this is an interesting one – hearing that Galaxy Motorsports(#75-Dallenbach) and Robert Yates Racing are talking merger and are putting together BGN programs for 2001 involving Ron Hornaday and PJ Jones. Also, supposedly will run a six race R&D Cup team with Hornaday as the driver(I assume that in addition to the #28 and 88 Yates cars and the #75 Galaxy car). Also still hearing that Pizza Hut will be part of the primary sponsorship on the #75 in 2001. Yates supplies engines to the #75 Galaxy Motorsports team(9-22-2000) UPDATE: Robert Yates may be acquiring part-ownership of the Darwin Oordt team for which Wally Dallenbach drives(PitNow)(9-25-2000) UPDATE 2: Although members of Darwin Oordt’s Galaxy Motorsports team seem to believe otherwise, Robert Yates says he has no interest in acquiring any part of the #75 group. Dallenbach said Saturday that a deal with Yates was in the works, and “when it happens I’ll be real happy, but I’m not counting chickens. It’s what this team needs. That’s what’ll take this team to the next level, the right level.” According to Dallenbach, certain prerequisites had to fall into place, such as sponsorship. Dallenbach confirmed that Pizza Hut, a Pepsi subsidiary( a spin off company called Tricon Global Restaurants-YUM-NYSE), is on the list. Yates, however, is on the Coca-Cola plan, which would seem to create difficulties(SpeedVision)(9-26-2000) UPDATE 3: my understanding is that Yates contract with Texaco prevents him from owning more than two Winston Cup Teams. So, supposedly RYR would make Doug Yates the partner with Galaxy, which then they will be like a three car team, but legally RYR will have two teams (#28, #88) and Galaxy/Doug Yates will have a team. This also gets Yates around the Coke/Pepsi conflict. Pepsi spun off Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC a few years ago. The three restaurants are now a publicly held company called Tricon. Pepsi owns a lot of Tricon stock(9-28-2000) UPDATE 4: #75 owner Darwin Oordt says he is not interested in selling part ownership of his team to Robert Yates Racing, as has been speculated on internet reports. Oordt, winding up his rookie season as a Winston Cup team owner, expects to run the full schedule again next year. Wally Dallenbach is expected to return as driver. A search for a sponsor is underway(Tennessean/AP)(10-5-2000)
