Erin Crocker to be demoted

Erin Crocker, who was originally scheduled to run full-time in the NASCAR Busch Series with Evernham Motorsports next season, will instead compete in the Craftsman Truck Series and run a handful of Busch races in 2006, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Crocker, 24, has run a limited schedule of Busch and Automobile Racing Club of America series races this season. In six races in ARCA, Crocker won two poles, and had four top-five and five top-10 finishes.

In two Busch Series starts, Crocker finished 39th and 35th and was involved in an accident in both races. She suffered a cracked rib in the Sept. 24 race at Dover, Del.

On Sept. 9 at Richmond, Va., Evernham Motorsports announced Crocker, 24, would run the entire Busch schedule in 2006 in the No. 98 Dodge with sponsorship from General Mills.

Team owner Ray Evernham was unavailable for comment Wednesday, but was expected to discuss Crocker's situation Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. ThatsRacin.com [Editor's Note: Is she getting so much hype because she is female or because she is a great driver? You decide.]