It's clear that Jeremy Mayfield needs a fresh start

	Jeremy Mayfield and his No. 19 Dodge have been out of sorts this season. Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Imagine you're the top salesman in your company. You've pulled down thousands more than any of your competitors, completed every goal that's been set in front of you and earned the respect of your peers along the way. It's the type of accomplishment that would put you first in line for a bonus, or at the very least get you a standing ovation at the company Christmas party.

Well, in Jeremy Mayfield's case, it has put him first in line for a demotion. And that slap in the face likely has him headed out the door of his current ride and into Toyota and Michael Waltrip Racing.

Now in his fifth year driving for the Dodge powerhouse of Evernham Motorsports, Mayfield has made the Chase in both seasons of its existence, finishing 10th and ninth, respectively. He has also won twice and captured three poles since the start of the 2003 season. Picked up after being released by Roger Penske in 2001, Mayfield has been well taken care of at Evernham, with a multimillion-dollar deal that runs through the end of 2007.

The problem for Mayfield is that any chance of future success at Evernham ended a few weeks prior to the 2005 Nextel Cup banquet. It should have been a week for celebration for the team, with Mayfield one of just seven drivers to finish in the top 10 in points two years in a row. Instead he had the rug pulled out from under him.

Team engineer Kenny Francis, who had played a huge role in the team's success over the previous three seasons, was taken away from Mayfield and moved across the aisle to teammate Kasey Kahne and the No. 9 team. Kahne had struggled all last season, suffering through a sophomore slump and stumbling to 23rd in points after winning Rookie of the Year in 2004. He was in need of a crew chief who could give his morale and his race cars a serious boost, and Francis certainly fit that mold.