This week the Cup and Nationwide series moves onto the road course at Watkins Glen for the final Cup road course race of the year and just four races out from the chase beginning. But the big news of the week came out of Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing this week after a tire changer and a mechanic both working on the No. 42 team of Juan Montoya were charged and arrested for distribution of a controlled substance. Earlier in the week the Huntersville(N.C), Police Department was notified by a national package carrier of a package that came out of California and heading for an address, instead of intercepting the package the department instead decided to follow it to its destination and found Trevor L. Lysne, 40 tire changer, and Jerome D. Frey, 27 mechanic with 10 ½ pounds of marijuana. Following the arrests EGR terminated their employment and had this to say.
“I am extremely disappointed with the news that we received about two of our crew members,” Ganassi said in a statement. “We have a zero tolerance policy in this organization and effective immediately both individuals’ employment has been terminated.” Said Chip Ganassi. Both have since appeared in court and have hired lawyers and posted $30,000 in bail pending a trial date to be set in the future. NASCAR has also suspended them indefinitely.
Speaking of road courses we have our “Road Course Ringers” that will be taking over this week in place of several drivers. On the Cup side Boris Said will be piloting the No. 51 for Phoenix Racing, Terry Labonte will take over the No 38 at Front Row Motorsports, P.J. Jones will be in the No. 177 for Robby Gordon Motorsports, while on the Nationwide side Ron Fellows will be in the No. 5 for JR Motorsports.
Joe Gibbs Racing and JR Motorsports both this week announces new drivers to their lineups, Gibbs has signed on Ryan Truex younger brother to Michael Waltrip Racing driver Martin Truex to a six race deal this season in the Nationwide series beginning at Atlanta. JR Motorsports has signed on noted iRacing driver Jim Caudill Jr. to their Late model program, in addition to being well known around the iRacing circuit he is also a 85 time feature winner in World Karting Association, and the 2007 legends car champion at both Lonesome Pine Raceway and Newport Speedway.
Couple notes on penalties following the penalties at Pocono on the No. 31 truck of Johnny Sauter resulting in the loss of six driver and owner points that has dropped Sauter into second place in the points standing only one point back from Austin Dillon.
