Mayfield in #36 toyota

[SMOKEN14]

Bill Davis Racing announced 2007 lineup; Mayfield in #36; Blaney back in #22: Bill Davis Racing (BDR) announced today [8/24] that Jeremy Mayfield will join the organization to drive the #36 Toyota Camry the team will field in 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition. Additionally, Dave Blaney, current driver of the #22 Bill Davis Racing entry, will remain in the Caterpillar car for the '07 season. "We're happy to have Dave back in the Caterpillar car next year, and we're just as excited that Jeremy has decided to join our team," said Team Owner Bill Davis. "Both of these men are very talented and capable drivers who are veterans of the sport and yet still hungry to win. Both Jeremy and Dave are extremely knowledgeable and will play an important part in taking our race team to the next level." 360 OTC joins Bill Davis Racing to serve as the primary sponsor of the #36 Toyota machine beginning with the '07 Daytona 500. Headquartered in Athens, Ga., Rockford-Montgomery Labs, Inc. is the developer of 360 OTC, a brand of FDA-approved Over-the-Counter (OTC) pain relief medicines. "We feel like we've put together a winning combination," Davis said. "Rockford-Montgomery Labs, Inc. is a solid company which has learned in the short time they have been involved in the sport just how big a marketing tool NASCAR can be. They were interested in finding a spokesperson that can get their #36 Toyota to victory lane as well as appeal to the people in their market. Everyone agrees that Jeremy is that guy. He's a proven winner and is obviously a talented and consistent driver, as well as a smart businessman. He brings with him Chase experience and a great deal of excitement, and we feel fortunate to welcome both he and 360 OTC to our family." Mayfield most recently competed for #19 Evernham Motorsports. The 37-year-old driver, who hails from Owensboro, Ky., has made 402 starts at NASCAR's highest level and was a contender in the Chase for the Championship during both the 2004 and 2005 seasons. "I'm very, very excited about the opportunity to be a part of Bill Davis Racing," Mayfield said. "I've always thought a lot of and had a lot of respect for Bill and Gail, and I'm thrilled to be a part of their organization. Obviously, I'm looking forward to working with Toyota, Todd Holbert [General Manager of Triad Racing Development, Inc.], Tommy Baldwin and everyone involved with the Toyota program, and I'm looking forward to being a part of Toyota's entrance into NEXTEL Cup racing as well as working with them for a long time to come. Rockford-Montgomery Labs and 360 OTC has also given me a great opportunity, and I'm happy to have the chance to represent their company, their people and their products. From what I've seen at Bill Davis Racing, they have the resources in place and the desire to do whatever it takes to be competitive, and those are the kinds of people and the type of place that I want to be involved with."
"It's certainly nice to know with half the season left where I'll be next year, and I'm glad it will be back with Bill Davis Racing," Blaney stated. "This is the place I have always considered home, and though we've struggled a bit more than anyone thought we would this year, we all think the future is bright for BDR. I'm excited about the opportunity to be a part of Toyota's entrance into the Cup Series, and I'm looking forward to working with Jeremy next year. I think next season has the possibility to be the best one Bill Davis Racing has ever seen."(Bill Davis Racing PR),

[smyler]

The bigger issue is who is going to be in charge of engineering and who will be making the calls.  I think both of these guys are competent but they have to have competitive horses.  Toyota isn't going to want to be embarrassed.  They have become almost dominant in trucks (whenever Martin isn't competing).  I'd like there to be more than 3 good teams in cup.  Jack, Joe and Rick have almost all the wins this year.  Wouldn't it be fun to see some of the other guys lift a trophy once in awhile? 

[cousinbilly]

 
Jeremy Mayfield will be driving the No. 36 Toyota in 2007.


 
 

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Jeremy Mayfield's impending move to Bill Davis Racing was confirmed Thursday when the veteran was announced as driver of the No. 36 Toyota for 2007.

