Contract Status: Driver: ?; Primary Sponsor: ?
- Braun to make first Cup start at Watkins Glen: On this week's SPEED Report, Bob Dillner reported that Colin Braun [#6 Con-way Freight Roush Fenway Ford Truck in the CTS] is scheduled to make his first start in the Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen. Braun will be driving a car from the Yates Racing stable and not Roush Fenway. Dillner didn't say if it would be a third car or one of the current cars #28-Kvapil or #38- Gilliland, but can't image either sitting since they are decent in points and Gilliland finished 2nd at Watkins Glen.(7-14- 2008) Comment here
- Biffle to RYR? There’s talk that Roush Racing and Robert Yates Racing might create a new team for Greg Biffle. The team would be Robert Yates’ third and would reduce to four the number of full-schedule Cup teams owned by Jack Roush.(Ford Racing)(10-14-2006)
- Todd Parrott Returns to RYR; Steadman to Crew Chief the #43: Petty Enterprises and Robert Yates Racing jointly announce crew chief Todd Parrott will return to Robert Yates Racing. Greg Steadman, on an interim basis, will take over the crew chief duties on the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge driven by Bobby Labonte effective immediately. Parrott has years of experience at RYR and helped lead the organization to a championship with driver Dale Jarrett in 1999. Steadman is no stranger to the crew chief position. A long-standing employee of Petty Enterprises, Steadman is known as one of the top mechanical minds at the shop. Steadman will work hand-in-hand with Loomis, who will take a more active role on the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge.(Petty Enterprises PR)(8-9-2006)
- Goossens to make Nextel Cup debut at Watkins Glen in the #90: CitiFinancial Racing announced that they will sponsor Marc Goossens in his Nextel Cup Series debut this weekend at Watkins Glen International. Goossens will attempt to qualify the Robert Yates Racing’s #90 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion for Sunday’s AMD at the Glen. Goossens, the road course ace from Belgium, made his Busch Series debut at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez where he started sixth and finished ninth for CitiFinancial Racing. “Marc did a great job for us in Mexico,” said Doug Yates. “We feel like he adds a lot of depth to our road course program. He tested for us at VIR last week to prepare for this weekends race and did very well. We have high expectations for all of our teams this weekend.” Goossens, who has been road course racing for more than 10 years, has competed in the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona and the 12 hours of Sebring. “I’ve been to Watkins Glen in the Grand Am Series and I'm looking forward to returning to a track that I have some experience on,” said Goossens. “Hopefully my experience will help us get CitiFinancial a great finish.”(CitiFinancial PR)(8-7-2006)
- Fox to crew chief Leicht: Raymond Fox will be handling the crew chief duties this weekend for the #90 CitiFinancial Ford. Drover Stephen Leicht and Fox first paired up in 2005 when Leicht made his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Memphis Motorsports Park, where he finished 13th. Butch Hylton had been Leicht's crew chief, but was named #88-Dale Jarrett's crew chief recently when Slugger Labbe and #38 crew chief Tommy Baldwin parted ways with Robert Yates Racing.(CitiFinancial Racing PR)(8-2-2006)
- RYR Looking to put Leicht in Cup in 2007: Robert Yates Racing is trying to put 19-year-old Stephen Leicht in a Nextel Cup car in 2007, team co-owner Doug Yates confirmed Monday. Yates said that if CitiFinancial agrees to sponsor the team's #88 Nextel Cup car next season, Leicht will be the driver. If the company decides to remain in the Busch Series, Leicht would drive that car and he also would be a candidate to drive the Cup car, depending on the sponsor. Yates also said if Leicht doesn't run Cup in 2007, then he would in 2008.(SceneDaily.com)(7-25-2006)
- Third team for RYR? [Robert] Yates said there's a "realistic" chance that RYR could go to three Cup teams next season if 44-year-old Ward Burton, who has been out of Cup the past two seasons, comes up with a sponsor. Citifinancial and M&M's, according to team officials, are looking for younger drivers such as Leicht, 19, and Gilliland, 30. "If Ward walked in with a sponsor today we'd say, 'Ward, you've got the ride,'" Yates said.(NASCAR.com)
AND: The Yates crew is interested in Gilliland, sources tell Team Ford Racing, with veterans Ricky Rudd and Ward Burton as the team’s fallback position if they are unable to sign a young up-and-comer, Gilliland or someone else.(Speed Channel)(7-24-2006)
- Leicht to make Cup debut at Indy? UPDATE 2 at Pocono: hearing the RYR Busch Series driver Stephen Leicht, will attempt to make the Brickyard 400 at Indy in a third RYR Ford.(7-10-2006)
UPDATE: Robert Yates Racing hopes to get development driver Stephen Leicht approved for the Allstate 400 next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 19-year-old driver tested at the track Monday and will test again Wednesday in preparation for his possible Nextel Cup debut in the #90 RYR Ford.(SceneDaily.com)(7-11-2006)
UPDATE 2 - Pocono: Robert Yates Racing development driver Stephen Leicht will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut July 23 at Pocono Raceway. Leicht, who was sixth-fastest among drivers Wednesday during the Cup test session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said Friday that the plan is for him to run Pocono and then at the Brickyard in RYR's #90 Ford. Leicht has nine Busch Series starts with the best finish of 10th at Kentucky. He has driven in two restrictor-plate Busch Series races. The 19-year-old driver who won the 2005 ASA Late Model Series title is considered a candidate to compete in Nextel Cup next season for the Yates team. Either Raymond Fox III or Butch Hylton will serve as crew chief for the car, said Leicht, who has never raced at Pocono.(SceneDaily.com)(7-14-2006)
