CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Joe Nemechek, out of a full-time ride
since Kmart pulled out of NASCAR, was hired by Hendrick Motorsports
Wednesday to replace Jerry Nadeau.
Nadeau, released from his Hendrick contract last week, was also
snapped up Wednesday. MBV Motorsports picked him to fill in for the
injured Johnny Benson.
Both deals are temporary, but Nemechek has a little more
security.
He'll be piloting the No. 25 Chevrolet for the rest of the
season and performance could make it a permanent deal. The car is
the fourth team in the Hendrick stable, which includes Jeff Gordon,
Terry Labonte and rookie Jimmie Johnson.
"We're pleased to be able to put a talented veteran like Joe
behind the wheel of the No. 25 car," team president John Hendrick
said. "He's a proven winner and we're confident that he'll compete
at a high level for the remainder of the 2002 season."
Nemechek, a former Busch Series champion, will compete in The
Winston on Saturday night. He's eligible for the event because he
won a race last season, but was not certain he would be able to
compete because he didn't have a car.
Nemechek lost his Winston Cup job when Kmart filed for
bankruptcy, ending its sponsorship deal with the two cars at
Haas-Carter Motorsports. The teams all but folded when Kmart pulled out, though both Nemechek and teammate Todd Bodine ran several races either without a primary sponsor or under a one-race sponsor deal.
"I'm extremely excited at the opportunity to join a first-class
organization like Hendrick Motorsports," Nemechek said. "They're
giving me the chance to come into a situation with a top-tier team
and fantastic sponsor. I really couldn't be more thrilled."
Nadeau, meanwhile, will only be in the No. 10 Pontiac until
Benson recovers.
He'll be in the Winston Open on Saturday night and must win it
to get into The Winston. Benson, injured in a Busch series accident
on May 3, won the qualifier last year to advance into the all-star
event.
"I certainly wish it could be under better circumstances but
I'm excited to run the Winston Open," Nadeau said. "They won the
pole and the Open last year and I know they want to do the same
again this year. That's certainly my goal."
The 31-year-old Nadeau scored the only win of his Winston Cup
career in Atlanta in November 2000, at the end of his first full
season with Hendrick. He parted ways with Hendrick last week
because the team was in a rut -- he's 28th in the series standings
with one top-10 finish in 11 starts.
Since MBV had a history with Nadeau, he filled in for the team
in 1999 when then-driver Ernie Irvan was hurt, they grabbed him to
replace Benson.
"We had talked to some others but Jerry is the guy we jumped at
when we heard that he could drive for us," general manager Jay
Frye said. "He got along with everyone here (in 1999) really well.
He'll fit in without a problem."