Robert Yates says he’s putting the finishing touches on a contract renewal with sponsor Texaco and Irwin. While Yates has put the pressure on Irwin and his crew, there are persistent rumblings of trouble in that part of the Yates camp. Texaco officials were the driving force in Yates’ hiring of Irwin fresh out of the NASCAR truck ranks, and Texaco is still satisfied with Irwin as standard bearer. According to one report, if Yates wants to renew with Texaco he will also have to re-sign Irwin. Along with all this are reports, which Yates confirms, that he has had offers to buy the team( PitNow ) but….accodrding at a Winston Cup Scene article in this weeks issue: concerning a recent team meeting….”but team owner Yates said he did not intend to imply that Irwin’s job is on the line. He was merely trying to fire his team up..”, Irwins’s take was “win or else”. Yates said he did not tell Irwin that his job is on the line, but stressed the team must improve
