FanHouse

CONFIRMED: Roush-Fenway Racing officially announced Thursday morning that Robbie Reiser would assume role of General Manager at Roush-Fenway after the conclusion of Sunday's Ford 400.

Read the full release here.

ORIGINAL: Matt Kenseth might not be hearing Robbie Reiser's voice in his ear anymore after Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, according to ESPN.com's David Newton:

Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that Robbie Reiser, who has been Matt Kenseth's crew chief since they entered NASCAR's premier series in 2000 and long before that in the Busch Series, will become the general manager at Roush Fenway Racing.

He will replace Max Jones, who will move into the GM role at Robert Yates Racing. RYR and Roush recently formed an alliance that basically will allow them to work as a seven-car operation without violating NASCAR's four-car cap.

If indeed it happens, this will be the first time in Kenseth's NASCAR career that Reiser wasn't calling the shots for him. Together, Kenseth and Reiser have landed one Cup championship in 2003 and 15 race wins since Kenseth ran his first full season in 2000.


Reiser thought about leaving the top of the pit box in 2006 to take the job he has apparently now landed, but that role instead went to Jones. Reiser has coveted that spot since losing his father a few years ago.

"You look at things that you do in the long term," he said Reiser. "Family becomes more important. ... My dad spent a lot of time with my kids. When he isn't around anymore somebody has to fill that void."

Currently, Kenseth sits 6th in the Chase for the Nextel Cup with one win, 12 Top-5s, and 21 Top-10s in 2007. Kenseth is one of two drivers that have made every Chase for the Nextel Cup since its inception in 2004.

If this indeed does pan out, it'll be interesting to see who Roush-Fenway racing taps to fill that position on top of the No. 17 pit box -- especially because the driver isn't used to anyone else except Reiser in his ear during a race.