 
Jeremy Mayfield has five victories in 14 years of Nextel Cup racing. Credit: Autostock
 
 Mayfield's car will be sponsored by 360 OTC, a brand of over-the-counter pain relief medications made by Rockford-Montgomery Labs of Athens, G

"They were interested in finding a spokesperson that can get their No. 36 Toyota to victory lane as well as appeal to the people in their market. Everyone agrees that Jeremy is that guy. He's a proven winner and is obviously a talented and consistent driver, as well as a smart businessman. He brings with him Chase experience and a great deal of excitement, and we feel fortunate to welcome both he and 360 OTC to our family."
 

after 402 starts he has only 5 wins thats and average of  1 win per 80 .4 races...my calculations say he won`t be in Victory lane until sometime in 2010
looks like par for Bill Davis group!

[Dustcloud]

I dunno. Five wins in 400+ races? That sounds a good deal better than BDR's recent "par."

[FS JessNicholas]

The bigger issue is who is going to be in charge of engineering and who will be making the calls.  I think both of these guys are competent but they have to have competitive horses.  Toyota isn't going to want to be embarrassed.  They have become almost dominant in trucks (whenever Martin isn't competing).  I'd like there to be more than 3 good teams in cup.  Jack, Joe and Rick have almost all the wins this year.  Wouldn't it be fun to see some of the other guys lift a trophy once in awhile? 

A quick call to TRD and they'll have all the engineering help they need. The bigger issue is the top 35 in owner points, as I expect all the Toyota teams to struggle until the Car Of Tomorrow becomes standard. They're behind the other current models badly but once the COT comes online everyone's equal again. The question is where Blaney and Mayfield are going to be at that point. Mayfield hasn't been a strong qualifier for the last couple of years -- he'll go through a month-long spurt where he's on the front row and then disappear for weeks -- and my early bet is that he misses two of the first five races.

Jess

[Chris]

I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Jess on this one.
I think Mayfield will miss a couple races early next season,.. and of course that will put him behind the 8-ball for the entire season.

As far as next season,.. I'm not so sure Toyota has a clue of the uphill battle they have ahead of them.
Well at least I see it this way.  When Toyota came into the CTS and when they are coming into the CUP series is like comparing apples and oranges.
When Toyota broke into the CTS there were hardly enough trucks show up each week to fill the field.  Maybe one or two trucks went home every week,.. and it was ALSO before Nascar went to the "top X cars" locked in in the points system.  SO the Toyota teams pretty much made the field every week.  ALSO If I remember right,.. they got some of the BETTER drivers in the CTS.

NOW lets look at the CUP series when they come in next season.  First they got to battle their way into the field because there is only 8 spots available.  SO we got 8-10 Toyota teams trying to take up ONLY 8 spots to start with... not to mention the OTHER good teams outside the top 35 in points.  Someone HAS to go home.
SO Toyota is fighting the 'lock' system,.. and that leaves only a few spots for the Toyota teams to get in.  Finally if you look at it,.. there's very FEW "Good" drivers wheeling a Toyota next season.

Now lets look at the kick off of next season.  Daytona and race #1,.. what a kickoff that should be.  I could see EASILY 65 cars whow up for that event.  The last two years we have had 57 and 58 entries.  WIth the new Toyota teams, and then some established team adding a 3rd of 4th team,.. and some NEW (non toyota) teams being formed.  MAN, 65 teams could make a heck of a show for speedweeks..
Toyotas gonna have a tough row to hoe to get into the field.  35 of 43 spots filled,... and 30 teams left vying for 8 remaining positions.
Gonna be interesting.

I agree Toyota ISN'T going to want to be embarressed... I think their problem is hardly ANY of them will have points,... so they will end up in a sort of "round robin" elimination that knocks themselves out of contention.  One week 4 Toyota teams may make the field and 4 miss it.  The next week the four teams that MISSED the field the first week may MAKE it,.. and knock the four that made it the first week out.
Let the first 5 weeks go by and all the Toyota teams have missed one or two races,.. and they are OUT of the hunt for the championship already.

Finally I expect Toyota to struggle until the CoT is raced on a weekly basis.  BOY thats gona be a LONG hard pill to swallow for three years.

