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CUP: Mayfield Not Returning To BDR
Written by: Tom Jensen   
08/07/2007 - 07:00 PM
Harrisburg, N.C.
 
Jeremy Mayfield (LAT photo) MORE NASCAR PHOTOS ยป More Photos

Frustrated by a season in which he's made the field for just 8 of 21 NASCAR Nextel Cup races this season, driver Jeremy Mayfield will not return to Bill Davis Racing next season, the team announced today.

Mayfield, a winner of five Cup Series races and nine Cup pole positions in 12 seasons, joined BDR in September 2006 to drive the 360 OTC Toyota Camry as part of the two-team BDR effort in Toyota's inaugural season of NNCS competition.

But the combination of having no owner points, unusually high car counts and the normal teething problems common with a new manufacturer in the series have combined to make the year a huge challenge for the 38-year-old Owensboro, Ky., native.

"I've been in this sport long enough to know that it takes time to bring a brand new car up to speed in what is probably the most competitive racing series in the world," said Mayfield in a statement released by the team. "When I made the decision to move here to BDR with an untested car and a sponsor completely unfamiliar with NASCAR, I knew it would be somewhat of a gamble. I believed then, and I believe now, that Toyota has a bright future in the Cup Series and is making progress every weekend. You only have to look at their success in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and now in the Busch Series to see where it can go.

"I think Bill will be successful in resolving the issues that have hampered the No. 36 team this year," he said. But I think I have delivered what I can to the effort and looking at the total picture - what's best for me, what's best for the team - I believe this is the right time for me to consider other opportunities. I can assure you,
we will do our best to build on the first half of this season and put the No. 36 in front in this second half of the 2007 season."

"Jeremy has done all we asked of him and more as part of what has been an enormous challenge in 2007 for the entire BDR Cup program," said team owner Bill Davis in a statement. "It has been a huge undertaking to bring Toyota online for their first NASCAR Nextel Cup season at the same time all the teams in the sport were facing the dual competition platforms as we transitioned to the Car-of-Tomorrow.

"Add to that the challenge of facing the healthiest overall car-count in years for the Nextel Cup Series, the elements involved with the top-35 watermark, as well as the education of a company that was in its first NASCAR Nextel Cup motor sports sponsorship, and it has made for some trying times for all involved. We have had great support from Toyota on this endeavor, but it takes more than just manufacturer support to compete on this level; it takes a tremendous amount of additional sponsorship support that just did not materialize as we had anticipated."

"Nevertheless, despite the challenges, we feel that with Jeremy's help we've made significant progress with our Toyotas here at BDR, especially since the mid-point of the season, and believe we're on-pace to show marked improvement before season's end. When you have a great, veteran driver like Jeremy, it's always easier to measure your progress. I certainly understand Jeremy's desire to explore other options, but we are grateful that we will continue to have his services for a time to help us improve the overall week-to-week effort of the Toyota Cup program."