Elledge to leave Yates? UPDATE 4: Dodge is wooing Jimmy Elledge, one of the Winston Cup tour’s rising young crew chiefs, to leave Robert Yates’ Ford #88 operation to join Ray Evernham’s Dodge gang as crew chief for #7-Casey Atwood on the Jimmy Smith-Buddy Barnes operation. And Barnes yesterday said that Elledge could be joining his team soon. Smith, the team owner in a partnership with Evernham, and Barnes, the general manager and interim crew chief, have been rebuilding the team since losing sponsorship last fall. Atwood finished 18th yesterday, his best of the year.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-25-2002) UPDATE: #88-Dale Jarrett expects to have crew chief Jimmy Elledge with him, discounting recent rumors that Elledge might leave the Robert Yates Racing team. Jarrett said Elledge does not plan to leave and has told Jarrett that repeatedly this week. (Roanoke Times)(3-28-2002) UPDATE 2: When Dale Jarrett and the #88 Robert Yates Racing team heads to Texas this weekend, crew chief Jimmy Elledge will not make the trip. Todd Parrott is now the crew chief of that team. Jimmy Elledge this afternoon says he has decided to pursue other options. The door has been left open for Elledge to return to Robert Yates Racing in another capacity. Todd Parrott had been the crew chief for the previous five seasons but was said to be taking a larger role as general manager with the team when Elledge was hired in the off-season [from the #55 APR team].(FoxSports)(4-3-2002) UPDATE 3: Todd Parrott has reassumed the crew chief position for Dale Jarrett’ #88 Ford team at Robert Yates Racing. Jimmy Elledge, who took over as crew chief after Parrott moved to a team manager position in December, is still employed, but “is exploring other options,” team owner Robert Yates said. “We think he is a very talented individual and our doors will always be open to him.” Late Wednesday, Ray Evernham, co-owner of Ultra/Evernham Motorsports, confirmed he plans to speak to Elledge in the coming days about the crew chief job with driver Casey Atwood and the #7 Dodges. Buddy “Reddog” Barnes currently holds the role on an interim basis.(ThatsRacin.com), also on ESPN’s RPM2Night it was mentioned that Evernham and Elledge have spoken already, but Elledge is not commiting to anything yet.(4-4-2002) UPDATE 4: Ray Evernham, co-owner of Ultra/Evernham Motorsports and the #7 Dodges driven by Casey Atwood, said he hoped to have a meeting Monday with Jimmy Elledge, who recently lost his position as crew chief for Dale Jarrett. Evernham said he hoped co-owner Jim Smith and Atwood could participate in the meeting. Elledge, who is still employed by Robert Yates Racing, apparently is fielding several offers from several Winston Cup teams. He was formerly crew chief for Bobby Hamilton at Andy Petree Racing.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-5-2002)
