Robbie Reiser has been Matt Kenseth's crew chief for all of Kenseth's Cup career. Credit: Autostock

Reiser may be promoted to G.M. spot at Roush

Kenseth's crew chief said job would be fulfillment of dream

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Robbie Reiser could have a new role at Roush Racing in 2007, according to several drivers within the organization.

	Matt Kenseth Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Matt Kenseth in the Cup Series Year Starts W T5 T10 1998 1 0 0 1 1999 5 0 1 1 2000 34 1 4 11 2001 36 0 4 9 2002 36 5 11 19 2003 36 1 11 25 2004 36 2 8 16 2005 36 1 12 17 2006 29 4 13 18 Totals 249 14 64 117

It has been discussed that Reiser, who has been the crew chief for 2003 Nextel Cup champion Matt Kenseth since 1998, take on general manager position over all the teams.

Reiser said that was a question for team owner Jack Roush, but admitted he is interested in such a position. Roush declined to comment.

"I've done this job for 12 years for Matt,'' Reiser said. "Not that I'm sick and tired of it or don't enjoy it or any of that, but somewhere along the line you've got to move to the next challenge.

"And the next challenge probably would be to oversee an operation in the garage. That's something I want to do down the road.''

Kenseth has said on numerous occasions that Reiser is far more valuable to the company than anybody knows.

Greg Biffle, who will become the senior driver at Roush next season with Mark Martin departing to MB2 Motorsports, is all for expanding Reiser's role.

"Robbie means a lot to Roush,'' he said. "What we want Robbie to do, what I want Robbie to do, is become the general manager over all the teams. Be that liaison between engineering and the teams and all the crew chiefs and the aerodynamics part of the business.

"Be hands-on, not just an administrator, push the pencil [guy]. Be a hands-on guy that helps all of us be strong as a group. That's what we want Robbie Reiser to do. That's what I want him to do. That's what some others want him to do.''

That likely would mean the end of the longest crew chief-driver relationship in the garage.

"We don't want to take him away from Matt,'' Biffle said. "But Matt has talked like he knows when the time comes, that he knows when Robbie decides to take that role, that [he] has got somebody in mind internally in the company that he wants to take over that position.

"We'll see what happens. That decision is beyond what I could make.''