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Champ star Carpentier joins Gillett team
Compiled from Times wires
Published October 11, 2007
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Former Champ Car star Patrick Carpentier signed with Gillett Evernham Motorsports on Wednesday to drive the No. 10 Dodge.
"We are excited to add Patrick Carpentier to our organization for 2008," co-owner George Gillett said. "Patrick has shown tremendous talent in every series he has driven throughout his career and has a bright future in NASCAR."
Carpentier is replacing Scott Riggs, who is leaving to drive for Haas CNC Racing next season. He'll step into a team that was founded by Ray Evernham, who turned over majority ownership to the Gillett family this summer.
The Gilletts also own the NHL's Canadiens, and are co-owners of the English Premier League club Liverpool.
Carpentier, a Quebec native, seems a nice fit for the Gilletts, who hope he will attract Canadian businesses to NASCAR. The team is looking for a primary sponsor for the No. 10.
Carpentier becomes the latest open-wheel driver to jump to NASCAR, and will join a Dodge camp that already has Juan Pablo Montoya and Dario Franchitti in Avengers for next season. Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve will drive a Toyota next season, and Scott Speed will race a Toyota in the ARCA Series.
Carpentier has driven in one Nextel Cup race and two Busch Series events, all on road courses.
He made his Nextel Cup debut in August, driving the No. 10 for Riggs at Watkins Glen, where he led seven laps and finished 22nd. He also raced in the Busch Series event in Montreal, where he won the pole, led 14 laps and finished second.
He'll step into a car that is outside the top 35 in owner points. Riggs has failed to qualify for seven events, including Sunday's race at Talladega.
PENALTY UPHELD: An appeals committee upheld a penalty levied against Carl Edwards and his Roush Fenway Racing team when his race-winning car failed inspection at Dover.
Edwards' car did not meet minimum height requirements, and NASCAR docked him 25 Nextel Cup points. Crew chief Bob Osborne was fined $25,000 and car owner Jack Roush was docked 25 car owner points.
Roush Fenway Racing appealed, claiming a jack bolt failed and caused the car to be too low. It also argued that the car being low hurt performance, and that 25 points was too steep a penalty during the Chase.
STENHOUSE TO ROUSH: Sprint car star Ricky Stenhouse Jr. signed with Roush Fenway Racing and will move to stock cars next season.
Stenhouse, who turns 20 this month, will run the full ARCA schedule next season in a car fielded by Roush Fenway.
Stenhouse, from Olive Branch, Miss., raced for Tony Stewart Racing this season in USAC's National Sprint Car and National Midget Car Series.
[Last modified October 11, 2007, 07:24:35]
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