When Jamie McMurray gets behind the wheel of a Jack Roush ride, he will do so in the No. 97. Credit: Autostock

Roush announces Cup changes for 2007 season

McMurray to drive the No. 97; Kluever to take over the No. 6

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Jack Roush on Saturday wouldn't be drawn into discussing NASCAR's proposed future limits on team ownership, but he confirmed a change of plans in his Nextel Cup lineup for 2007.

In a post-qualifying news conference at Kansas Speedway, Roush said Jamie McMurray would drive Roush Racing's No. 97 Ford in 2007 while Todd Kluever, a current Roush driver in the Craftsman Truck Series, would drive the team's No. 6 Ford.

	Todd Kluever is in his first Craftsman Truck Series season. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers McMurray and Kluever (2005) Category McMurray Kluever Series Cup Trucks Starts 29 20 Wins 0 0 Top-5 4 5 Top-10 8 8 Rank 12 14

Roush Racing president Geoff Smith previously said Kluever would race a full Busch Series schedule in 2006 and Saturday, Roush said that Kluever probably would mimic Roush driver Carl Edwards in 2007 by contesting full schedules in both Nextel Cup and the Busch Series.

Roush previously had said Mark Martin would continue in the No. 6 Ford in 2006 while Kurt Busch would fulfill his contractual obligations in the No. 97 Ford. In a Sept. 27 conversation on NASCAR.COM, Smith said if everything could be worked out, Busch might be released from his contract, but it wasn't likely.

"Our short-term plan is that Todd Kluever will be in the 6 car in 2007," Roush said. "Mark will be in the car in 2006 and Todd will run a Busch Grand National program full-time in 2006 and, most likely, in 2007 he'll do the same sort of thing that Carl did this year [run both series]."

McMurray, meanwhile, has said he's resigned to race Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 42 Dodge in 2006, per his contract, which Ganassi has said he won't release McMurray from.

Roush has said he would not want to be a party to prematurely tinkering with contracts, and reiterated his displeasure with Busch's departure.

	Jack Roush has all five of his cars in the Chase. Credit: Autostock
	ALSO Jack Roush is unhappy with NASCAR's decision to place a limit on multicar teams.  •   Full story,  click here

"We've made that change [McMurray to 97] with what Kurt wants to do," Roush said. "I certainly respect his right to say he didn't want to take a position and he didn't want to negotiate with me going forward -- that's his prerogative.

"This is America and that's what he needs to do if that's what he wants to do, but for 2007 it's my expectation that Jamie McMurray will be in the 97 with the sponsors that are there at that time."

Regarding the other sponsorship packages, which include Busch programs for Edwards, Kluever and a combination of Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Martin; as well as Martin's 2006 Cup program, Roush basically said, "stay tuned."

"I'm not sure what's been announced in terms of sponsors and I won't respond to that," Roush said. "Geoff and the folks in the marketing office, with the sponsors, will have to decide the timing for that if it hasn't already been made clear."