Mayfield released as driver of Haas' No. 70 Chevrolet

Haas CNC Racing announced on Tuesday it has released Jeremy Mayfield.

The move comes a day after replacing Mayfield with Johnny Sauter as driver of its No. 70 Chevrolet for Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway.

"Jeremy's proven resume behind the wheel of a Cup car was a real benefit to our team," team general manager Joe Custer said. "He stepped into the seat and did everything we asked him to and more.

Sauter

"Ultimately, we were unable to provide him with the right balance, handling and speed he needed to be successful. We wish Jeremy nothing but the best for his future."

A team release said Haas CNC, which also fields a No. 66 Chevrolet for Scott Riggs, was "exploring several scenarios regarding a replacement driver."

Sauter last year drove the No. 70 car for Haas -- which was a new team that Sauter immediately moved into the top 35 in owner points, where it remained all season. He teamed with the No. 66's pilot, the veteran Jeff Green, who accrued three top-10 finishes. But the team chose to go with Mayfield and Riggs as its two drivers for the 2008 season. Both have struggled.

Mayfield has qualified only once better than 30th, when he started 23rd at Las Vegas and scored his best finish, 16th. Mayfield's car, owned by Margaret Haas, fell to 36th in owner points after a 38th-place finish at Texas and must qualify on speed at Phoenix.

Riggs' car, owned by Custer, is 31st in the owner standings after finishing 27th at Texas. Riggs has one start better than 27th in seven races -- ironically, seventh at Las Vegas. His only finish better than 20th is an 18th at Atlanta.

Sauter posted Haas CNC's first top-five finish in six years of Cup racing, a fifth last fall at Richmond. He was ninth in the spring 2007 event at Phoenix after qualifying 42nd. Sauter qualified fifth and finished 15th last fall at Phoenix.

Two of Sauter's three career top-10s in 67 Cup races have come at Phoenix, the other a ninth in the 2005 spring event, driving for owner James Finch.