one scenerio I am hearing is that Ricky Rudd, driver of the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, could retire at the end of 2005 with no fanfare. John Andretti would drive the #21 for a year, with Jon Wood staying in the #47 Busch Series Ford and moving up to Cup in 2007.(10-9-2005)
UPDATE: now hearing Ken Schrader, driver of the #49 Schwan’s Home Service, could replace Rudd in the #21, ‘if’ Rudd does retire, and possibly may bring the sponsor along with him. BAM Racing and Schrader have said in the past that they expected to be together in 2006 and Schrader said it was his last full-time season in 2006.(10-11-2005)
UPDATE 2; RacingOne reports: Ken Schrader will run one more full NEXTEL Cup season in 2006 for BAM Motorsports. Schrader will shift to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2007 joining Mark Martin as two more former NEXTEL Cup regulars finding homes on the truck circuit.(RacingOne)(10-12-2005)
UPDATE 3: been told that Andretti in not a candidate for the #21 ride.(10-13-2005)
UPDATE 4: seems most reports have Rudd going to the #42 ride or retiring, been told Schrader to the #21 is a done deal and will be announced soon.(10-24-2005)
AND as for Schwan’s, have heard two things….that they stay with the #49 BAM team OR that they go with Schrader to the #21 in some capacity. Who would drive the #49? hve heard Mike Bliss is a candiate as is Dave Blaney, both are also up for the #43 Petty Dodge also.(10-25-2005)
UPDATE 5: Ken Schrader will be driving for the Wood brothers next season, replacing Ricky Rudd, sources close to the negotiations have confirmed. Neither the Wood brothers nor Schrader would discuss the situation. “It depends on what Ricky does,” Schrader said. “We’re waiting for Kenny or the Woods to make a comment, and then we’ll comment,” Tony Morgenthau, Schrader’s current car owner, said. Rudd could now be key to the Chip Ganassi-Jack Roush-Roger Penske deadlock over drivers, if Rudd were willing to move to Ganassi’s Texaco-sponsored team. Ganassi tried to hire Rudd a few years ago. Rudd spent several years as a Texaco-sponsored driver for Robert Yates. The future of Rudd’s crew chief, Michael “Fatback” McSwain is up in the air too. McSwain said yesterday he doesn’t know if he’ll be back with the Wood brothers next season.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-29-2005)
