Kenny out, Bliss in? UPDATE 5 Bliss Named: Kenny Wallace has told the #27 Eel River Racing team that he didn’t want to quit the team, but if after four races he was unable to qualify the car he would step away and allow ERR to hire another driver for the rest of the year. Rumor is that Mike Bliss will be driving the #27 car for the rest of the season. Also hear that Wallace has already been offered other Cup rides(no idea which ones). Wallace will concentrate on driving the #48 Innovative Gould’s Pump Chevy in the BGN for the rest of the year UPDATE: It has been learned that Eel River Racing may be parting ways with its driver, Kenny Wallace. The team has struggled financially and on the race track this year. Wallace has missed four races this year, most noteably the last three. The team began the season sponsorless until Duke’s Mayonnaise came forward in May to back them for the rest of 2001. A team spokesperson said they are “trying to regroup and looking at all aspects of the team.” If and when a driver change decision is made, it would be “sooner than later.”(NASCAR.com Buzz)(6-26-2001) UPDATE 2: hearing the #27 ERR team will be getting engine help from DEI in the upcoming races, just watched RPM 2Night from Tuesday night, it is mentioned their that the #27 will use an DEI engine at Daytona and another twist, Robby Gordon is being considered as the driver AND Kenny Wallace has secured his release from ERR and an announcement is expected Thursday(PRN’s Garage Pass)(6-27-2001) UPDATE 3: Barely a month after his very public campaign helped his race team land a sponsor, Kenny Wallace said Wednesday he’s out as driver of the #27 Pontiacs owned by Eel River Racing. “This is a move that I thought needed to be made so that I can move on,” Wallace said. The team has failed to qualify for the past three Winston Cup races. After missing the race at Pocono two weeks ago, Wallace said he felt the team began to question his ability. “A lot of thought went into this,” said Wallace, who as of Wednesday was still working to get released from his contract with the team. Mike Bliss, who drove for the team owned by Jack Birmingham in 24 races last season, is the apparent replacement for Wallace in the #27 car. Bliss would be the sixth driver in 58 races for Eel River. Calls made to Eel River Racing were not returned on Wednesday. Wallace said he plans to drive the #48 cars owned by George deBidart in the Grand National series for the rest of this year. He plans to enter his own Winston Cup car in a race at Loudon, N.H., on Sept. 16 and seek a full-time Cup ride for the 2002 season. Wallace left Andy Petree Racing after the 2000 season to join Eel River Racing. The team had no sponsor, however, and Wallace confirmed Wednesday that he tried to get a release from Eel River so he could drive the #01 Dodges now being driven by rookie Jason Leffler. Wallace also talked with car owner Larry McClure about taking over the #4 Chevrolets when Robby Gordon was let go after five races this season. Wallace then auditioned for a position on the NBC-TNT announcer team in May when it appeared that Eel River Racing was about to close its doors. On the same day that Wallace had the TV audition, however, the team announced a deal with the C.F. Sauer Co. to have the company’s colors on the #27 for 15 races, giving the team a reprieve.(That’s Racin’) AND Kenny was on ESPN2’s RPM 2Night and he and the ERR team have parted ways. Wallace will run a Cup car with his BGN team owner George deBidart in the September New Hampshire race(6-28-2001) UPDATE 4 – Interview: See an interview with Kenny by NASCAR.com’s Marty Smith at: Wallace speaks out on departure from Eel River(6-29-2001) UPDATE 5: On Monday, the Eel River Racingn team officially announced Mike Bliss will be returning as the driver of its #27 Pontiac. After testing in Kentucky on Monday and Tuesday, he will report for duty beginning with the Pepsi 400 at Daytona this weekend.(NASCAR.com)(7-3-2001)
