No. 70 Haas CNC Chevy
Owner: Gene Haas/Joe Custer
Team: Haas CNC Racing
Crew Chief: Dave Skog

2008 Spin
Jeremy Mayfield has dealt with a lot of changes lately. In the middle of 2006, public criticism of his car owner led to his termination from the No. 19 car at Evernham Motorsports. Suddenly without a full-time Cup ride, the 37-year-old driver agreed to pilot the No. 36 360 OTC Camry for Bill Davis Racing in 2007. But things didn’t work out, as Mayfield missed 19 races due to NASCAR’s top 35 qualifying rule. The two-time Chase participant had taken a major step backward.

“You really don’t realize how good you’ve got it until you’re looking at things from the other side,” he says.

So, the high-profile journeyman driver left for his seventh team in 15 full-time seasons of driving for the No. 66 Haas CNC Racing Chevy. These supposedly greener pastures come equipped with a qualifying exemption for the first five races of 2008 in Haas’ No. 70 car, but after that it will be on the five-time Cup Series winner’s shoulders to stay there.

That challenge depends on factors out of Mayfield’s control. A team in transition, Haas CNC has yet to sign a primary sponsor fro Mayfield's team, leaving the financial burden of running the operation to owner Gene Haas. There’s just one problem: He’s in jail, sentenced in November to 24 months in prison for tax fraud. For now, Joe Custer replaces him with the future of both teams on the line. How Custer is able to rebuild while expanding the company’s financial support system will prove far more critical than his driver’s expertise behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, Mayfield is just happy for a new opportunity. With Dave Skog as his new crew chief in 2008, expectations are high. The two were paired together at Evernham in 2002, so the adjustment period should be short.

Skog inherits a program that knows some CoT secrets. With support from Hendrick Motorsports, the two-car Haas team had all five of its top-10 finishes in CoT events last year, giving it a solid foundation for 2008.

“With the CoT’s being relatively the same, I believe the challenge comes down to personnel,” Skog says. “There is a tremendous amount of potential in this team.”

Skog must keep the moody Mayfield feeling that same way. And if the financial support doesn’t materialize, that’s easier said than done.

Opposing Crew Chiefs’ Take
“Too much turmoil over there. Even though they get Hendrick engines and have a lot of resources and equipment, they haven’t brought it to the table yet. … Both the Haas CNC teams showed flashes, but then, at the end of the year, they hadn’t gained anything. … Jeremy’s going to have to step up this thing or he’ll be out. He’s made every ride he’s sat in worse. … I think (teammate) Scott Riggs is going to make Jeremy look bad. … Mayfield’s a nice guy. I don’t want a nice guy. I want a great racecar driver. I haven’t seen any desire, any passion. Throw a helmet. Show me something!

Fantasy Stall
Looking at Checkers: All but one of his career wins have come at tracks two miles or larger.
Pretty Solid Pick: His best average finishes are at Kansas and Las Vegas.
Good Sleeper Pick: He’s not a bad road racer, especially at Watkins Glen.
Runs on Seven Cylinders: For some reason he’s never been fond of short tracks...except for Richmond.
Insider Tip: If he can stay with one team for a while, he may contend again for wins.

For more in-depth driver news and hard-hitting features, order your 2008 Athlon Sports Racing Annual here.