Patrick Carpentier has been released from his contract with Gillette-Evernham Motorsports. A rookie in NA$CAR, the former open wheel star began the season with great expectations. The reality of how tough it is to run NA$CAR’s elite series hit home quick as he failed to qualify for the Daytona 500.
The #10 GEM entry failed to qualify on speed for the AMP 500 at Talladega last Saturday. Despite the fact that Carpentier’s time was faster than his fellow GEM teammates. Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler made the field because both cars are in the top 35 owner points. Team director, Mike Shiplett berated the effort by Carpentier. A shouting match that took place in the rear of the team hauler was witnessed by many in the area as the doors were not closed.
Mike Wallace has been named to drive the #10 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend. A.J. Allmendinger will drive at Martinsville. A.J. has already been announced to drive the #00 entry from Michael Waltrip Motorsports at Charlotte.
Reed Sorenson, current driver of the #41 Ganassi/Sabates Dodge had previously been named as the driver to take the #10 beginning with the ‘09 season. Carpentier was in limbo with the team pending a sponsor search to fund him in a 4th GEM car. Failing that, Carpentier was likely out of GEM by year’s end anyway.
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Speaking of that. Grumpy just saw an announcement that Jack Sprague has been released from the #2 NCTS entry at Kevin Harvick Inc. Gotta look into that too.
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