Roush Racing: Driver X was a television show on the Discovery Channel that documents the selection of NASCAR drivers for Roush Racing. Every year, Jack Roush, the owner of NASCAR's largest team, auditions drivers from around the world for the right to drive a Roush truck in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This audition is informally known as "The Gong Show." In 2005, the Discovery Channel decided to film and air these tests as "Roush Racing: Driver X". The show aired every Monday at 7:00 p.m. EST and at 11:00 p.m. EST on the Discovery Channel.
Roush Racing: Driver X was produced for Discovery Channel by Brainbox Entertainment.
2005 Drivers[]
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Previous Gong Show Winners[]
2004: Todd Kluever
Results and Other Development Deals[]
The 2005 winner was Erik Darnell, who won a full-time ride in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Jack Roush Racing in the #99 Ford F-150. David Ragan will drive a limited number of races in the #6 Ford F-150. Also, Danny O'Quinn won a ride in the #50 World Financial Group Ford Fusion for Roush in the next level up in NASCAR, the Busch Series.
Other competitors in the "Driver X" series that came out on top were Pete Shepherd, who signed a driver development deal with Roush Racing (he will polish his skills in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2006). Also, Matt McCall signed with Robert Yates Racing after the show concluded to co-pilot the #90 Ford in the NASCAR Busch Series for 2006.
| Roush Fenway Racing | |
| Sprint Cup drivers | David Ragan (#6) | Greg Biffle (#16) | Matt Kenseth (#17) | Jamie McMurray (#26) | Carl Edwards (#99) |
| Craftsman Truck Series drivers | Travis Kvapil/Bobby East/John Wes Townley (#09) | Colin Braun (#6) | Erik Darnell (#99) |
| Development drivers | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. |
| Partnerships and affiliations | Baker Curb Racing | Circle Bar Racing | JTG Daugherty Racing | No Fear Racing | Wood Brothers Racing | Yates Racing |
| Other | Jack Roush | John W. Henry | Fenway Sports Group | Robbie Reiser | Sam Belnavis | Mark Martin | Roush Racing: Driver X |