Valvoline to leave #10 team.

Valvoline have announced an agreement in principle to end its NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team partnership with MB2 Motorsports at the end of the current season.

The racing sponsor/owner will sell its 50 percent share in the team to MB2 principals Nelson Bowers and Jay Frye and will no longer be primary sponsor of the #10 Chevrolet currently driven by Scott Riggs after the 2005 season.

According to Valvoline Designated Team Owner Jim Rocco, the parting was an amicable one.

"We have nothing but respect and admiration for (MB2) owners Nelson Bowers and Jay Frye," said Rocco. "Nelson and Jay gave us the opportunity to become more than sponsors when we took the historic step to become team owners."

Regarding Valvoline's NASCAR plans beyond the 2005 season, Rocco said, "We will have something to announce soon."

The Valvoline/MB2 partnership was announced in 2000 and began with the 2001 season. The 50/50 partnership marked the first time a consumer products company actually owned a NASCAR team.

The partnership culminated when Johnny Benson drove the #10 Valvoline machine to Victory Lane at the 2002 Pop Secret 400 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham.

In 2004 the MBV team hired rookie Scott Riggs to drive the #10 and the MB2/MBV team are currently enjoying one of their most competitive years to date, helped in no small part by the teams engine lease agreement with Hendrick Motorsport.