#72 Team News and Links Page
a 2007 Paint Scheme - Click on Car to go to the #72 Paint Scheme page
LINKS
OFFICIAL
CJM Racing
Brandon Whitt
SPONSORS
Primary:
Associates:
Dutch Quality Stone
UN-OFFICIAL
(not posting new unofficial sites anymore: too many have no updates, are old, driver bashing)
#72 Team Past News and Rumors
(NOTE: some older links may not work)
Team plans to run 15 races, all non Car of Tomorrow races:
Daytona (both) California (both), Las Vegas, Atlanta (both), Talladega (April), Charlotte (both and Nextel Open), Michigan (June), Indy, Kansas and Homestead.
- #72 Cup Team Moving to the Busch Series UPDATE 2: The #72 Nextel Cup team, owned by Brian and Tony Mullet, announced to its team members and driver Brandon Whitt that it will be moving to the Busch Series. The team will supposedly be headed by Greg Pollex (formerly of ppc Racing), with Todd Gordon as Crew Chief and Jason Keller as the driver.(CJM Racing PR)(3-14-2007)
UPDATE: been told that driver Brandon Whitt, General Manager Derek White and Crew/Car Chief Doug George are no longer with the team.(3-15-2007)
UPDATE 2: The following is a statement from co-owner Bryan Mullet at CJM Racing pertaining to the speculation/rumors regarding CJM Racing and their future: "CJM Racing is dedicated to its involvement in the NASCAR ranks. We, as a team, are re-evaluating our position and working on a few different scenarios' that will allow us to grow and become a competitive force within NASCAR. Contrary to unsubstantiated rumors, to date no one has been hired and the team is currently consulting with a group to determine the best avenue for success. Sponsorship discussions are underway and future announcements are to be expected within the next few weeks."(CJM Racing PR). NOTE: the team is not entered in any of the Atlanta races this weekend.(3-15-2007)
- Whitt has new assoc sponsor for Vegas: #72-Brandon Whitt and CJM Racing will make their third attempt in the 2007
season and vie for a spot in Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Whitt has three starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Craftsman Truck Series, in his last visit he scored a seventh place starting position and a ninth place finish. The Plaza Hotel and Casino has partnered with the CJM Racing team and will adorn the deck lid this weekend. Associate sponsors Metal Wear Jeans, Solar Bat Sunglasses and Foothills Chiropractic will adorn the B-post.(CJM Racing PR)(3-8-2007)
- Crew Chief change on #72 team: hearing that Sammy Speaks has taken over the crew chief duties at the #72 CJM Racing for rookie driver Brandon Whitt. Doug George had been the crew chief since the team was purchased from Morgan Shepherd last season and is now listed as the car chief on the CMJ Racing site.(2-13-2007)
- Whitt to run ARCA race at Daytona: Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year contender #72-Brandon Whitt will attempt to make his second ARCA race this weekend at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). The #51 Brandon Whitt Racing (BWR) Toyota will be among 70 competitors attempting to make the 41-car field for Saturday afternoon's ARCA 200. Whitt, who will be attempting his first ever ARCA and Cup races at DIS, has two career Craftsman Truck Series starts at the high banks of Daytona. Sponsorship for Daytona is still available on the #51 BWR Toyota.(Global Performance Group PR)(2-6-2007)
- Whitt plans at least 15 races in the #72: from a Raybestos Rookie Notes & Quotes PR, Q&A with Brandon Whitt, who will drive the #72 CJM Racing Chevy in Nextel Cup this season:
WHAT IS YOUR SPONSORSHIP SITUATION FOR THE 2007 SEASON? DO YOU PLAN TO RUN THE FULL SCHEDULE? “Well, we would like to, but as of right now, the sponsorship is limited to 15 races so we’re going to get through the 15 races and hopefully
we can get a sponsor to come and help us finish the year. I think they are spread out throughout the whole year but if something comes up here or there, the races are spread out enough we could still get to those ones and be prepared for ‘em.”
DO YOU PLAN TO RACE IN THE CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES? “That’s still up in the air right now. Nothing has been confirmed. If I have an open weekend or a companion race, I’d like to do something over there.”