[smyler]

You make good points.  I'll be highly surprised if NASCAR doesn't lower the locked in drivers to 32 or maybe even 30.  I always thought that only the ones who deserved to be there should be there, but I understand people paying all that money not wanting to see a race and their driver not be in it.  Anyway, Toyota has to be aware of these issues.  They must be lobbying hard.  This is also why Toyota wants Bill Elliott.  I wonder if there is any way they could lure Terry Labonty out of semi retirement, much like HOF did this year?  Rusty is already looking forward to his broadcast career, so I don't think there is any way he could come back.  DJ is going to make every race, but I don't see how his equipment will be any better than RYR was, and he ran awful this year. 

As for Jeremy, I'll take that bet.  I don't think he'll miss any of the first five.  He has a lot to prove.  Evernham said he sandbagged and that hurt Jeremy's ego.  I'm not saying he'll finish next year in top 15, but I am saying I think he'll be top 25.

[Chris]

My problem with the Toyota teams and the CoT is it will only be ran on (mostly) short tracks next season.  Richmond, Martinsville, Bristol, Dover, N.H., Phoenix, etc.
Nothing to do with aerodynamics,.. and the rest of the races in 2007 Toyota will be at a disadvantage because all the other teams (Chevy, Ford, Dodge) will have their notes from previous years to fall back on and know how to set THEIR cars up out of the box.

In 2008 things will be better for Toyota... more tracks come into the CoT system with ALl the "Large" tracks being added.  Pocono, Daytona, Indy, Dega, Michigan, and Cali.
SO for 26 of 36 races the teams will be on even footing.

Finally in 2009 ALL the tracks go to the CoT and it will be "fair" for everyone.

I'm kinda thinking like you Smyler...
We been hearing about "rules modifications" for some time now,.. but nothing is out of the bag yet.  I think Nascar is not SURE what they are gonna do.  They are kinda still kicking it around and will decide when the time comes (probably in the off season)
If sponsors don't pick up on whats happening abd start raising a stink NOW,... you could see several MAJOR sponsors on the sidelines at some MAJOR races.

We all know the reason this "top 35" points lock was put in was to "avoid" that... now it may backfire and on a regular basis be the CAUSE of it.
SO yeah,.. I'd say it's a possibility we could see the 'lock' number lowered to 30 (or less)
If it is 30,... thats still only 13 spots for 25 drivers (average weekly)

If Elliott come out of retirement and drives for Red Bull (popular rumor) then he would be in every race as the most recent champion.
DJ,... He is in the top 35 in points now,... so he should START the season out OK.
 

[Checkeredflag]

DJ won't be in the Top 35 in Owner Points to start the season next year - he will be in a car with no owner points.  Unless I missed where he was buying the 88's points, from how I understood it, the points stay with the owner, and don't follow the sponsor and driver - right? 

If that's true (and I really think it is), the isn't DJ a more recent champion than Bill Elliot?  And DJ hasn't been setting the world on fire in qualifying, although Bill has been doing a phenomenal job at that with what he's had to drive, so it shouldn't matter for him, anyway.  And after the first 5 races, he should be fine.

The only thing I'm not completely sure about is rainouts - is it all previoul champions that get a spot in the field from 36th on back? 

[Chris]

YEAH... CF you are right...
Jarrett is a more recent champion than Elliott.. so that would mean the past champions provisional would go to Jarrett every week.  I stand corrected... unless Jarret got in the top 35 in 2007 points,.. then it would fall to Elliott.
 
I'm not sure about Jarrett's number... Seems I heard some discussion about who the car number would stay with,... but never heard HOW that came out.
I am assuming it will stay with RYR.

The only thing I'm not completely sure about is rainouts - is it all previous champions that get a spot in the field from 36th on back?

I think this is correct. I know over at Jayski's it shows the cars that would make the field this weekend "in the event qualifying gets rained out"...
B. Elliott and T. Labonte are BOTH entered to race and they are at the HEAD of the list as automatically in under "past Champ Prov"