Edwards gets a pair of sponsors.

Jack Roush may not have secured complete primary sponsorship for Carl Edwards' #99 team for 2005 but the double defending NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion owner has succeeded in getting new driver Carl Edwards a pair of part-time deals.

Office Depot, one of the world's leading resellers of office products and services, will sponsor Edwards for a minimum of eight Nextel Cup races in 2005.

The sponsorship comes on the heels of Office Depot's new multi-year agreement with NASCAR to become the sport's first-ever Official Office Products Partner.

The firm, which is switching its support to NASCAR from the Champ Car World Series, will be an associate sponsor on Edwards' machine for the remaining races on the 2005 calendar

"Office Depot is very excited about taking its relationship with NASCAR to the next level through our partnership with Roush Racing," said Chuck Rubin, executive vice president and chief merchandising/marketing officer for Office Depot. "Joining the NASCAR family and the championship Roush Racing team aligns our business with an exciting sport, a winning race team, and a talented young driver who will take care of business on the track."

"Office Depot's decision to join Roush Racing in 2005 will give NASCAR fans an opportunity to show their support for Carl Edwards and Roush Racing's #99 Ford Taurus in their office supply choices for their homes and offices," said Jack Roush, team owner. "All of Roush Racing is extremely excited about the future with Carl and Office Depot in the years ahead."

"I'm really excited to have Office Depot on board as a primary sponsor in 2005," Edwards said. "This #99 team has worked extremely hard over the last year and I think we have a team that is capable of winning. To have a sponsor like Office Depot on the car is a great honour for me. The company's support will help our team in our quest to win races and a Nextel Cup Championship."

Roush also announced that World Financial Group would also provide primary sponsorship for Edwards in two races, as it did with the #99 team in 2004. WFG are increasing their involvement with Roush and NASCAR to include further sponsorship in the Busch, Craftsman Truck and ARCA Series.

"It is a privilege for any race team when a company opts to expand its sponsorship," said Jack Roush. "World Financial Group was a great partner last year and their support helped Carl get a few Nextel Cup races under his belt. We intend to repay them with a few trips to Victory Lane."

"At World Financial Group, we're dedicated to helping people realise the power of their dreams. That's why we are proud to return as a sponsor for Carl Edwards in his Nextel Cup and Busch series rides and to support Todd Kluever in his rookie season," said Tim Stonehocker, president & CEO of World Financial Group, Inc.

"Carl and Todd focused on their goals to become NASCAR series drivers and came out on top with dream rides with a great race team. With a championship organisation like Roush Racing behind them, we know both Todd and Carl are headed for bright futures and we are honoured to be a part of that."

Roush has already confirmed that the #99 team will undertake a full Nextel Cup season in 2005 whether full-time sponsorship is found or not.