Gordon, Earnhardt Jr. ready to get start on 2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Robbie Loomis stepped down as Jeff Gordon's crew chief this week after the team failed to make NASCAR's Chase for the championship.

Loomis will finish the season as consultant for Hendrick Motorsports while Gordon's teammate, Jimmie Johnson, races for the Nextel Cup title. Loomis will join Petty Enterprises next season as vice president of race operations, where he will run the day-to-day operations for Jeff Green and Kyle Petty's teams.

Steve Letarte, who has been with Gordon's team for three of his NASCAR titles, will take over for Loomis as crew chief.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also will finish the season with a different crew chief, after the team announced that Tony Eury Jr. will return to call his cousin's remaining races.

Loomis joined Gordon's team in 2000, and the duo won Gordon's fourth Cup title the next season. Although Gordon has won three races this season, he hit a slump this summer and failed to qualify for NASCAR's 10-race title hunt.

By missing out, Gordon is assured his worst points finish since his rookie season, when he was 14th.

Letarte will call his first race Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr. also failed to make the Chase; he and Eury Jr. will finish the season together to get a head start on 2006.

"This gives them a chance to start working on their chemistry," said Richie Gilmore, vice president of Dale Earnhardt Inc.