Lowes and the #31 UPDATE 2 Gordon/Lowes Connection: Lowe’s officials admitted last week that they want to find a driver who can compete with the popularity and success of Tony Stewart, who drives the #20 Pontiac for their competition, Home Depot. Lowe’s officials have informed Richard Childress, owner of the #31 Chevy, that they will pay whatever it takes to get a top driver to replace Mike Skinner, who has not won a Winston Cup points race in five seasons as the Lowe’s Chevrolet driver. Lowe’s and Childress would love to get Jeff Burton, who is under contract with Roush Racing, but Burton says he’s staying with Jack Roush’s team. Greg Biffle, who drives the Grainger Ford for Roush’s Busch team, was seen touring the Childress racing facility last week. Childress also is looking for a driver for the No. 30 AOL car, which he will run on a full schedule next season. Jeff Green, the defending Busch series champion who will turn 39 in September, withdrew his name from consideration after AOL officials said they were looking for a younger driver(Dallas Morning News)(6-21-2001) UPDATE: Richard Childress, owner of the #31 Chevrolet, said he has made no final decision about whether driver Mike Skinner will be with that team next year. “We have a contract with Skinner through next year,” Childress said. “We both discussed that if we’re not both completely happy here in another few weeks, we’ll sit down and talk about the direction we’re going to go.” Childress plans to have three Winston Cup teams next year, with a #30 car joining the #’s 29 and 31. Rumors about who’ll drive that third car have been circulating for weeks(That’s Racin’)(6-24-2001) UPDATE 2: since this question has been posed to me numerous times since the race at Sears Point, it’ll be addressed: Since the #7 Ford driven by Robby Gordon has a Lowes decal on the rear lower 1/4 panel, he must be the next driver of the #31 Lowes Chevy for RCR. Nothing but speculation and a jump to conclusion, the decal has been on the car for months(as NationsRent and Lowes have a marketing agreement and some NationRents stores are located in Lowes), see my Paint Scheme Gallery and an image there of the #7 Ford taken at Martinsville, the decal was on the car then. It has been reported in the past that Gordon may run a BGN car for RCR either in 2001 or 2002 and Gordon is scheduled to drive the #21 BGN car for Richard Childress at Watkins Glen(6-25-2001)
