From a Saturday Preseason Thunder Daytona Fan Fest news conference:
Q. Are you going to do any Nationwide stuff this year, maybe something with Roush, or what’s going on there?
PAUL MENARD: I’m actually going to run, I believe, 16 Nationwide races. It’s going to be through Yates racing in affiliation with Roush. But it’ll be an under the Yates banner. I think we’re going to announce something this week as far as who the sponsor is, but it’s pretty exciting.(NASCAR PR)(1-17-2009)
UPDATE: Yates Racing announced it will field the #98 Ford in a limited number of Nationwide races in 2009. Yates Racing driver Paul Menard will run 16 races in the #98 Menards Ford. Rheem Water Heaters have signed on to run 14 of the races as the primary vendor on the car. Menard will make his Nationwide Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 21, 2009 with crew chief Matt Puccia calling the shots atop the pit box. Puccia worked last season with Roush Fenway Racing driver Erik Darnell in the Camping World Truck Series.(Yates Racing PR)(1-19-2009)