ARE THERE A LOT OF CHANGES ON THE TEAM? “We have the same key people, but we have made changes from where we were at Homestead. We switched over to RCR engines so that was a very big help. They’ve got a lot more equipment in the shop now to help with the resources and getting the car better when we get to the track so we’re a lot closer. We’re hiring more and more people and kind of getting rid of the weak links and getting stronger ones so we can keep building every week.”(Raybestos Rookie Notes & Quotes PR)(1-22-2007)
- Ragan Cleared to run Daytona; Allmendinger & Whitt to be 'observed': Roush Racing's David Ragan, whom owner Jack Roush named as Mark Martin's replacement this Nextel Cup season in the #6 AAA Ford, has been approved to compete in the Nextel Cup Series events of Speedweeks 2007 at Daytona International Speedway. Two Nextel Cup rookies #72-Brandon Whitt and #84-A.J. Allmendinger will come to Speedweeks with "observation" approval. They must also participate in the final session of Cup testing Jan. 15-17.(NASCAR.com)(1-9-2007)
- Whitt to run for ROTY in #72: ROTY candidate Brandon Whitt in the #72 for Daytona 500. The CJM Racing Team will participate in Daytona's 2nd testing session January 15th-17th and also at a later date in Las Vegas. Crew Chief Doug George and Derek White, Team Director, are excited about the direction of the #72 Chevy Team. "We've added some key personnel in the off-season along with equipment upgrades, and our December Kentucky test showed it," stated Derek White. "We had a really strong test in Kentucky. Brandon has shown us the poise and consistency on the track necessary to make this Team a strong one." The Team is looking for sponsorship to join co-primary Dutch Quality Stone.(CJM Racing PR)(1-5-2006)
- Whitt to drive the #72 at Homestead: Brandon Whitt will make his second Nextel Cup appearance this weekend in Miami for #72 CJM Racing. "We are very pleased with Brandon's efforts this past weekend in Phoenix," states co-owner Bryan Mullet. "Brandon showed great poise the entire weekend; unfortunately we ran into some mechanical problems on Sunday which cut his Cup debut short. Brandon has shown this team that he has what it takes to compete at this level. We are looking forward to putting together a very solid weekend heading into this off-season." CJM Racing will announce 2007 plans in the upcoming weeks.(CJM Racing PR)(11-15-2006)
- Driver change at the #72 UPDATE: have seen nothing official but Brandon Whitt, former Truck Series driver [and winner] is now listed on the Entry List as the driver of the #72 CJM Racing Chevy at Phoenix. Mike Skinner had driven the car at the last few races.(11-9-2006)
UPDATE: Brandon Whitt, former Truck Series veteran and race winner will pilot the #72 Dutch Quality Stone Chevy for CJM Racing in an attempt to qualify for this weekend’s Checker Auto Parts 500 on November 12 at Phoenix International Raceway. “To say I’m thrilled to have a shot at my first NEXTEL Cup race is an understatement,” says Whitt. After two seasons in Craftsman Trucks, Whitt is excited for a chance to be a player on NASCAR’s biggest stage – the penultimate event in the hotly-contested Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. But simply making the race will not be enough for the competitive young driver. “PIR is a track where I’ve always had great results,” Whitt continues, “and (CJM Racing crew chief) Doug George has a lot of good notes for the track as well. I think we could end up surprising a lot of people.”(Brandon Whitt site)
AND Whitt recently announced that he and his Brandon Whitt Racing team will attempt to make their second ARCA RE/MAX Series start on February 10, 2007 in the Daytona ARCA 200 in the #51 Brandon Whitt Racing Toyota. Brandon Whitt Racing's (BWR) first ARCA appearance came this past season at Chicagoland Speedway.(11-10-2006)
- #72 CJM Racing to run last six races with Skinner: Mike Skinner, has signed a deal to take the seat of the #72 CJM Racing for the final six races of 2006 starting at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte on October 14th. "I really look forward to the opportunity to race for CJM Racing starting in Charlotte", says Skinner, "I was very impressed with the fact they were buying some of Joe Gibbs Racing equipment and felt like our chances are good to be competitive." Co-owner Tony Mullet adds," We are confident having Mike Skinner behind the wheel, that we are getting the most out of our #72 Chevrolet. We couldn't ask for a more experienced driver with his talent." Skinner and the team have been testing in Kentucky in preparation for the upcoming Charlotte night race. CJM Racing has spent the last two months away while revamping their motorsports program. Along with the addition of Mike Skinner, they've made the switch from Dodge to Chevy, added more engine power and new shop equipment in an effort to support their long term goals. Mullet says, "We believe we have made the necessary changes to finish strong this season, but more importantly to show the NASCAR world what we also anticipate for 2007 and beyond. It is important for us to make a statement to NASCAR, the fans, and our future sponsors." The team has been meeting with sponsors and hopes to announce partnerships in the upcoming months.(CJM Racing PR)(10-6-2006)
