Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Roush Racing Ford, is no longer is slated to replace Mark Martin [retires from Cup at end of 2005] in the #6 after this season. "It's pretty obvious he's found a home in the 99," [Roush Racing president Geoff] Smith says. "We're going to have to fill the 6 with someone else, and we don't know who that someone else might be." Smith says they will look at current Roush truck series driver Ricky Craven, a former Cup veteran, for the ride. But he expects other drivers in the garage to be interested: "That's a fantastic ride that's going to be available."

"I'm hoping by the first part of May we'll have a better handle on who's going to drive," Smith explained. So is Ricky Craven is a candidate, as was recently reported? "Ricky is a candidate," Smith said. "Jack (Roush) feels that Ricky has something in him left to show people, but he's only one candidate at one point in time. We'll have to see how the season unfolds a little bit before we end up designating somebody."

But Smith said Wednesday that Pfizer, the sponsor of Martin's Ford since 2001, likely won't return to the hood of the No. 6 in 2006. "We're not expecting them to return in a capacity as primary sponsor after this year," Smith said. "As of this moment in time, there hasn't been any expression of continuing on in a primary sponsorship, although there have been some discussions about continuing an endorsement arrangement with Mark." Not to worry. The #6 won't be tooling around the track stark-white like the #99 did last year. According to Smith, several sponsors are standing in line, the rarest of luxuries for Nextel Cup Series teams these days.

NASCAR.com

redriderbob

 

lol, well I'd hope Carl Edwards wouldn't want to leave the #99 car. He is doing so well in it.