Blake Feese

Arrested Development

Three drivers from Hendrick's development program left looking for work

CIA Stock Photography

This time last season Blake Feese was in a similar situation, save one very important difference.He didn't know exactly what he was doing the next year, but he did know with whom he would be working.

Now, he knows neither as he tries to land a NASCAR ride for the 2006 season with a clock ticking faster each day toward the start of January preseason testing in Daytona Beach, Fla.

"This is not the time of the year you want to be looking for a job," said Feese, 23. "This is the time of year when you want to be testing and getting to know your team and getting ready for the new season."

In April 2004, newcomers Feese, Boston Reid and Kyle Krisiloff were signed by Hendrick Motorsports to driver development contracts.

Feese and Reid, both with sprint car backgrounds, were going to run Automobile Racing Club of America races, while Krisiloff ran the American Speed Association, all three with teams affiliated with Hendrick.

Until then, Hendrick - one of the most successful organizations in NASCAR - had no formal program to develop new talent, a trend that was fast developing in the sport.

Hendrick, however, had successfully brought along newcomers Brian Vickers (18 years old when hired) and Kyle Busch (17 years old when hired) in a similar fashion. Vickers won the Busch Series title in 2003, while Busch finished second in 2004 and was this season's Nextel Cup Series rookie of the year.

"We're extremely excited to see what Blake, Boston and Kyle are capable of," team owner Rick Hendrick said at the time. "The three of them certainly have the opportunity to make an impact on this organization."

When the 2006 season gets underway in February, none of them will be with Hendrick.
Reid and Krisiloff have secured full-time rides in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for 2006 - Reid with a new team operating in conjunction with Evernham Motorsports, and Krisiloff with Billy Ballew Motorsports.

Feese - the driver with the most wins among the three in the development class - remains in search for a new home.

"Before this, I had never gotten an opportunity to run any stock car stuff," Feese said. "I'd run an ARCA race for FitzBradshaw. When that deal was close, the opportunity at Hendrick Motorsports came up.

"It was a big, big opportunity. It started off great. We won two of the four ARCA races last year, and each time I was in the Busch car, I felt better."

So, what happened?

It appears an untimely set of circumstances and sub-par results contributed to the close of the project.

Ricky Hendrick, team general manager Jeff Turner and chief engine builder Randy Dorton - all who played large roles in the driver development program - were among the 10 Hendrick employees, family members and friends killed in the Oct. 24, 2004 crash of a team plane near Martinsville, Va.
After Feese, Reid and Krisiloff each ran limited schedules in 2004, all three were brought back for more work in 2005. Although Hendrick took awhile to develop its plan, the organization settled on having Feese and Reid share most of the 2005 season in Hendrick's No. 5 Busch Series car.

"I was getting in the No. 5 car, which had won the Busch championship (2003) and finished second in 2004 with Kyle," Feese said. "You know going in you're sharing the ride and you know there are different people there, but it was still the No. 5 car at Hendrick."

Feese ended up running six races, with his best start (eighth) and finish (23rd) coming at Atlanta. Reid ended up with seven races, with his best start (17th) and finish (17th) both coming at Nashville.

"In a way I think Hendrick got backed into a corner," Feese said. "By Talladega in the spring, the results weren't there and didn't seem on the verge of coming in the near future."

Krisiloff, who ran a more diverse schedule in 2005, ran three Busch races, with his best start (25th) at Michigan and best finish (19th) at Memphis. He also earned an ARCA win in 2004 with Hendrick.

By August of this season, all three drivers were informed options on their contracts for 2006 would not be picked up, sending all three looking for new work.

"I've raced for a living since I was 18 with no money behind me and without a famous last name," Feese said. "I wasn't supposed to get this far, and I am not done yet."

Despite the outcome, Feese says he has no regrets.

"I understood the decision and I appreciate everything Rick Hendrick and the guys with the Busch team did for me," he said.

"My only disappointment with the driver development program was there was no winner. It was like we played three-quarters of the game and the game was called off."