If you go to Nascar.com, click on News Wire, then select Driver,
Ward Burton, this is the latest news article to come out on Ward. I
cannot believe that Ward would accept a part-time Cup ride, and have
to bring sponsorhip!!! This is a bunch of crap! Ward is a proven,
quality Cup Driver that deserves a FULL-TIME CUP RIDE! Ward needs
to look elsewhere, and let RYR sink themselves with their "up and
coming young drivers", who have no Cup experience! Put Ward in the
#38 M&M's car with Tommy Baldwin as crew chief, they have had PROVEN
SUCCESS!!! I truly hope that Ward does not accept this offer. A
WARD BURTON FAN 4LIFE!!! NOREEN REMINGTON

Yates Racing must retool for 2007
By BILL WHITEHEAD
Scripps Howard News Service
July 28, 2006

- Robert Yates Racing has been a sturdy ship cutting a passage
through the uncharted waters of NASCAR racing for nearly two
decades, but at this point, the legendary engine builder's team is
taking on water and bailing desperately to get ready for 2007.

After two seats opened up recently when RYR drivers Dale Jarrett and
Elliott Sadler headed for greener pastures, it didn't take long for
the rumors to start.

Enter three drivers: David Gilliland, Stephen Leicht and Ward
Burton.

Gilliland, 30, has been a hot commodity since he stunned the
motorsports world with his long shot Busch victory at Kentucky.

Many owners, including Yates and Richard Childress, have admitted to
contacting Gilliland about his plans for next year.

The unsponsored, part-time driver added another to the list last
Saturday at Martinsville when Jack Roush took a moment to speak with
him in the garage after a mid-race crash. Roush doesn't have an
opening in his stable, although there are rumors.

Leicht and Gilliland are both promising drivers, and Burton was a
proven Nextel Cup winner in a second-tier ride.

Leicht finished 33rd at Pocono in his first Cup start last Sunday,
while Gilliland's win should be that series' shocker this season and
be remembered as one of NASCAR's greatest David-versus-Goliath
moments.

If the details can be worked out, the 19-year-old Leicht will join
RYR and drive the No. 88 with CitiFinancial as primary sponsor in
2007.

Gilliland was at Pocono to meet with M&Ms execs last week, then
showed up in an interview on the SPEED channel eating the colorful
candy, claiming it was his favorite. It almost sounds like a done
deal.

As for Burton, Yates said he would field a third car for the 2002
Daytona 500 winner - if Burton could bring sponsorship along as
well.

Expect Burton to run a part-time schedule with RYR next year,
starting at next season's opener in Daytona.

What Yates is going through is similar to Richard Childress Racing's
plight a few years back.

RCR has completely rebounded after winning just once during a two-
year period. RCR's Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick are both in the top
five and positioned to make a run at a title during the season-
ending The Chase For The Cup.

It's too bad times are so lean at RYR. Each race weekend there's a
better chance that a Chip Ganassi Racing car finishes ahead of the
No. 38 or No. 88 cars, and the team that produced the once-feared
horsepower of the "Yates Rocket" is routinely slower than most on
race day.

No one could have predicted seven years ago after Dale Jarrett's
championship how far RYR would fall.

But it will take more than two green racers to right the ship - a
whole team effort is in order - so 2007 might be a throwaway year
from a performance standpoint in preparation for 2008.

Let's just hope RYR doesn't sink into the murky, cold depths of
obscurity for good during these stormy times.


(Bill Whitehead covers NASCAR for Scripps Treasure Coast newspapers,
The Stuart News, Fort Pierce Tribune and Vero Beach Press Journal.
Contact him at wwhitehe@....)





---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------