Former Craftsman Truck Series champion Mike Bliss will return to the Nextel Cup Series in 2005 with Haas CNC Racing. The deal with Haas marks Bliss' first full-time ride in the Cup series since 2000, when the 1993 USAC Silver Crown champion had a rough go of it. More

Penske-Jasper Racing has named Travis Kvapil driver of the No. 77 Kodak EasyShare Dodge, and he will compete for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in 2005. Kvapil, the 2003 Truck Series champion, succeeds Brendan Gaughan. Kvapil participated in a development program during 2004 with Penske Racing and competed in three Nextel Cup Series races. More

NASCAR lifted the ban on hard liquor sponsors, paving the way for Jack Daniel's to become sponsor of RCR's third team. Dave Blaney, who was without a full-time ride for much of 2004, will drive the No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet.

Ward Burton was released as the driver of the No. 0 Chevrolet with just two races to go -- the team used Mike Bliss for the rest of 2004 and is a candidate to driver the car in 2005. Burton remains unemployed.

Robby Gordon will drive for himself in 2005, as he will move his successful Busch program to the Nextel Cup level. Gordon leaves RCR after a three-year, three-win tenure. Jeff Burton moves from the No. 30 Chevy to Gordon's position at the No. 31, bringing crew chief Kevin Hamlin with him.

Jimmy Spencer lasted two-thirds of the season with Morgan-McClure Motorsports before he was let go with four races left. The team is looking for a sponsor and a driver for 2005.

Jason Leffler be be a teammate to Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart in 2005, as he will run the full schedule in a third Joe Gibbs Racing car. Dave Rogers, an engineer for Stewart's team, will be the crew chief.

Terry Labonte will drive 10 races a year in the newly-created No. 44 Chevy in 2005 and 2006. Kyle Busch will take over Labonte's No. 5 Chevy, which will continue to be sponsored by Kellogg's. Busch will run for Rookie of the year.

John Andretti will drive a full Nextel Cup schedule for ppc Racing, which won the 2000 Busch Series championship. The team will use Roush-Yates engines.

BAM Racing will execute its long-desired expansion to a two-car team in 2005. Whether BAM fields two cars for the full NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule, however, is undetermined, pending sponsorship.

Rusty Wallace has announced that the 2005 season will be his last as a full-time driver in the Nextel Cup Series.

Owner Cal Wells has replaced Ricky Craven with Bobby Hamilton, Jr. starting at California Speedway. Craven will race one final event at New Hampshire for the team. Craven and PPI Motorsports split after four full seasons together, and Wells signed Hamilton, Jr. to drive the No. 32 Tide-sponsored Chevrolet in 2005.

In other news, Wells closed his engine program and started leasing engines from Richard Childress Racing.

As of this time, Craven has not announced plans for 2005.

In July, Dale Earnhardt Inc. said that Michael Waltrip would continue as driver of the No. 15 Chevy for 2005, with continued backing from Napa.

Joe Nemechek will continue as driver of the No. 01 Chevrolet. as Jerry Nadeau continues to recover from injuries he suffered in 2003.

In August, questions arose whether Robby Gordon, driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet since late 2001, would return for the 2005 season, as Gordon’s contract expires after the 2004 season. If Gordon is not retained by RCR, he says he will consider driving a self-owned car in 2005.

Chip Ganassi exercised a contract extension for Jamie McMurray, but the length of the extension was not disclosed.

Greg Biffle was rumored to be leaving Roush Racing after the 2004 season, but Biffle said in July that he would be staying with Roush Racing for the 2005 season.

Jeff Burton left Roush Racing after eight and a half seasons, as he joined Richard Childress Racing’s third team with 14 races to go in the 2004 season.

Roush Racing was planning to promote Carl Edwards to Nextel Cup in 2006, but with Burton’s sudden departure, Roush placed Edwards in the No. 99 Ford, where he will race the full schedule in 2005.

The team has a sponsor for Edwards in 2005, but the team has not announced who it will be.