UPDATE 3: Robert Yates Racing announced that Stephen Leicht, driver of the #90 CitiFinancial Ford, will attempt to make his Nextel Cup Series debut at Pocono Raceway on July 23. Leicht, nineteen years of age, will also attempt to become the youngest driver to compete in the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 6. Leicht wrapped up a two day test session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway earlier this week, posting the sixth-fastest time among drivers on Wednesday. RYR will utilize Matt McCall, co-driver of the #90 CitiFinancial Ford, for the Busch Series event at Martinsville Speedway on July 22. This will be the first Nextel Cup event for CitiFinancial Racing. They joined Robert Yates Racing in 2005 for a partial season and currently compete full-time in the Busch Series.(RYR PR)(7-16-2006)
- WIth the loss of UPS, what is up with RYR? Leicht? Ward? Tide? UPDATE Tide gone?: [#88 Team Owner Robert] Yates made it clear he has no ill feelings toward the UPS executives who opted to make the move [to Waltrip and leaving RYR]. He placed blame on himself for allowing the team's performance to decline the past few years. Yates, though, is optimistic things will turn around soon and still envisions a scenario in which Robert Yates Racing fields four Cup teams next year. First, though, he must find a driver and sponsor for Jarrett's #88 Ford. A leading candidate on the sponsorship front is CitiFinancial, which sponsors RYR's Busch Series team. Stephen Leicht could move into that seat as well. "We think enough of him and we feel like with enough effort this year and energy put forth, I think he'll be able to drive this Cup car very easily," said Yates, adding that Leicht could make a few Nextel Cup starts later this season. Ward Burton's name has also been linked to RYR and the owner said that's a possibility. If CitiFinancial were to move up to replace UPS, and Burton brought a sponsor with him, that would give Yates at least a three-car program for next year. "We certainly have room. He's talking to some really good sponsors and if they want to jump in and do something, I think that's a good package," Yates said of Burton. "If somebody believes in Ward, and Ward believes in them and he believes in us, I think that that would fill out 25 percent of our deal." While there is still speculation #38-Elliott Sadler [the other Yates driver] could opt to move elsewhere for next year, Yates said his goal is to make the team so attractive that Sadler wouldn't consider leaving.(SceneDaily.com)
AND Citi Financial, which sponsors Yates's Busch efforts, may be ready for a major role, Doug Yates said. He also noted that Tide, which has backed Cal Wells's team since 2000, will be contractually free after this season and may be available.(Speed Channel)(7-8-2006)
UPDATE: hearing Tide will NOT being going to RYR as a sponsor and will NOT be back as a full primary sponsor in 2007 on any Nextel Cup team, currently Tide sponsors the #32 PPI Motorsports Chevy that Travis Kvapil drives.(7-9-2006)
- Latest on UPS UPDATE 2 Official to MWR: looks like after all the runors that have been floating with UPS [#9-Kahne, #19-Mayfield, #16-Biffle, #88-RYR] that UPS will announced this weekend in Chicago that is will stay with Dale Jarrett and move to the Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Jarrett will drive in 2007 and leave the #88 RYR Ford.(7-4-2006)
UPDATE: there is a scheduled UPS Racing Announcement on Friday, July 7, 2006 at Chicagoland Speedway.(PR)(7-6-2006)
UPDATE 2: UPS announced a two-year agreement with Michael Waltrip Racing to sponsor driver Dale Jarrett in a Toyota Camry for the 2007 and 2008 seasons of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The announcement at the Chicagoland Speedway comes after Jarrett agreed earlier this year to move to the Waltrip organization and race a Camry starting with the 2007 Daytona 500. "Dale Jarrett has been an outstanding ambassador for the UPS brand both on and off the track and we expect more great things to come as we join him at Michael Waltrip Racing as the sponsor of his Toyota Camry," said Patrick Guilbert, vice president of sponsorships for UPS. "Since our relationship with Dale began in 2001, his contributions have helped UPS build a powerful sponsorship program that resonates with our employees, customers and NASCAR fans alike." The decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing places UPS among the first sponsors to adorn a Toyota Camry in 2007, which is the manufacturer's inaugural season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
"The UPS name also is synonymous with speed and that's what Michael Waltrip Racing intends to deliver to UPS and Dale with the new UPS Toyota Camry," said owner Michael Waltrip. "From a business perspective, the addition of UPS expands our resources, which enables us to build the best teams and in turn grow our organization at a pace that will enhance our ability to win races." UPS will continue its sponsorship of Dale Jarrett and Robert Yates Racing through the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season.(UPS Site)(7-7-2006)
- Ward Burton looking to make comeback in 2007 UPDATE: Ward Burton will be at Daytona International Speedway on Friday as a part of a ceremony honoring the past 10 winners of the Daytona 500. He hopes his next trip to NASCAR's crown jewel will be as a driver. The 2002 Daytona 500 winner said Monday he is negotiating with two "established teams'' a return to the Nextel Cup Series that he hasn't been a part of since being fired by owner Gene Haas in 2004. One possibility is the #88 car of Robert Yates Racing that is open in 2007 because of Dale Jarrett's departure to the new Toyota team of Michael Waltrip Racing. "That would certainly be an opportunity if it came to fruition,'' Burton said. "It would pump me up. I'd be just excited as when I first made Cup in '94, maybe more so.' Burton would not confirm discussions with RYR, but indicated his talks have been with owners of multi-car organizations which have struggled recently. Burton said there have been no discussions with Toyota, which will field at least six cars under three owners in 2007. "One of the things we're working on is the sponsor,'' said Burton, which makes the #88 car more viable since its deal with UPS is up after this season. "I'm working on a couple of things to try to bring something home.''
