Pemberton leaving the #77 for the #36? UPDATE 2 Official: Crew chief Ryan Pemberton will leave his post with Blaney at the end of the season and replace Newt Moore on the #36 US Army Pontiac to driven by Jerry Nadeau.(Sporting News) AND The #77 Jasper Motorsports team had its best finish of the season Sunday, with Dave Blaney coming home seventh, but the names of its key players may start getting more attention in the final days of the season. Blaney is among the drivers who could become candidates for the #41 Dodge ride that opened up when that Chip Ganassi Racing team decided Jimmy Spencer would not be brought back for 2003. Blaney talked to Ganassi earlier this year about his third team, a ride that eventually went to Jamie McMurray, but at that point elected to stay with the #77 Fords. The current crew chief on the #41 Dodge team is Doug Randolph, who was Blaney’s crew chief at Bill Davis Racing in 2000 and 2001. Regardless of whether Blaney stays or goes, it appears likely that crew chief Ryan Pemberton will be leaving, most likely for the crew chief position with the #36 team that will field Pontiacs for Jerry Nadeau next season.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-11-2002) AND II: there is also speculation that Pemberton might move to Robert Yates’ [#38] team to work with Elliott Sadler.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-11-2002) UPDATE: Jasper Motorsports and Ryan Pemberton, crew chief of the #77 Jasper Engines and Transmissions Ford since 1999, have mutually decided to part ways at the conclusion of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. “I want to thank (owners) Doug Bawel, Mark Harrah, Mark Wallace, Robert Pressley, Dave Blaney and all of the team members of Jasper Motorsports for the opportunity and the support theyve given me since 1999,” said Pemberton, 33. “Im proud of the progress that the race team has made in the last three years, and I wish continued success to all of the people that have been part of the program.” After serving as one of the youngest crew chiefs in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series for three seasons (1997-99) with the #36 MB2 Pontiac team, Pemberton joined the Mooresville, N.C.-based team prior to the 2000 season. “We are proud of what Ryan has brought to our team and thank him,” said Doug Bawel, President of Jasper Engines & Transmissions and co-owner of the #77 Jasper Motorsports team.(Jasper Motorsports PR)(11-12-2002) UPDATE 2: Ryan Pemberton is leaving his role as Dave Blaney’s crew chief to take the same job with driver Jerry Nadeau. He’ll work next year with Nadeau, hired last week to drive for MB2/MBV Motorsports. That entire team is getting a makeover — driver Ken Schrader and crew chief Newt Moore won’t be back, and the car is switching from the #36 to the #01.(ESPN/AP), plus a new sponsor, the US Army for 27 races.(11-13-2002) (11-12-2002)
