In a statement released Monday by Haas CNC Racing, Jeremy Mayfield talked up his new NASCAR Cup team, for which he’ll drive the last four races this season and (hopefully for him) all of next season.

“Every indication is that this is a team with unlimited potential,” Mayfield was quoted as saying. “The shop is state-of-the-art, the equipment is first rate, there is an outstanding relationship with Hendrick Motorsports here, and it’s my challenge to make it all equal success on the track. I’m ready to see how far I can take it.”Well, the question is: How far back in the standings will Haas go for  new drivers?

Mayfield, who has worn out his welcome  on his last two teams, ranks 48th in the points standings, pretty much last  among drivers who try to qualify every week. He has qualified  for only 13 of 32 races this season for Bill Davis Rcing. The driver he’s replacing — Jeff Green — ranks 27th in the point standings and has appeared in all 32 races.

Previously, Haas announced the hiring of Scott Riggs for next season. Riggs, who ranks 37th in the standings as a driver for Gillett Evernham Racing, presumably will replace Haas’ only other driver — Johnny Sauter — next season. Sauter ranks 31st in the standings, with 31 also being the number of races in which he’s appeared.

So, the Haas team, which  has missed  only one race among 64 possible starts for its underdog team, is replacing  two drivers who have performed above expectations with two drivers who have performed below expectations.

Yeah, makes perfect sense.

Mayfield, whose departure from Bill Davis Racing was announced last month and said to be by mutual agreement, failed on the outfit that  has performed the best among the Toyota  teams this year. Teammate Dave Blaney is 32nd in points, with Toyota’s first-ever poll and four top 20s.  In eight full seasons on NASCAR’s top circuit, Blaney  has never finished higher than 19th in points.  Mayfield, meanwhile, has been on the circuit for 14 full seasons, qualified for the first two  Chases for the championship and  finished ninth  in points in 2005. So, yeah, you’d expect Blaney to do a lot better than him in essentially the same equipment.

And Riggs? Well, he’s a perenial up-and-comer who already has been a bust for two organizations — MBV Motorsports and most recently Gillett Evernham.

Makes you wonder what the good folks at Haas are thinking.

On the bright side, at least Haas has one good thing going for it —  Sauter’s crew chief Bootie Barker.

To replace Mayfield, Johnny Benson and Mike Skinner will each drive  two races for Bill Davis Racing down the stretch — an improvement, it seems.

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