JR Motorsports has released Kelly Bires, who was supposed to be a rising star in the NASCAR Nationwide team, and Jamie McMurray has been named to drive in nine races.
While the Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owned JR Motorsports, has made a huge sponsorship, if not on-the-track, success with Danica Patrick in their #7 car, Bires was supposed to be running for the entire season in the #88.
Kelley Earnhardt, Dale’s sister, a co-owner and general manager of the team made the announcement in a press release.
“We are extremely appreciative of Kelly Bires and wish him the best,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “Internally, it was evident the chemistry that is imperative for us to succeed in this highly competitive industry was simply not there. That is the fault of no one person. We owe it to our fans and sponsors to make necessary adjustments in an effort to put our best product on the track, and we’ll continue evaluating our progress until we are confident that our full potential is being reached.”
The press release notes that the team had finished third in the previous two year’s standings including six wins. The team is 13th in the standings. Bires has raced in five of the six Nationwide events and is, personally, 20th in the standings with one seventh place as his top finish.
McMurray, winner of this year’s Daytona 500 for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, will drive at the six upcoming Nationwide Series events -- Texas (April 17), Talladega (April 24), Richmond (April 30), Darlington (May 7), Dover (May 15) and Charlotte (May 30) -- plus Chicagoland (July 9), Atlanta (Sept. 4) and the return trip to Charlotte (Oct. 15).
The release added that this driver change does not affect the status of the #7 car while Patrick is racing in the IndyCar Series. Previously Landon Cassill and Scott Wimmer raced that car in her absence. “Driving vacancies left on the #7 schedule are still to be determined,” the release added.
While the Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owned JR Motorsports, has made a huge sponsorship, if not on-the-track, success with Danica Patrick in their #7 car, Bires was supposed to be running for the entire season in the #88.
Kelley Earnhardt, Dale’s sister, a co-owner and general manager of the team made the announcement in a press release.
“We are extremely appreciative of Kelly Bires and wish him the best,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “Internally, it was evident the chemistry that is imperative for us to succeed in this highly competitive industry was simply not there. That is the fault of no one person. We owe it to our fans and sponsors to make necessary adjustments in an effort to put our best product on the track, and we’ll continue evaluating our progress until we are confident that our full potential is being reached.”
The press release notes that the team had finished third in the previous two year’s standings including six wins. The team is 13th in the standings. Bires has raced in five of the six Nationwide events and is, personally, 20th in the standings with one seventh place as his top finish.
McMurray, winner of this year’s Daytona 500 for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, will drive at the six upcoming Nationwide Series events -- Texas (April 17), Talladega (April 24), Richmond (April 30), Darlington (May 7), Dover (May 15) and Charlotte (May 30) -- plus Chicagoland (July 9), Atlanta (Sept. 4) and the return trip to Charlotte (Oct. 15).
The release added that this driver change does not affect the status of the #7 car while Patrick is racing in the IndyCar Series. Previously Landon Cassill and Scott Wimmer raced that car in her absence. “Driving vacancies left on the #7 schedule are still to be determined,” the release added.