drive Aug. 6 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Eventually, Erin Crocker will drive the No. 6 car - or the No. 79 car - for Evernham. Her original debut was set for Indianapolis Raceway Park in August and now has been moved to September. Crocker's tentative schedule has Richmond, Dover, Kansas, Phoenix and Homestead at the end of the season.
"Those are the five we've picked right now depending on how she progresses," Evernham said.
Carl Edwards is technically a rookie in the Busch Series, even though he isn't one in the Nextel Cup Series.
So his crazy next three weeks of double duty includes an additional twist. Rookies must obtain permission to miss practice and/or qualifying and generally veterans are not allowed to practice and qualify a car for a rookie.
But Edwards has received approval from NASCAR to miss Busch practice and qualifying. His leading the Busch Series points and top-10 Nextel Cup ranking made it a pretty easy decision.
"We've had some conversations about that, and per the rulebook, we've got some discretion based on his experience," Busch Series Director Joe Balash said June 4. "Carl shows a lot of experience."
Edwards will miss all of the June 10 practice at Nashville, where Hank Parker Jr. will practice the car. After Nextel Cup practice June 11 at Pocono, Edwards will fly to Nashville in time for qualifying and the race.
He will likely miss Busch practice at Kentucky and possibly Cup practice at Infineon Raceway June 25.
"We'll see how Nashville goes," Edwards said. "I feel comfortable there. I never ran at Pocono. It would be foolish to skip any practice at Pocono."
Edwards is the only driver expected to do the Pocono-Nashville and Infineon-Milwaukee double, but at least four drivers - Rusty Wallace, Greg Biffle, Michael Waltrip and Edwards - will attempt the Michigan-Kentucky combo.
Edwards has the most to lose. He leads the Busch Series points but is also in the hunt for a spot in the Chase For The Nextel Cup.
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Carl Edwards
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