- #0 Sponsorship/Driver Announcement UPDATE new number 66: Best Buy and #0 Haas CNC Racing will make a sponsorship and driver announcement on Thursday, Jan 12th.(PR), Jeff Green has tested the #0 Chevy in the past few weeks.(1-12-2006)
UPDATE: Best Buy announced that it will sponsor the #66 [was #0] Haas CNC Racing team in the Nextel Cup Series with driver Jeff Green. "This is really good news for me and our team," said Green, the 2000 Busch Series champion. "Joining Best Buy Haas CNC Racing is a real thrill for me. With Best Buy coming on board and our plans for a new race shop, I think we have a pretty bright future ahead of us." Green said joining this team allows him to work with crew chief Robert (Bootie) Barker, who he has long admired. "We have the makings of a very good team. With Bootie as my crew chief, and a terrific crew and equipment to work with, I know I'm going to have a good year," said the Owensboro, Ken. native who, in addition to his 2000 Busch Series championship, owns 16 Busch Series victories and five top-5 finishes in Nextel Cup competition. "Haas CNC Racing is a top-notch organization and I think we will make some headlines in 2006." The Haas team has raced #0 since 2003, and in 2006 the team's Chevy will wear #66. This number was selected in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Best Buy, which opened its doors as Sound of Music in 1966 and is now North America's leading retailer of consumer electronics. While Best Buy will serve as primary sponsor on the #66 for a minimum of 12 races, Mike Linton, chief marketing officer for Best Buy, anticipates the #66 will have full sponsorship throughout the 2006 season, with additional announcements coming soon. "Our entry into the world of NASCAR last year was a fun experience--energizing both Best Buy employees and customers," Linton said. "As we looked to expand our presence this year, it was an easy choice to continue with the Haas CNC team. Anyone can do a sponsorship but not everyone can create a partnership and have fun at the same time. We know it's going to be a great season and that Jeff is going to be a great driver for the team." The Best Buy sponsorship will be highlighted on the #66 car as well as on driver and crew uniforms, trailers and merchandising items. Additionally the Best Buy Fun Zone Technology vehicle, a mobile unit featuring interactive technology displays, will make appearances at select races. Best Buy stores in key locations also will host driver and car appearances throughout the season. The Haas CNC Racing team is owned by Gene Haas, who founded Haas Automation in 1983. Based in Oxnard, California, Haas Automation is the largest machine tool manufacturer in the United States. Haas said the combination of a secure sponsorship combined with a championship-caliber driver and crew chief has created the most excitement at his 90-person race shop since it started in Nextel Cup racing in 2002. "There is a lot of excitement about this season--from Best Buy coming on as primary sponsor to Jeff Green taking over the car," said Haas. "We're looking forward to coming out of the gate strong at the Daytona 500 and being a contender for the championship." The race team is currently based in Harrisburg, NC, where it occupies a 40,000-square-foot building containing both the business offices and the garage where Haas cars are prepared for upcoming races. The team plans to break ground on a new state-of-the-art 140,000-square-foot shop on 23 acres at the Kannapolis, N.C., Gateway Business Park on Jan. 19.TMCnet), yes...the #66 will get the #0 owners points, as the #1 will use #15's from 2005 and the #61 team will use last years #66 points.(1-12-2006)
- Testing at Kentucky confirms driver changes? Dave Blaney is scheduled to test the #22 Caterpillar Dodge for Bill Davis Racing at Kentucky Speedway on Wed November 30th and Jeff Green is scheduled to test the #0 NetZero Chevy for Haas CNC Racing on Dec 7-8, 2005. Fans can watch from the Turn 3 Fan Center at no charge. Schedule subject to change daily. Test times vary.(Kentucky Speedway site)(11-23-2005)
- NetZero goes with Bliss? Mike Bliss will leave the #0 CNC-Haas NEXTEL Cup ride and return to the Craftsman Truck Series full-time in 2006. The former series champion will bring current Cup sponsor NetZero with him to the #16 truck ride for XPress Motorsports.(RacingOne)(11-5-2005)