Burton, 44, said there'd been negotiations about putting him in a car this weekend at Daytona that fell through at the last minute. He'd like to enter a couple of races before the end of this season to begin his comeback. Burton has spent much of the past year-and-a-half focusing on family and The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, which has a mission to "conserve America's land and wildlife through wise stewardship while educating children and adults about the natural resources that will shape America's future.'' Burton tried to mend a few bridges after his split with Haas, but that never happened. "There were phone calls, either hung up on or whatever,'' he said. "That's just the way they handled things.'' Burton is confident he can return to the top-10 form he had in 1999 and 2000, when he had a combined 33 top-10s for Bill Davis Racing with Tommy Baldwin Jr. as his crew chief. Baldwin Jr. now is Sadler's crew chief at RYR, which gives Burton another connection to that organization. "I wish I could tell you more,'' Burton said. "I can tell you I am talking to a sponsor as we speak and car owners as well. I've got my fingers crossed that one of these exciting deals will come true.''(more at NASCAR.com)(6-27-2006)
UPDATE: latest fro Lastcowboys.com:
It’s been almost two months since I [Lastcowboys.com] dropped the Ward Burton to Robert Yates Racing rumor on all of you, and it continues to swirl around in the rumor mill. Have now been anonymously informed that this is a done deal. As said, this was anonymous, so have no way of substantiating it, unless Ward or someone in his camp would like to confirm or deny it personally. According to this anonymous source (as well as from Ward’s recent satellite radio interview), Ward’s silence or state of limbo is not due to the absence of a deal, but rather because he is waiting on the green light from both sponsor and team before he can make it official to the media and race fans.(LastCowboys.com)(6-29-2006)
- UPS? What is up with their plans: UPS was not involved as Michael Waltrip announced to the racing world the signing of Dale Jarrett to drive an as yet un-numbered Toyota Camry in 2007 and 2008. Adding mystery to revelation, Waltrip had to correct himself after first answering questions concerning UPS. "Our teams have sponsorship for our cars in'07 and '08, beyond that anyone in the garage area would be proud to UPS as a sponsor of their car. This isn't about UPS. This is about Michael Waltrip signing Dale Jarrett to drive our cars. We have a sponsor for my car. We have a sponsor for Dale's car." That is where Waltrip stumbled. A misstep he corrected at the first opportunity. "We have sponsorship for my car. We have sponsorship for a second car. I said Dale's car and I didn't mean that," Waltrip explained. Is there a third car in the works or has Waltrip been lucky enough to sign a sponsor who would love to have Jarrett as their driver but is willing to accept another driver should UPS make the decision to sign with Michael Waltrip Racing?
Waltrip has entered into a five-race agreement with Burger King and driver Bill Elliott for 2006, which might be a precursor to a full deal with either Jarrett or another drive in '07. Jarrett just might be the next Burger King on the racetrack, or maybe Waltrip is trying to lure Joe Nemechek, the first driver to campaign full time on the NEXTEL circuit for the chain into the Toyota fold. While Toyota has talked of not going beyond the three organizations they've already announced, Bill Davis, Red Bull and Michael Waltrip Racing there has been nothing said that limits the number of cars each organization might run on the track. The only limit is the four-car limit imposed by NASCAR. "NASCAR's pretty much said you need four," interjected Jarrett, when the possibility of a third car was raised. "That's the business model they've created. Obviously, we're smart enough to see that if we had four teams we could operate more efficiently. We've e two teams sponsored. We have two drivers. We might have another. We might not. I don't know. That's the truth and that's as fair as I can say it."(CircleTrackPlus.com)(5-14-2006)