- #72 promotes White to Director of Team Operations: Derek joined the #72 CJM Race Team in July after prior stints as lead mechanic at Penske Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and most recently with the team at Toyota Racing Development. Originally brought on board as the shop foreman, Derek's talents and relationships were recognized and it was decided he would better benefit the team in the role of Director of Team Operations. "We are excited about this team and the direction we are headed, Derek is going to be a big part of that," stated car owner Bryan Mullet. CJM Racing is continuing to make progress behind the scenes. "We are looking forward to an exciting finish to the 06' season, and a great start in 07'."(CJM Racing PR), the team is also selling off some of their cars, see CJMRacing.com for contact info.(8-26-2006)
- Quarterley to attempt Watkins Glen in the #72: Nextel Cup team CJM Racing and owners Bryan & Tony Mullet announced that Dale Quarterley will drive the #72 Dutch Quality Stone Dodge this weekend at Watkins Glen International. The team and Quarterley tested last week at Virgina International Raceway. Crew Chief Doug George feels the team and driver have good chemistry and feel good about the car they are bringing.(CJM Racing PR paraphrased), some info on Quarterly at antonracing.com and bnsracing.com and racingwest.com(both from the 2005 season)(8-11-2006)
- Davis back in the #72 at Daytona: The CJM Racing team accomplished their mission this weekend in the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway. Driver David Gilliland qualified the #72 Dutch Quality Stone Dodge in the 31st position, the first time the Bryan and Tony Mullet owned entry had qualified for a Nextel Cup event. Gilliland finished in 32nd position, 2 laps down with a tight car. The next race for CJM Racing will be the Pepsi 400 at Daytona with Kertus Davis will be behind the wheel of the #72 entry. And Gilliland is not scheduled to run any more races in the #72.(Moore Consulting Group PR)(6-26-2006)
- Gilliland Rides Wave into Infineon: David Gilliland will make his Nextel Cup debut this weekend in the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway. The Riverside, CA native will pilot the #72 Dutch Quality Stone Dodge for CJM Racing. Gilliland hopes to bring the momentum of his monumental win in the NASCAR Busch Series to the Napa Valley road course. He became the first non-NEXTEL Cup regular to win in 18 straight Busch Series races when he took the checkered flag in the Meijer 300 at the Kentucky Speedway. Gilliland has a successful history at the Infineon Raceway. He won a NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series event at the track in 2004. The Gilliland name has legions of fans on the West Coast due to the achievements of David and his father, Butch Gilliland. Father and son teamed up as driver/crew chief and captured the NASCAR Winston West championship in 1997. As a result David became the youngest to ever win the Crew Chief of the Year Award for that series. The younger Gilliland has over 70 wins, in various series, on the west coast. Team owners Bryan and Tony Mullet are getting their feet wet in the Nextel Cup Series. In 2005 they acquired interest in the former operation of Morgan Shepherd. Recently they bought the team outright and are in the process of building new cars and a new shop. "We are going there to make the race and get a solid finish. We tested at Virginia International Raceway two weeks ago and were really pleased. The motors are strong and Doug George (crew chief) and I are working well together. I think it would be foolish to expect a repeat finish from Kentucky, but a solid top-20 is not out of the question," Gilliland said who will be a guest of the California legislature on Thursday morning at the State Capitol in Sacramento. He will be a part of the proclamation of "NASCAR Weekend" in Sonoma, will be a part of the Raybestos Rookie press conference on Friday morning and be a guest of the Speed Channel show "Trackside Live" on Friday evening.(Moore Consulting Group PR)(6-21-2006)
- Gilliland to drive #72 car at Sonoma: David Gilliland, fresh off an upset Busch Series win at Kentucky Speedway [in his 7th race] will step behind the wheel, on a limited basis starting at Infineon Raceway, of the newly formed #72 CJM Racing Dodge in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in 2006.(David Gilliland site)(6-18-2006)
- Sherman to race at Pocono: from Brent Sherman diary at the St. Paul Pioneer Press:
"I got a phone call Wednesday from a Nextel Cup team [Jayski: hearing it is the #72 CMJ Racing team] interested in me possibly driving for them in the Pocono race next weekend. I flew to Charlotte on Thursday to meet with the team and see if we can put some kind of deal together. It's a team that has been very realistic about its goals — and very honest and upfront in its discussions with me. They're trying out some different drivers to find a good fit. It's a team running a limited schedule the rest of the year with plans to run a full schedule next year. I don't know if it's going to lead to anything, but I know this: I'm never far from my cell phone because I don't want to miss out on an opportunity to possibly hook up with a team and a good situation. I'm going to be in Pocono next weekend anyway, to run the ARCA RE/MAX Series race with my Sherman Racing team. It would be a good, fun experience for me to maybe drive in two races in the same weekend. The ARCA race, the Pocono 200, is on Saturday, and the Nextel Cup race, the Pocono 500, is on Sunday. Qualifying for both races is on Friday, so that day could be interesting. Our Sherman Racing team is still planning on trying to qualify for the July 9 race in Chicago. I've applied for a number with NASCAR for the Chicago race. Getting a number is a pretty involved process. In NASCAR, you own your number; they don't just give you a number for a weekend. I've applied for the #04. That's my number for ARCA races. I should hear in the next couple of weeks whether I get the number for Nextel Cup, too. It would be nice to have that as my number wherever I race.(St. Paul Pioneer Press)(6-3-2006)
- Shepherd sells? UPDATES: haven't heard official, but the rumored sale of Morgan Shepherd's #89 team looks like it has been completed to Bryan Mullet, with Kertus Davis scheduled to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and the #72 Dodge [changed from #89, supposedly Shepherd may attempt a race late in the season using it], the sponsor Dutch Quality Stone and Shepherd's crew chief, Doug George.(5-22-2006)
UPDATE: A new NASCAR race team plans to run 16 Nextel Cup races this year, beginning with this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the team announced. CJM Racing, based in Hickory, NC, will field Busch Series regular Kertus Davis in the their #72 Dodge Charger. The car will be sponsored by Dutch Quality Stone, team manager Keith Smith said during festivities to announce the new operation. The team has plans to run the full 2007 season. Busch Series competitor David Gilliland will drive the car at Infineon Raceway. The team will use more than one driver during the remainder of the 2006 season as it builds in preparation for a full schedule next year. Doug George will be the crew chief of the new team. George most recently served as crew chief for Morgan Shepherd's #89 entry, and has many years of prior racing experience. In addition to carrying primary sponsorship from Dutch Quality Stone, Smith said CJM also has several associate sponsors committed for the remainder of the season, including Dodge, ECO-FIRST,
and others.(CJM Racing PR)(5-24-2006)
- And Morgan Shepherd's plans? A deal for Morgan Shepherd and Christian business men Bryan and Tony Mullet of Dutch Quality Stone reached. Bryan and Tony Mullet, by their work with Morgan Shepherd and the "Victory In Jesus Racing Ministries", have seen the benefits and many lives touched by Morgan through that ministry. The Mullets have made it possible for the "Victory In Jesus Ministry" with Morgan Shepherd to operate for a number of years by the purchase of his race team. With this deal the ministry and racing will be separate. Morgan will retain the NEXTEL Cup #89 and the "Victory In Jesus Racing" name. The Mullets will introduce their new team, CJM Racing LLC #72 team, at the Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend. Kertus Davis will drive the #72 for that race. With the help of race fans, Morgan can continue to work toward his goal of putting a young deserving driver in the "Victory In Jesus Racing" #89 to bring heighten awareness to the "Victory In Jesus Ministry". Morgan Shepherd will be in the #0 car of Johnny Davis this weekend for the Busch Series CarQuest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Anyone interested in
funding the "Victory In Jesus Racing" logo on the Davis car at Lowe' please contact Morgan by e-mail at morganshepherd.com.(PR)(5-24-2006)
- Davis to run #89 for Shepherd: #0 Busch Series driver, Kertus Davis announced that he will attempt to make his first Nextel Cup start this weekend in Richmond for the Crown Royal 400. Davis recieved the call to drive the #89 Dodge, normally driven by Morgan Shepherd. "We're really excited about this opportunity, and hope that we can put on a good show for everyone," Kertus said. Davis is also entered to run the NASCAR Busch Series race in the #0 RaceGirl Chevy that he normally pilots.(kertusdavis.com)(5-3-2006)