- Haas CNC closes on property for new shop: #0-Haas CNC Racing will begin construction early in 2006 on a new 140,000 square foot facility in Kannapolis, NC after agreeing to a contract with the city to purchase nearly 23 acres in the Kannapolis Gateway Business Park. The deal will bring the 85-employee firm, which expects to add up to 70 jobs over the course of the next few years, to the city. As part of the contract, Kannapolis will provide a Level 1 incentive grant worth $212,243.85 over five years. "We're excited about the deal with Haas CNC Racing," said Patrick Pierce, partner, MarkPiercePoole Inc. "They are well-financed and provide a valuable presence in the Park. Their interest also validates the City's strategy to create a first class business park to help drive economic development "
Haas CNC Racing fields the #0 car driven [currently] by Mike Bliss in the NASCAR NEXTEL Series and the #44 car driven [currently] by Justin Labonte in the NASCAR Busch Series. The company intends to add one or more race teams over time to the site. Haas CNC Racing also operates a large automated CNC tool manufacturing company based in California. "We currently operate out of a 40,000 square foot facility and needed more space," said Joe Custer, general manager, Haas CNC Racing. "The Gateway Business Park's proximity to Concord Regional Airport, Lowe's Motor Speedway, and I-85 was a good fit for our firm." For more information about Haas CNC Racing, please visit www.haascncracing.com. For more information about the City of Kannapolis, please visit www.cityofkannapolis.com.(Businesswire.com)(11-3-2005)
- Geek Squad on the #0 at Texas UPDATE - image: on geeksquad.com it is being reported that the #0 Haas CNC Racing Chevy and driver Mike Bliss will run a Geek Squad paint scheme at Texas Motor Speedway. Geek Squad works with Best Buy, a sponsor of the #0 team.(11-1-2005)
UPDATE: Cup driver Mike Bliss for the first time this season will find himself behind the wheel of Best Buy's Geek Squad #0 Chevrolet Monte Carlo as the Haas CNC Racing team heads to Texas Motor Speedway for this Sunday's NASCAR Dickie's 500. In addition to the new black and orange paint scheme on the car, uniformed Geek Squad agents will be dispatched to rescue media and NASCAR teams from unforeseen tech malfunctions (PR), see images of the car on my #0 Team Schemes page.(11-2-2005)
- Green to the #0? Labonte to the #43? #18? UPDATE 3 Holly too? Bootie staying: Mike Bliss is the latest driver to learn he's out after the season finale at Homestead. Jeff Green appears to be the top candidate for Bliss' #0 Haas CNC ride. If he gets it, the dominoes really would start to fall. The most curious possible replacement? Bobby Labonte for the Petty Enterprises ride Green would vacate. Labonte, who drives the #18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, has been less than thrilled lately, and his name was mentioned earlier as a candidate for the Penske Racing #2 and Richard Childress Racing #29. Gibbs is auditioning Busch drivers Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley for the #11 Chevrolet. Hamlin finished eighth in Saturday night's crashfest at Charlotte, so give him the nod. But should Labonte leave, it would open the door for both drivers to move up to Cup in 2006.(Sporting News)(10-17-2005)
UPDATE: hearing Green has signed with the #0 and that Best Buy could be the full primary sponsor in 2006, not sure what NetZero would do, could follow Bliss to where he ends up, to another team or out of the sport.(10-21-2005)
UPDATE 2: Jeff Green will drive the #0 for Gene Haas next season. The reunion of Green and former crew chief Harold Holly [currently Haas's #44 Busch crew chief] should produce a competitive team. The two won a Busch Series title together in 2000.(Sporting News), so wonder what happens to Bootie Barker, the current #0 crew chief.(10-24-2005)
UPDATE 3: on Speed Channel's NASCAR This Morning, #0 crew chief Robert 'Bootie' Barker, was asked about the Harold Holly rumor and said he and Holly are good friends and that he [Bootie] has a long term contract and expects to be back as the #0 crew chief in 2006. His comments: "Well, hey, I guess it's logical that rumor. Harold (Holly) and Jeff were together and did real well. But Harold and I are great friends and no animosity between us. I think what it was was just somebody needed a story, and they just put one out there because I'm signed. I've got a multi-year deal, and Gene Haas and the rest of the Best Buy car is happy with me. That could change. Everything changes in this sport, but as of right now, everything is good."(NASCAR This Morning)(10-30-2005)
