Jarrett, Lepage loose crew chiefs.

Eleven races in to the new season and two teams have already elected to make major changes to their roster as the #88 Robert Yates Racing team and the #37 R&J Racing outfit both drop their crew chiefs.

With drivers Dale Jarrett and Kevin Lepage both struggling in their respective Championship goals, new faces will be sitting on top of the pit box for both teams at this weekend's All-Star event in Charlotte.

For Jarrett, who sits 14th in the points table 298 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, Mike Ford's decision to step down as the crew chief of the #88 UPS sponsored Ford comes not because the team are out of contention for the final ten-race 'Chase for the Championship,' but because Jarrett has accrued just two top ten finishes so far this year and has failed to win a race since Ford took control of the 1999 Championship winning team at the tail end of 2003.

"Mike made this decision based on what was in the best interest for himself and for his family," says Eddie D'Hondt, general manager for RYR. "We obviously wish him the best in his future endeavours."

"We are actively pursuing someone to replace him," D'Hondt continued. "Until we find the right individual for the job, we will fill the role in-house on an interim basis."

R&J Racing's decision to let Billy Poindexter go comes as driver Lepage struggles to keep the largely un-sponsored #37 team in the hunt for a place in the top 35 in owner's points and thus, a guaranteed grid position in every Nextel Cup race.

After pulling off the biggest surprise of Speedweeks at Daytona with their stunning ninth place finish, Lepage and the #37 team have failed to qualify for five races so far, including last Saturday's Chevrolet American Revolution 400 at Richmond.

Although Lepage has kept the #37 Dodge running until the end of all six races he has qualified for, a crucial DNQ in the third race of the year in Las Vegas and other surprising Friday failures at Bristol and Talladega, has left the team nearly 200 points adrift of 35th place in the standings.