Carpentier signs with GEM

Former IndyCar Series and Champ Car driver Patrick Carpentier, a native of Canada, will drive for Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season

"I guess the news leaked a little early," said Max d'Orsonnens, a public relations representative for Carpentier.

Pat's gang!

Patrick Carpentier has his own Crew in the Community! Check out what other fans are saying about GEM's newest driver.

• More

A "little early" may be one way to describe it. As of midday Wednesday, the "leak" was news to Ray Evernham, who earlier this season forged a partnership of his racing organization with businessman George N. Gillett Jr.

"No one has told me that Patrick Carpentier is the official driver of the No. 10 car next season," Evernham said. "Until George Gillett tells me that ... I have not signed a contract or any contract as of yet."

However, shortly after 6 p.m. ET the team made it official:

"Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced today that they have added Patrick Carpentier to their driver lineup for 2008," read a press release. "The Quebec native and former open wheel stand out will drive fulltime in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next year as well as select races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The car number and sponsorship have not yet been announced."

Carpentier made a splash earlier this season when he debuted in the Busch Series' first-ever event in Montreal. He won the pole and finished second.

He made his Cup debut Aug. 12 at The Glen, driving the No. 10 in place of current driver Scott Riggs, and finished 22nd.

Carpentier is the latest international name to join the stock-car ranks. Last weekend at the Talladega Superspeedway, Jacques Villeneuve, also a Canadian, made his Cup debut, while Dario Franchitti of Scotland made his ARCA debut. Both have full-time Cup rides next season.

In the release, Gillett said, "We are excited to add Patrick Carpentier to our organization for 2008. Patrick has shown tremendous talent in every series he has driven throughout his career and has a bright future in NASCAR.

"We are committed to giving Patrick the best resources and opportunities available to make this transition and we look forward to a great deal of success together both on and off the track."

Carpentier apparently will replace Riggs, who last week signed with Haas CNC for the 2008 season.

News of Carpentier's agreement with GEM sends driver David Stremme back to pound the pavement some more.

Stremme, who currently drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, is being replaced by Franchitti. Stremme was on the short list of drivers to pilot the No. 10 car.

Jeff Dickerson, Stremme's agent said, "[GEM] made their decision and I wish them nothing but luck trying to get Patrick up to speed. We are excited about the possibilities that lay ahead for David."

Michael Waltrip Racing is reported to be an option for Stremme next season.

Carpentier becomes the latest open-wheel driver to jump to NASCAR, and will join a Dodge camp that already has Juan Montoya and Franchitti in Avengers for next season. Villeneuve, a former Formula One world champion, will drive a Toyota next season, and Scott Speed will race a Toyota in the ARCA Series.

Carpentier has driven in only one Nextel Cup race and two Busch Series events, all on road courses. The No. 10 is currently outside the top 35 in owner points, and Riggs has failed to qualify for seven events, including Sunday's race at Talladega.

It creates a tricky situation for Carpentier because if the car isn't locked into the field and misses races, Carpentier won't get the experience he'd need to race it inside the top 35 in points.

Team co-owner Alex Gillett acknowledged the difficulties Carpentier could face.

"Like all of these new guys, there is going to be a learning curve in regards to ... if you bring them into this sport, how do you bring them in properly?" he said. "I'm not sure you take somebody like Patrick Carpentier and throw them right into Nextel Cup."

Carpentier remains attractive because the team can court Canadian companies to sponsor the car.

GEM's announcement said the team will conduct a formal news conference next week to introduce Carpentier and discuss further details.

Hornish back for another try

Another open-wheel star trying to make the swtich to NASCAR will try again this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway when 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr. hopes to make the field for Saturday night's Bank of America 500.

Hornish, a three-time IndyCar Series champion, has come up short three times in the past four weeks. Hornish's three previous qualifying attempts, which all came close to putting him in the lineup, were in NASCAR's new Car of Tomorrow, which will run the entire Cup series in 2008. But this week the competitors are back in the current car.

"This will be the first race I'm attempting to qualify in a car that will be obsolete after this season," Hornish said. "I have more experience driving this style of car and on similar tracks running in the Busch Series. So I'm a little more comfortable approaching this weekend than I was at New Hampshire and Dover.

"It's not my first time at Lowe's, though. I ran there in a Formula Ford in the late '90s."

Hornish, who drives for Roger Penske in both IndyCar and NASCAR, is considering a move to stock cars full time in 2008. For that reason, he will enter no more than seven races this year, keeping his eligibility to race for rookie of the year next season in Cup.

That means the only other events for which he will attempt to qualify are the two remaining COT events at Martinsville and Phoenix.

Stenhouse signs with Roush Fenway

Sprint car star Ricky Stenhouse Jr. signed with Roush Fenway Racing on Wednesday and will move to stock cars next season.

Stenhouse, who turns 20 later this month, will run the full ARCA schedule next season in a car fielded by Roush Fenway.

"I've been waiting for this for a while," Stenhouse said. "Since I was 6 years old and starting to race, this is what I've wanted to do. To be racing for Jack Roush, John Henry and a team like Roush Fenway Racing, it's a dream come true."

Stenhouse, from Olive Branch, Miss., raced for Tony Stewart Racing this season in USAC's National Sprint Car and National Midget Car Series'.

He won two races and had 14 top-10 finishes in 22 Sprint car starts, and ranks fifth in the standings. In the Midget Series, Stenhouse has five wins in 23 starts with 15 top-10 finishes. He's third in those standings.

He plans to fulfill his USAC obligations, but start testing with Roush Fenway in the coming weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.