From nascar.com
NASCAR’s Red Bull Racing officials confirmed on Wednesday the team's contract with Scott Speed has been terminated, effectively ending a seven-year association with the Austrian brand.
Speed revealed on his Twitter account earlier in the afternoon that he had received a termination letter as of November 24.
"We have exercised our rights to end the relationship at the end of 2010," according to a statement from the team. "We wish Scott the best of luck in his career."
The 27-year-old native of Manteca, Calif., finished 30th in the 2010 Sprint Cup driver's standings, scoring top-10 finishes at Atlanta in March and Daytona in July.
But with Brian Vickers scheduled to return to the team following successful heart surgery -- and Kasey Kahne signed to a one-year deal before heading to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 -- Speed found himself as the odd man out.
Speed won the 2001 U.S. Formula Russell championship before moving to Europe to race Formula Renaults and GP2s. He then graduated to Formula 1 with the Scuderia Toro Rosso, made 28 starts and was released from his F1 contract in July 2007.
The American then switched to stock car racing with Red Bull sponsorship. Speed's best career NASCAR Sprint Cup finish came at Talladega in 2009, when he finished fifth.
NASCAR’s Red Bull Racing officials confirmed on Wednesday the team's contract with Scott Speed has been terminated, effectively ending a seven-year association with the Austrian brand.
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| Scott Speed, Red Bull Racing Toyota Camry (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |
Speed revealed on his Twitter account earlier in the afternoon that he had received a termination letter as of November 24.
"We have exercised our rights to end the relationship at the end of 2010," according to a statement from the team. "We wish Scott the best of luck in his career."
The 27-year-old native of Manteca, Calif., finished 30th in the 2010 Sprint Cup driver's standings, scoring top-10 finishes at Atlanta in March and Daytona in July.
But with Brian Vickers scheduled to return to the team following successful heart surgery -- and Kasey Kahne signed to a one-year deal before heading to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 -- Speed found himself as the odd man out.
Speed won the 2001 U.S. Formula Russell championship before moving to Europe to race Formula Renaults and GP2s. He then graduated to Formula 1 with the Scuderia Toro Rosso, made 28 starts and was released from his F1 contract in July 2007.
The American then switched to stock car racing with Red Bull sponsorship. Speed's best career NASCAR Sprint Cup finish came at Talladega in 2009, when he finished fifth.