Rudd….and Petree and Ganassi and Yates…..UPDATE 2 Rudd, Havoline and #28 to Ganassi?: #28-Ricky Rudd is under pressure to make a decision about next season, from car owners Chip Ganassi and Andy Petree, his top two prospects. Petree, in turn, is under pressure from Rudd’s current boss, Robert Yates, to sign both Rudd and Chevron’s Texaco Havoline brand as sponsor. Petree yesterday said he was still waiting to hear from Rudd. If Petree doesn’t take Yates’ offer, then Yates will have to field three teams next season, a prospect the veteran car owner doesn’t relish. However, there are indications that a shakeup may be under way within Yates’ shop. Rudd and his longtime crew chief, Michael McSwain, have been at odds much of the season, and Yates says that McSwain will be taking over the new Elliott Sadler/M&M Mars team next season, probably to be run under the logo of Doug Yates Racing. Doug Yates is Robert Yates’ son. But what will happen to Rudd’s current crew? Will it go with McSwain or stay with Rudd if Rudd stays with Yates? There are signs that a number of crewmen may be siding with Rudd. And there is also the possibility that Doug Yates and McSwain may be moving soon to start organizing their new team. Yates would like to persuade Petree to sign up for a leased-engine program, which would cost about $3 million to $3.5 million a year. And…Ganassi is also trying to woo Chevron-Texaco for his proposed deal with Rudd.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-26-2002) UPDATE: In the next few weeks, reports say that Chip Ganassi Racing will announce a third team for the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. The driver will be Ricky Rudd and the sponsor will be Texaco/Havoline coming over in a complete package from Robert Yates Racing. No word on whether the team members will follow, or not. The #28 itself, though owned by RYR, has become greatly associated with Havoline and they have invested millions in building brand awareness with the racing public. It’s believed Havoline would like the number to be a part of the deal if Rudd goes to Ganassi with their sponsorship.(NASCAR.com Buzz) BUT – still a chance to retire? Ricky Rudd said Friday retirement from the Winston Cup series remains “a real possibility.” Rudd’s future remains cloudy, with still no decision on whether he will retire, stay at Robert Yates Racing, or move to another team. Rudd said he hoped to have everything cleared up by next weekend’s race at Indianapolis. Although Rudd, 45, has mulled several offers from other teams, he said he will consider retirement if he cannot be with a team that can win races “right out of the box.”(ThatsRacin.com)(7-26-2002) UPDATE 2: The Ricky Rudd sweepstakes appear to be over, and Chip Ganassi seems to be the winner. The official announcement could come next week at Indianapolis that Rudd will be in a Ganassi Dodge with Chevron-Texaco’s Havoline brand as sponsor. But Rudd and Ganassi were noncommittal yesterday when pressed on the issue. One major question: Would the Ganassi-Rudd team be the team that Jimmy Spencer currently drives for, or would Rudd drive for a new third Ganassi team? Spencer says he expects a third team, though he says he doesn’t know the driver. However, Ganassi, when asked if he will expand to a third team, replied “No plans right now.” The Rudd-Ganassi deal has been pushed by car owner Robert Yates, according to sources close to the situation, in bargaining between Yates and Ganassi. Rudd said. “I think everything will settle itself by next week, so I’m not going to say a whole lot right now.” Has Rudd in fact made his decision? “Well, I think I pretty much know,” Rudd replied. In fact, the Ganassi-Rudd contract is in the lawyer’s hands, according to team sources. Will Spencer be back for a second season with Ganassi? “I don’t see why not,” Ganassi said, not resolving the third-team question. “I didn’t ask him, so I don’t know, but I expect to come back,” Spencer said. “Maybe there is something up that I really don’t know about. “I know he wants to start a third team. And I know our facility can handle it. Our employees can. We’ve got good people in our organization. Spencer said he has a three-year contract with Ganassi. But Ganassi would not answer questions about that contract. “I don’t talk about my contracts,” Ganassi said.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-27-2002)
