R&J Racing released driver Kevin Lepage from his driving duties for the #37 BoSPOKER.netDodge Charger effective immediately. Lepage has been the driver for the R&J Racing Team since late last year. Lepage will be replaced by veteran driver Tony Raines who has 49 career starts and one top-10 finish in his four year NASCAR Nextel Cup career. Raines will run the #37 BoSPOKER.net Dodge Charger at this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway. The decision to make a driver change was a hard one for owners John Cater and Roger Craven but one they felt the team needed to make.
“This was a very tough decision for John and I to make, but one we felt needed to be made for the team,” said Craven. “We cannot thank Kevin enough for all he has done to get this team where it is today. Without him, there’s no telling where we would be. We felt the chemistry just wasn’t there. John and I decided that we needed to make a driver change and felt Tony Raines would be the right choice for us.” Lepage who has been with the team since late last year was disappointed with the decision, but under stands the owner’s decision in trying to find the right driver/team combination. “I am not happy with the decision but I can understand where they are coming from,” said Lepage. “No driver likes to lose their ride. I am going to miss the guys in the shop. I’d like to thank John Carter and Roger Craven for the opportunity they gave me. We started out with one car and no sponsorship and now the team has a handful of cars and has been able to find sponsorship for the rest of the year. To help build this team from nothing and to have helped bring them to this point has been a great feeling for me. I think Tony will do a good job behind the wheel. I have a couple irons in the fire and I look forward to getting back out on the track. I wish John and Roger all the best.”(Integrated Marketing Solutions PR), Raines had been listed in the #92 Front Row Motorsports car, now Eric McClure is in that ride for MIS.(8-16-2005)
