The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - John Andretti was fired Tuesday by Petty Enterprises, where he has driven the famed No. 43 car since 1998.

Christian Fittipaldi will replace him beginning with this weekend's race at Michigan Speedway.

Kyle Petty said the decision was made this week, and the team informed sponsor General Mills. Andretti is in his second stint with the Pettys. He drove 11 races for them in 1994, then returned to the team in 1998 to take over the car Richard Petty made famous en route to seven Winston Cup championships.

Andretti's contract expired at the end of last season, but the Pettys made every effort to keep him - even agreeing to let him run in the Indianapolis 500 this season.

After long negotiations, Andretti re-signed in December. He did not get to race at Indy this year because no deal could be worked out in time.

In four-plus seasons with the Pettys, Andretti won one race and two poles. His highest finish in the point standings was 11th in 1999. He was 31st last year, and this year is 33rd with just one top 10 finish in 14 starts this year.

"We had some successes, won some poles and won a race," Richard Petty said. "But we feel like where we are now it's time for a change for Petty Enterprises and for John."

Andretti is the nephew of Mario Andretti and cousin of Michael Andretti, who retired last month after the Indy 500.

The Pettys have been trying all season to field a car for Fittipaldi, a former open-wheel star and nephew of former Formula One champion and 1989 Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi. But lack of sponsorship for a third car has thwarted their efforts.

Money has been found to field a car in four events later this year for Fittipaldi, and the Pettys will honor those agreements and find another driver to put in the No. 43 Dodge in those events.

"Speed and Fittipaldi go together," Richard Petty said. "He knows how to run fast, and he knows how to race fast. We feel he is going to do a great job for (us)."

STEWART MIXUP: NASCAR returned part of Tony Stewart's Chevrolet that was impounded March 28 after failing inspection.

John Darby, NASCAR's Winston Cup director, said Joe Gibbs Racing was allowed to retrieve the chassis and engine. The car was seized after its body measurements did not pass inspection before practice for a race at Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR SCHEDULE: A change to next year's NASCAR Winston Cup schedule is expected to be announced Friday during simultaneous news conferences at Michigan International Speedway, California Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

International Speedway Corporation, which owns all the tracks involved, is expected to eliminate the fall race at North Carolina International Speedway in Rockingham to give the Fontana, Calif., track a second Cup event on the packed 36-race schedule.