Earnhardt Gets Cut

MOORESVILLE, NC - FitzBradshaw Racing announced today that a driver substitution will be made for the upcoming NASCAR Busch Series race Saturday in Loudon, NH.

Kerry Earnhardt has driven the No. 12 Chevrolet Monte Carlo since the start of the 2002 season.

"It’s our desire to field the best teams on the track; it is a commitment we make to ourselves and to our sponsors," stated FitzBradshaw Racing co-owner Armando Fitz. "Kerry has proven he is a strong driver; he has driven up-front, but the team is simply not gelling right now. And if we want to win, we need to gel."

In June, FitzBradshaw Racing retained a new crew for the No. 12 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, while moving the previous No. 12 crew to the No. 14 Navy Chevrolet Monte Carlo piloted by Casey Atwood. FitzBradshaw Racing's objective in making both driver and crew changes is to sample driver and crew pairings to ascertain the most competitive combination for each of FitzBradshaw Racing's cars.

"A change right now is in the best interests of everybody," stated Terry Bradshaw, co-owner of FitzBradshaw Racing. "Our entire organization appreciates everything Kerry has done for the team and its sponsors. We’ve been able to be very successful for our sponsors in many ways, including marketing, but we want to search to find our best possible on-track combination as well."

"Tim Fedewa, we think, is the right choice for the team at this time. He has four Busch Series wins, so he understands what it takes to grab a checkered flag at this level," said Fitz.

Fedewa, in addition to his driving success, has history with FitzBradshaw. He started spotting for FitzBradshaw Racing during the 2002 season and became a permanent spotter for Earnhardt in 2003. During the pit crew transition, he served as crew chief for the No. 12 car in Kentucky.

"We haven’t made an exact determination of how long Fedewa will be in the seat," said Fitz. "That depends on the level of success we achieve and how we ultimately evaluate how we can best use our driving talent. What’s most important right now is that we begin achieving the kind of on-track success that we need for both FitzBradshaw Racing and for our sponsors."