Randy LaJoie will be coming back to the Busch Series full time in 2005. Frank Cicci, a former Busch Series team owner for many years, has joined forces with former NFL quarterback Jim Kelly to form Cicci/Kelly Racing. The new team has acquired sponsorship from the Dollar General Stores. The primary sponsor will also bring along its corporate sponsors throughout the season. The #34 Chevy Monte Carlo will sport the yellow and black colors associated with the Dollar General Store branding.
Over the years, Frank Cicci Racing has fielded cars for 708 Busch Series events, logging 19 victories, 139 top five finishes, and 277 top ten finishes along with 14 pole starting positions. Some of you may remember that Randy LaJoie won back to back Busch Series Championships in 1996 and 1997.
Hendrick Motorsports will be taking a much different stance this coming season with the ever popular #5 Lowe's sponsored Chevy. The entry, which was previously owned by the late Ricky Hendrick, has been a championship winner and contender for several seasons, taking the crown recently with Brian Vickers, and contending in second place last season with Kyle Busch.
The Hendrick organization has announced that the entry will be piloted by up to four different drivers throughout the 2005 season. Last season's driver standout Kyle Busch will pilot the entry for a few races, starting out with the Hershey's Kisses 300 season opener at Daytona. Busch has moved up to the Cup Series and will probably run the #5 in Busch Series competitions when both are running the same weekend venue.
Two other drivers have been mentioned to also share driving time on the #5. Blake Feese, recent winner of the open wheel Outlaws Series and also of the ARCA Series will pilot the entry along with Boston Reid, who was the 2002 USAC Sprint Car Rookie of the Year. Both of these developmental drivers entering into the world of stock car racing are 22 years old and are scheduled to compete in a minimum of 13 races each in the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy Monte Carlo. A fourth developmental driver for the entry has yet to be named.
Jason Keller, a fifteen year veteran in Busch Series competition will be returning in 2005 in the Team Rensi Motorsports #35 Ford Taurus sponsored by McDonalds. The red, black and yellow machine will feature the golden arches on its hood much like the Cup Series machine of Bill Elliott did for several seasons.
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