Lepage in? Atwood out at the #7? UPDATE 6 next week? to the #91?: hearing Kevin Lepage, who recently left the Brewco Motorsports in the BGN [Elton Sawyer in the #37 BGN car this week] will take over the #7 Sirius Dodge driving duties this week at Rockingham, Casey Atwood will supposedly go back to Brewco Motorsports and the BGN. Supposedly Lepage will run the final three Cup races in the car and possibly drive the full 2003 season.(10-29-2002) UPDATE: PRN’S Garagepass Sources Have Confirmed That Car Owner Ray Evernham And Driver Casey Atwood Are Parting Company. Kevin Lepage, In A One Race Deal, Will Drive The Sirius Satellite Dodge, At Rockingham. UPDATE 2: Contrary to electronic reports, Casey Atwood will remain behind the wheel of the #7 Sirius Satellite Dodge for the rest of the 2002 season. A team representative told NASCAR.com late Tuesday that Atwood would indeed drive in the three remaining races this year. Kevin Lepage will not drive the car, as reports stated.(NASCAR.com)(10-29-2002) UPDATE 3: There may be a driver change for this weekend’s Winston Cup race at Rockingham. There is action at Ultra Evernham Motorsports. Sources close to the team said that Casey Atwood was fired Tuesday morning as the driver of the #7 car. Kevin Lepage was at the shop on Tuesday and was set to replace Atwood this weekend. By Tuesday afternoon, Atwood was back in the car because of contractual snag, but if the situation is cleared up, Lepage may in fact be in the 7 car this weekend.(FoxSports)(10-30-2002) UPDATE 4: Opinions differ on whether Casey Atwood will finish the Winston Cup season in the #7 Dodge. Atwood is behind the wheel for the race this weekend. But, reports in the garage area have him out for the final two races of the year at Phoenix and Homestead, possibly replaced by Kevin LePage. However, team representatives stated that Atwood would finish out the season. According to reports, Lepage was 7/10ths of a second faster than Atwood at a recent testing session at Atlanta.(NASCAR.com)(11-1-2002) BUT another rumor has Jason Leffler in the #7 at Phoenix.(11-2-2002) UPDATE 5: Car owner Jim Smith fired Casey Atwood on Tuesday afternoon, with plans to put Kevin Lepage in the car this weekend. Atwood was unaware of that behind-the-scenes action until he got a phone call from friends who had heard the news on television. Atwood’s father, Terry, who has been carefully watching his young son’s fledgling career, then called Smith’s partner Ray Evernham, who in turn called Smith to remind him that Atwood still had a contract. What happens next is unclear.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-3-2002) UPDATE 6 – getting odder now: Casey Atwood will be testing at Homestead Speedway on Monday and Tuesday. Rumor has it that he isn’t testing in the #7 car, but the #91 Dodge owned by Ray Evernham Motorsports that Hank Parker Jr. drove at North Carolina Speedway. If Atwood does get released from the #7 Dodge, Evernham will use Atwood in his car to finish out the year. Garage talk had Atwood out of the car and Kevin Lepage in for Phoenix and Homestead. Lepage was seen walking and talking with Tony Furr, crew chief for the #7 Dodge, in the garage and pit area at Rockingham this weekend. Atwood was spotted in the BGN garage going into the #27 Chevy transporter of Brewco Motorsports, where he has been rumored to be going if he’s realeased from the Winston Cup ride.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(11-4-2002)
