Kyle Petty will be replaced by Craftsman Truck Series driver Chad McCumbee for the race at Texas this weekend, just days after Petty failed to qualify for the race at Martinsville. Petty has a best finish of 28th this year at Bristol, and the rest of his starts have ended with finishes outside the top-30. McCumbee also filled in for Petty last year at Pocono and Michigan while Petty was commenting races for TNT. In those races he finished 25th and 41st, and he's looking forward to the opportunity to improve on those performances.

"I feel comfortable around the No. 45 team," McCumbee said. "Billy Wilburn (No. 45 crew chief) and I work well together. We had a great race last year at Pocono. I'm hoping for more of the same this weekend. Kyle is going to be there, giving me advice and pointers. That means a lot to me. I've learned a lot from him already."

Petty, who doesn't want to risk having his car miss another race, has confidence in McCumbee's ability to perform at Texas.

"Everyone at Petty Enterprises believes in Chad and his abilities," Kyle Petty said. "Texas gives us a chance to get another good look at Chad without throwing him to the wolves. He should be relaxed because he knows he can get the job done there."

In addition to the driver change, Petty Enterprises learned that it will have to seek a new sponsor for the #43 car driven by former series champion Bobby Labonte, as General Mills will end it's 9 year sponsorship of the famous 43 to sponsor a fourth car that will be run by Richard Childress in 2009.

Childress has not announced who will drive the fourth car, which will have the number 33, but speculation is that Labonte, whose contract with Petty Enterprises expires at the end of this year, could be the driver. As the 2000 champion, Petty's champion's provisional would come in handy for getting the car into the show.

However, Petty Enterprises' Executive Vice President Robbie Loomis believes that Labonte will stay with the organization.

"I think Bobby is extremely happy here and I think petty enterprises has done a good job of showing him we're committed to building him fast cars and continuing the program around him," Loomis said. "I just don't see Bobby leaving. I would normally say nothing surprises me in this business, but that would surprise me."

As for sponsorship for the #43, Brian Moffit, Vice President of Marketing for Petty Enterprises, says that the organization will advertise Labonte as the driver of the #43, and therefore believes that finding a sponsor won't be an issue.

"Bobby is one of the most marketable and popular drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," Moffitt said in a statement. "He and his family share the ideals and values of the Petty organization and he remains a key component to the long-term future of Petty Enterprises."





















One last thing, this doesn't have to do with the article but I just wanted everyone to remember that 15 years ago today Alan Kulwicki lost his life.