Dale Jarrett said Friday’s he’s looking for a crew chief who “supports and believes in me as a driver” after his Robert Yates Racing team’s decision to dismiss Brad Parrott from that role this week. Parrott’s older brother, Todd, who was the crew chief on the #88 Fords when Jarrett won the 1999 Winston Cup title, was also placed on “indefinite leave” this week. Based on comments from Jarrett and team general manager Doug Yates Friday, however, it seems all but definite that Todd Parrott won’t be back. “I think some confidence was lost in the misrepresentation of some things,” Jarrett said. “As a driver you’re out there busting your tail week in and week out. Even in years where you win seven races…or the championship that might not be enough – you get that little hint. You hear things. …To be quite honest, I’ve been a little disappointed in some things I’ve heard. So that’s kind of separated us a little bit more.” Jarrett finished 10th in the Daytona 500 and then won the season’s second race at Rockingham, but has no top-10 finishes since. He pointed to a test the team had at Texas as the point at which he began to feel things weren’t working with him and Brad Parrott. “I was just not pleased with what I saw there,” Jarrett said. “Then just a few things have happened during some races that kind of threw up a red flag.” Parrott was hired Thursday by Roush Racing to be the car chief for Jeff Burton’s #99 Fords. He was Burton’s Busch Series crew chief last season for a team that won five races in 14 starts. “I never once had the opportunity to put a Brad Parrott set-up under the race car,” Parrott said of the 88 team. “It was always what this team had or what that team had.” Garth Finley and Richard Buck will share duties leading Jarrett’s No. 88 team for the Virginia 500 this weekend. Robin Pemberton’s name has been mentioned as a possible long-term replacement for Parrott, but Yates said Friday no decisions have been made. “Right now there’s a vacancy sign up and we’re just going to explore our options,” said Yates, son of team owner Robert Yates. “We’re just going to see who’s out there.”( ThatsRacin.com )(4-12-2003)
