This may go under the category of what goes around, comes around.

Jeremy Mayfield drove the No. 36 car most of last season for Bill Davis Racing, but he left with four races to go to climb into the No. 66 for Haas CNC Racing.  Mayfield finished the season 36th in driver points.

For this season, Haas put him in the No. 70 car, a move that lasted until Tuesday when Haas and Mayfield had the ol’ “mutual parting of ways” after the No. 70 had dropped into 36th in this year’s owners standings.

In 11 races for Haas, Mayfield drove in reverse in relation to the owners standings, losing a total of seven spots for Haas cars. The No. 66 car was 27th in the owners standings when Mayfield took over last year. By the end of the season, it had dropped four spots in just four races, to 31st. Similarly, the No. 70 car, driven by Johnny Sauter last year,  lost three spots with Mayfield behind the wheel, going from 33rd at the end of last season to 36th this season.

Mayfield seems to be a bit of a job jumper. He’s now been through eight teams in 16 seasons. Mayfield started out in the No. 95 for the Sadler Brothers, drove the 02 for T.W. Taylor, the 98 for Cale Yarborough, the 37 for Michael Kranefuss, the 12 for Roger Penske, the 19 for Ray Evernham, the 36 for Davis and then the 66 and 77 for Haas.

“Jeremy’s proven resume behind the wheel of a Cup car was a real benefit to our team,” a Haas CNC Racing press release quoted team general manager Joe Custer as saying.  “He stepped into the seat and did everything we asked him to and more.

“Ultimately, we were unable to provide him with the right balance, handling and speed he needed to be successful.”

Hmm. That sounds a little bit like a rip, considering the balance, handling and speed seemed to be OK for Green last year.

No word on who will replace Mayfield behind the wheel on a long-term basis, but Johnny Sauter will get the call Saturday night in Phoenix.

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