Bowyer replacing Townley: UPDATE 5: Clint Blower will replace #21-John West Townley for the rest of the day at Phoenix. Townley wrecked midway through the day's only practice session.(4-9-2010)


UPDATE: Jamie Little reported during ESPN2's qualifying coverage that Townley has been fired from the team and the future of the #21 car is up in the air.(4-9-2010)


UPDATE 2: Richard Childress Racing is denying that Townley has been released.(4-9-2010)


UPDATE 3: Despite reports that John Wes Townley was removed from the seat of the #21 Chevy in the Nationwide Series, Richard Childress Racing Vice President of Competition Mike Dillon confirmed on Saturday that the driver is still under the company's employ. Team officials are scheduled to meet with Townley on Tuesday to discuss his schedule going forward according to Dillon. On Friday, Richard Childress parked Townley after the 20-year-old driver wrecked during practice and placed Clint Bowyer in as a substitute. But damaging equipment has been a reoccurring theme for Townley, who in five starts has only completed one full race Las Vegas, where he finished 15th. (Fox Sports)(4-11-2010)


UPDATE 4: Sources tell Frontstretch.com John Wes Townley has NOT been released as driver of Richard Childress Racing's #21 Chevy in the Nationwide Series. After a hard wreck at Phoenix, Townley was replaced for Friday's race by Cup driver Clint Bowyer, leading to rampant speculation about his future. ESPN reported that Townley had been fired, a claim adamantly denied by Richard Childress Racing. Instead, the plan is to "put him in timeout," according to a source, making the 20-year-old sit and stew over an ugly early season start. So far this season, he's without a top 10 finish while spinning out in four of five races, picking up an underage drinking citation in Las Vegas along the way. So RCR has informed him someone else will drive the car at Texas, evaluating the program before Townley will return to the seat at Talladega the end of the month. There's no word yet on who that replacement will be, but it's widely expected to be RCR's Clint Bowyer or Jeff Burton. Zaxby's is also expected to continue funding the car for Texas and beyond. Townley's father is one of the founders of Zaxby's restaurants, which came over in a package deal with his son to keep Childress' Nationwide Series team afloat in 2010.(Frontstretch)(4-11-2010)


UPDATE 5: Interviewed on ESPNs Nationwide Series qualifying, Richard Childress said that Townley is still employed by the team. Clint Bowyer will drive the #21 again next weekend. Beyond that, nothing has been set.(4-16-2010)