- A Petty back in the #43? UPDATE: Jeff Green likely will leave Petty Enterprises' #43 car for a chance to drive the NetZero #0 car, team owner Kyle Petty said Thursday. Petty, in town [CAL]to deliver the keynote address at the High Desert Opportunity business conference, said without securing a sponsor for his own #45 car, he couldn't commit to another driver for the 2006 season. "I really think Jeff's going to the (Net) Zero [#0] car," Petty said. "We've been very honest with Jeff, very honest with everybody we talk to." The problem, Petty said, is that the team hasn't signed a sponsor to replace Georgia Pacific on the #45 car. General Mills still has a contract to sponsor the #43 car. "Since I own the team, I could go drive the 43 if I wanted to," Petty said. Is that a possibility? Could we see Petty back behind the wheel of his father Richard's old car? "Everything's a possibility," Kyle Petty said. "You've got so much on the table." Petty said as a veteran driver, he understood the need to secure a ride when there was an opportunity. "Jeff's 42, 43 years old (actually 43). Everybody wants to sign a 19-year-old to drive their car," Petty said. "If you can find a ride, you better be jumping and getting in it. Don't wait and let me hold you back." The bottom line, Petty said, "If it's good for him, it's good for us."(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)(10-21-2005)
UPDATE: Kyle Petty said Friday that Jeff Green likely will vacate Petty Enterprises' flagship #43 Dodge and take over the #0 Chevrolet owned by Gene Haas. Petty said he and Green talked Tuesday about Green leaving the car he has driven since September, 2003. "I know [Green] has talked to the 0, and he's probably going to go to the 0, and I applaud that for him," Petty said. "It's like I told him, 'When you're my age and you're your age, and everybody's looking for 19-year-olds, if a car opens up, jump in it.'" Petty, 45, said his big hold-up in re-signing Green, 43, was a lack of sponsorship for his own #45 Dodge. Since Georgia Pacific announced that it wasn't returning as that car's backer, the team has been assembling a sponsorship package, but it didn't materialize in time to keep Green. If the sponsorship for the #45 doesn't come through, the team will field only one car full-time and Petty probably would drive it himself [#43].
But he said he hopes that doesn't happen. "I'm extremely confident that within the next four to six weeks we'll have what we want to announce," Petty said, adding that the sponsorship will be tied to fund-raising efforts for the Victory Junction Camp for ill children that the Pettys founded. "That's why we want to release [the sponsorships] all at one time," he said. "We just didn't get things done quick enough to be able to satisfy all of our contractual needs with Jeff."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(10-22-2005)
- Bliss out of #0 ride? UPDATE 3: Sources close to the #0 NEXTEL Cup team have indicated that driver Mike Bliss will be released from his duties by the end of the season. Another Cup driver is expected to fill the seat. Options for next year are wide open for Bliss and a return to the Busch or Truck series aren't out of the question.(BGNRacing.com)(10-13-2005)
UPDATE: Bliss said during an interview on PRN Radio qualifying show that he would not be back in the #0 car in 2006 and is looking for a ride.
UPDATE 2: Hearing Jeff Green and Bobby Hamilton Jr. are in the mix.(BGNRacing.com)(However, KYle Petty has said repeatedly that Green would be back in the #43 Dodge in 2006)
and hearing Bliss could be headed back to the #16 Truck for the rest of 2005 and maybe 2006.(10-14-2005)
UPDATE 3: Mike Bliss said Saturday night that two weeks ago he reached an verbal agreement on a contract extension to return as driver for the #0 NetZero/Bestbuy Chevy. On Tuesday, the former Truck Series Champion was shocked to learn he was being let go. “Two weeks ago it was a done deal,” Bliss said. “I was going to run the Cup car, and it was a handshake and another contract.” Bliss said he still doesn’t know why he was let go, but likely will return to the truck series, where he took the title three seasons ago. “I feel like I can do this over here. You hate leaving, but it’s not my decision, of course. I don’t want to leave here like I’ve failed, because I’ve always won in everything I’ve ever been in, and I feel like we’re so close here.”(Speed Channel)(10-15-2005)
