Team Red Bull will debut at Charlotte

Team Red Bull will make its racing debut next weekend with Bill Elliott (pictured right) at the wheel and its research and development manager Randy Cox serving as crew chief at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Cox, who most recently was a crew chief at ppc Racing and has previously worked with Chip Ganassi Racing, will serve as crew chief for the three races that Elliott will drive this year, said TRB General Manager Marty Gaunt while at Talladega Superspeedway.

Shell Oil Company announced the brand’s return to NASCAR today through a multi-year primary sponsorship of Richard Childress Racing (RCR). Through the sponsorship both Shell and Pennzoil brands will be featured on the #29 Chevy to be driven by Kevin Harvick in the 2007 Nextel Cup series. Shell will also be the associate sponsor on other RCR cars including the #31 Cup car driven by Jeff Burton and the #07 Cup car driven by Clint Bowyer.

"We’re proud to have Shell come on-board as the primary sponsor of RCR’s #29 team with Kevin Harvick," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "Shell has a long history in motorsports throughout the world and we look forward to adding to that winning tradition. We’re fortunate to once again have a sponsor for the #29 team that is committed to supporting its racing program in a lot of exciting ways. We’re also proud to be continuing our relationship with GM Goodwrench and the winning tradition we’ve had together for more than two decades."

The company’s technological leadership and its innovative products have helped position Shell as the "preferred partner" both on and off the track for some of the auto industry’s top companies including General Motors (GM), Ferrari and Audi. The new alliance with Richard Childress Racing and Kevin Harvick bring together the market share leader in fuels and lubricants with a #1 team, which makes a formidable combination.

"Our plan with RCR and Kevin Harvick is pretty simple; have fun with our employees, wholesalers, retailers, distributors and customers through a sport we all love," said John Hofmeister, president, Shell Oil Company. "It’s also about aligning the leading fuels and lubricants brands with a winner on the track so we can create innovative marketing platforms and products that drive business. NASCAR fans and Shell customers are one in the same, and rejoining Shell with the NASCAR family is the next logical step in our global motorsports platform."

Shell lubricant brands, Pennzoil, Quaker State and ROTELLA T, have all been collectively active in NASCAR for several decades. Additionally, Pennzoil has maintained a variety of sponsorships and technical partnerships with DEI and Roush Racing, while Quaker State has been with Hendrick Motorsports since 1995. This season, ROTELLA T and Morgan Dollar Racing with Dennis Setzer are partners in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

GM Goodwrench, currently the primary sponsor of Harvick’s #29 car, will also continue to support RCR racing and Kevin Harvick as an associate sponsor. "We’re pleased that GM Goodwrench will continue to have a presence on the car," added Hofmeister. "To be associated with a sponsor with a strong history in motorsports is really the icing on the cake. This new relationship on the track will complement the many programs we have with General Motors off the track. We’re working together to make hydrogen available to consumers through a local Shell station in Washington, D.C; in Chicago we have a joint test pilot to gauge consumer interest in E85, and we provide supply for some of GM’s lubricants needs."

While no immediate plans were shared with regard to the company’s marketing efforts in NASCAR, Shell officials said more news will be forthcoming on activations plans surrounding Richard Childress Racing and the #29 Shell car. For more information about Shell, visit www.shell.com.

[RCR PR]

Villeneuve more than likely to come to Nascar also 

Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Jacques Villeneuve, a former F1 champion is ready to give stock cars a try. The Villeneuve story heated up with news that the Canadian driver has been in contact with Roush Racing. Asked if the 35-year-old Villeneuve could be in a Roush entry in 2007, team owner Jack Roush said, "That’s a possibility. I know we’re in discussions. He came to see us in Detroit and he’s been in Charlotte and had discussions around our program and what he can do and the rate of which he could get up to speed, if he’s got the stomach for it, and if we can find the sponsorship for it, that’s certainly a possibility."

Efforts to reach Villeneuve and his agent, Craig Pollock, for comment were not successful. The Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport reported earlier this week that Villeneuve already has signed a deal with Roush Racing and will move back to Canada from his current base in Europe.

When contacted by ESPN, Roush Racing said the story is not true and that Villeneuve has not signed with them. There were reports Friday that Villeneuve has also been in contact with Robert Yates Racing about the opening in the #88 Ford. Dale Jarrett will leave Yates at the end of the season for a ride with Michael Waltrip’s new Toyota team. But Yates officials were not available for comment.

Waltrip Racing about to announce third team 

Michael Waltrip said that he hopes to make an announcement soon concerning who will drive his team’s No. 00 Nextel Cup car next season.

David Reutimann is considered the leading candidate for the Toyota ride as a teammate to Dale Jarrett and Waltrip. Reutimann has met with both Michael Waltrip Racing primary sponsors, Burger King and Domino’s Pizza.

An announcement could come in the next week.

"It’s just going good," Waltrip said Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway. "I’m really happy with where we are. Hopefully soon we can enlighten everybody on our driver situation. We’re not quite there yet."

Ricky Rudd is on the verge of running a part-time schedule next season. David Wyler, president of Wyler Racing, told me [Dustin Long] Saturday at Talladega that provided the team can find sponsorship — which he is confident they will — Rudd will drive in 16 races for the Toyota team.

Efforts to reach Rudd on Saturday were unsuccessful. Those 16 races would be events with NASCAR’s car of tomorrow, a boxier car that is supposed to provide more driver safety and balance the competition by making the cars similar (think IROC). The car will race at such tracks as Richmond, Martinsville, Dover, Watkins Glen and Infineon — places Rudd has won often in his career. Rudd is scheduled to drive for the team in a car of tomorrow test Monday at Talladega and also drive the car in a test at Homestead Oct. 16-18. Wyler says Rudd is ready to return based on a few visits to the team’s race shop.

"You can tell once he sits in that thing and gets his pedals adjusted and the steering wheel adjusted, you can see in his eyes, he’s pretty excited to get back in the car,’’ Wyler said.