Bliss out of Haas ride.

Just weeks after all but confirming that he would be staying with the #0 Haas CNC team for 2006, former Craftsman Truck Series champion Mike Bliss has been released from driving duties of the #0 NetZero Best Buy sponsored Chevrolet owned by Gene Haas.

Bliss and the #0 team, who go into Saturday's UAW-GM Quality 500 sitting 28th in the Nextel Cup points standings, have shown improved consistency during 2005 with the 40 year-old driver scoring two top ten and 14 top 20 finishes through the first 30 races of the season. However despite this general upturn in form, the #0 will have its fourth new driver in as many seasons when the 2006 campaign opens next February in Daytona.

Since joining the Nextel Cup Series full time in 2003, the #0 Haas CNC Racing team has finished 37th and 31st in its first two seasons with Bliss still on course to give the team its best ever end of year position in what has so far been the best on-track campaign for the operation.

Bliss meanwhile looks set to move away from the Nextel Cup tour after a second full-time stab at NASCAR's premier series with a new ride in either the Truck or Busch Series looking probable.