Billy Parker failed to finish four of eight races. Credit: Autostock

McMurray driving for R. Wallace at NHIS

Citing a need for improved performance, Rusty Wallace Incorporated has replaced rookie Billy Parker with veteran Jamie McMurray.

The move is effective with this weekend's Siemens 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway. McMurray tested the car last week at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina.

Billy Parker

RWI general manager Barry Dodson said he was disgruntled by published reports that the team had released Parker, 27.

"He's still employed here, he's just not driving the car," Dodson said. "He still might be used for some testing and some developmental stuff -- he's just not going to drive the car right now.

"We just need to have some production, mainly for the sponsor, but also for what Rusty and Pattie have put together, and for the race team, because we've got a helluva race team here."

Wallace's selection of McMurray, who has won three Busch Series races in a limited program over the last two seasons for owner James Finch, caused Finch to also make a change for New Hampshire.

Finch put McMurray's Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Nextel Cup teammate, Casey Mears, into his Dodge for this weekend's race.

Jamie McMurray

Wallace secured sponsorship last season and hired Parker as his new team's first driver.

After eight starts this season in the Busch Series, Parker is 42nd in the standings, six positions behind McMurray.

McMurray has only five starts, but a victory at Rockingham and three top-10 finishes.

Parker, whose older brother Hank Parker Jr. competes in the Craftsman Truck Series, is a former Late Model Stock Car racer who raced against Wallace's youngest son, Stephen, in Late Model cars.

Billy Parker's best finish was 22nd at California Speedway.

The move mirrors what Nextel Cup owner Richard Childress did with his team, replacing Johnny Sauter with veteran Dave Blaney, while keeping Sauter under contract.

"Exactly," Dodson said. "Just making all of the races and finishing them was our goal. We did not put any pressure on (Parker) -- we just wanted to qualify for all the races.

2004 Busch Series Driver Standings Manufacturer Standings Rookie Standings Owner Standings

"We've made every one and he's qualified well -- we haven't used a provisional yet, but we haven't finished 50 percent of what we've run and it's halfway through the season.

"There was a lot of pressure on him, but to me it was self-induced. He's in a high profile racecar and there are big expectations to live up to."

Dodson said the fault wasn't all Parker's.

"If he had a veteran pit crew he would have won Las Vegas -- a rookie driver in his first race," Dodson said. "But we lost two laps in the pits. We passed the winner three times. It drives me crazy.

"We said, 'Let's just finish and get some experience.' But when even that doesn't happen you don't even accomplish that.

"With the quality of this team and equipment, you need to get some top-10s. We should never have put a rookie driver in it."