Nemechek confident about 2004 job hunt

RICHMOND, Va. -- Though Hendrick Motorsports chose not to extend Joe Nemechek's contract past the end of the season, the veteran driver harbors no ill will towards team owner Rick Hendrick and remains confident he'll drive in the Nextel Cup Series in 2004.

Vickers moving up  CONCORD, N.C. -- Rising star Brian Vickers will replace Joe Nemechek in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 25 Chevrolets in 2004, the team announced Tuesday.  Full Story

"It's just part of racing," Nemechek said of HMS' decision to replace him in the No. 25 Chevrolets with 19-year old Brian Vickers, started next season. "I'm definitely disappointed, myself, but that's how it goes.

"I love racing Winston Cup, and will be racing (Nextel) Cup in some way, shape or form next year."

Nemechek replaced Jerry Nadeau at HMS in May 2002, and to date has recorded four top-fives in the car, including a win here in the spring.

"We have 11 races left and we think we can win a few of them, starting (this weekend)," said Nemechek, who brought the same car to Richmond this weekend that won here in the spring.

"It's kind of bad all this stuff got thrown in this week, because I thought we were going to be the favorites coming back here, and it just got overridden by some other news."

That news came as a shock to some, but not Nemechek.

"It's something that Rick and I talked about a few weeks back because they were struggling to find a sponsor for that team," Nemechek said. "There's more than just me. You've got to look at the team.

"Whether it be 60 or 70 people on that team, they all have families, too, so Rick needs to keep that thing going.

"So he started asking around and GMAC said, 'Yeah, we'll step up with Brian Vickers,' and that's a cool deal. It's a great opportunity for him. It's just unfortunate for me. Rick's a good man.

	Brian Vickers

"He's taken care of me well and my family well, and he's doing everything he can to help me land in a good ride."

Nemechek said offers have come his way since the announcement was made, but that he hasn't been overly proactive in pursuing them. He also said that Cellular One, the primary sponsor of his self-owned Busch Series operation, has re-signed for a limited schedule next year.

"There's stuff happening. (Hendrick) made that announcement on Tuesday, and Wednesday, the phones were ringing," Nemechek said. "It's amazing. I was hoping I wasn't going to be part of the Silly Season this year, and here I'm right in the middle of it."

Nemechek, a 10-year Winston Cup veteran, said he expects Vickers to perform well at the Winston Cup level.

"Who's the say when you're ready?" Nemechek said. "Brian's got two wins in the Busch Series, and it's not easy to win in the Busch Series. Heck, he should have four wins. It's a good deal, he's got some great racecars. He should able to hop right in there and take over."