NASCAR Daily News Headlines * December 13, 2007

Shiplett Named Crew Chief For Carpentier

Gillett Evernham swapped team directors - the team's nomenclature for crew chief - toward the end of the '07 season, with Rodney Childers moving from the No. 10 to the No. 19 team of Elliott Sadler.

Shiplett joined the No. 10 Cup team for the last two races of 2007. Shiplett led Kasey Kahne to two Busch Series victories in '07 after previously working on the team's Nextel Cup operation. Shiplett will be replaced as Nationwide team director by Kirk Almquist, who had served as car director for Sadler. (scenedaily.com)

Craftsman Changes Direction

Howard, manager of marketing partnerships for Sears, said Craftsman's departure also will bring an end to its status as the official tool of NASCAR. The current agreement was supposed to run through 2010, but Craftsman exercised a termination clause for the end of next season. Whether the next move involves a track deal, a team sponsorship or some other media play, Howard isn't sure yet, but whatever Craftsman does, he wants it to be "disruptive."

"We want to elevate and change the perception of the brand," he said. "We don't want to just do what everybody else is doing, but we want to make it bigger and better. We're looking for ways to break through, be a little more disruptive. We're going to be playing in positions that you might not expect to see the brand."

Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer, said the search for a new series sponsor began right away last week when news of Craftsman's departure was released. Howard said he advised NASCAR of Craftsman's intent to terminate its contract in July, but both sides agreed to keep it quiet because NASCAR was in the process of selling title sponsorship of its No. 2 series, which went to Nationwide Insurance.

Phelps said it was important to finalize that sale before beginning to sell the truck series.....MORE....(scenedaily.com)

Rockingham Truck Tests

McGilton, who placed sixth overall in the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series final point standings, soaked in advice from his veteran teammate. It was the young driver’s first time in a Tundra on a track bigger than a half-mile, and it took the rookie little time to get up to speed. McGilton spent the first day getting comfortable in the No. 22 machine and finding his line on the track. It was only his second time behind the wheel of a Toyota Tundra. He tested in October at Caraway Speedway near Asheboro, N.C.

McGilton adapted to many new techniques that he had never experienced before. Crew chief Doug Wolcott threw a lot at him during the two-day test, including numerous suspension changes.

“Testing at Rockingham went great,” McGilton said. “I felt that we made big steps in the communication area within the team. The second day, we came right off the truck a half-second quicker than the day before. I am very excited about what we have accomplished in such a short period of time, and I can’t wait to get things underway in Daytona.”