Jeff Burton posted six top-10 finishes, including two fourth-place showings. Credit: Autostock

Top 10: Silly Season

Silly Season is no longer confined to a few weeks between the end of one racing schedule and the beginning of the next. It seems like Silly Season has become a year-round phenomenon.

Here's my list of the 10 most important Silly Season moves of 2004:

Jeff Burton goes to RCR

It was, quite simply, the biggest Silly Season move of the year, and it gave Burton's sagging career a much-needed shot in the arm.

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Burton had driven for Roush for nearly eight seasons but was mired in a three-year losing streak. Burton went over to RCR in August with 14 races to go and moved from 22nd in the points to 18th.

Burton will be expected to help RCR emerge from a slump that saw them fail to win a race in 2004.

Carl Edwards promoted to Roush

Edwards' swift promotion to the Nextel Cup Series in August was shocking mainly because was one of least experienced drivers to make it to NASCAR's top series in quite some time.

As recently as 2002, Edwards had only seven Craftsman Truck Series starts. But after replacing Burton at Roush, the 25-year-old fired off five top-10s in 13 starts.

He drove so well that Roush will run him the entire year in 2005, even though sponsorship issues remain.

Kyle Busch to the No. 5 car

Kyle Busch Credit: Autostock

Busch will be expected to revive Hendrick's No. 5 team, which has fallen on hard times in recent years. Terry Labonte was moved to Hendrick's No. 44 program, where he will run a limited schedule the next two seasons as he eases into retirement.

Busch's Busch Series crew chief, Lance McGrew, will make the move to Nextel Cup as well, handling chores for Brian Vickers.

The move gives Hendrick four drivers under the age of 35.

Jason Leffler to the No. 11 Chevy

FedEx had been rumored to want into the sport for years, and they are banking their investment on Leffler, who is making his second attempt with a well-funded multi-car team.

Wally Rogers, a rookie crew chief, will head up the program, which is Joe Gibbs Racing's first attempt at a full-time third team.

DEI crew swap

At DEI, everything but the drivers changed, as they switched crews on the No. 8 and No. 15 programs, moving unknown Pete Rondeau to the No. 8 crew chief slot.

Slugger Labbe bolted to Evernham, helping trigger a massive move that also saw Tony Eury Jr. become crew chief on the No. 15.

The move will be closely scrutinized as Daytona nears, because Dale Earnhardt Jr. has only worked with one crew chief (Tony Eury Sr.) during his entire Nextel Cup career.

Kvapil replaces Gaughan

Brendan Gaughan Credit: Autostock

Like Leffler in 2001, Brendan Gaughan was one-and-done as a rookie in 2004. He was replaced by Travis Kvapil after the season ended despite finishing second in a strong rookie class.

The move was criticized in the media since Gaughan was the only rookie to lose his job.

Kvapil will join Kyle Busch as a rookie contender in 2005.

Addington to Labonte

Bobby Labonte suffered through his second off-season in three years in 2004. He didn't win a race for the first time since joining Joe Gibbs Racing. The team fired Michael McSwain in July, and Labonte sank from contention in the second half.

The team didn't go out and hire a veteran from the Nextel Cup garage - they hired longtime Busch Series crew chief Steve Addington, who was already working for Joe Gibbs Racing as head wrench for Mike Bliss.

Robby Gordon to field own team

Robby Gordon Credit: Autostock

Robby Gordon owned his own Nextel Cup team with limited success in 2000 - but he is going to try it again in 2004.

Gordon will remain in a Chevrolet as he basically moves his own Busch program to the Nextel Cup level. Reportedly, Gordon will use engines from John Menard and a rotating sponsor program featuring Fruit of the Loom, Harrah's and Menard's.

PPC runs with Andretti

The Nextel Cup Series has been short of sponsored teams in recent years, so ppc racing's addition of John Andretti for the 2005 season was a welcome one.

The team will run a No. 14 Ford for the full schedule. Don't expect miracles from the team, but Andretti is a veteran driver who performed adequately as the team ran a handful of races in the latter part of 2004.

PPI with Hamilton Jr.

PPI has only used two drivers since its inception in 2000, and Ricky Craven's drop-off was surprising. The two finally divorced in August, and Bobby Hamilton Jr. will be expected to rally a team that has fallen on hard times.

Hamilton Jr. brought his Busch Series crew chief, Harold Holly, to PPI with him.

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