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Doug Yates announced today he will field two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams in 2008 with drivers David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil. These teams will be operated under a company called “Yates Racing” which has agreed to acquire operating assets from Robert Yates Racing, including the transfer of car numbers and owner points. The transaction will be effective December 1, 2007.

Robert Yates announced he would retire as a team owner at the end of the 2007 season.

“With this announcement it’s clear that the letter of intent with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing will not proceed. We’re thankful for their support and would welcome the opportunity to work with them in the future,” said Yates Racing CEO Doug Yates. “I am very excited to carry the Yates Racing heritage into the future. I believe I have the experience and understanding of the competition and business requirements that are necessary to be an effective team owner.

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[thunderfoot]

I am very glad no criminals got their hands on this outfit. Hopefully they will get some chassis people that will have the knowledge to make the adjustments needed to put these boys in victory lane. Not that they dont have good people now. But I dont seem to see anyone with a handle on things yet for good finishes. I want to see the old days come back to where they are a threat to win each week.

[Bob Tanner]

Boy, for tradition's sake, I hope this goes well.

However, back in 2002 Doug kind of showed that he might be better suited for technical stuff, more than management stuff. I'm hoping for the best; on the flip side, maybe a fresh view for Doug is what RYR needs?

Time will tell.

[Team Yates]

Statement from NHLR on Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing: Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, LLC was excited about its future plans with Robert Yates Racing [#38 and #88] and were quite surprised by the announcement of Robert Yates’ retirement from racing and handing the team over to his son Doug. [They] wish Robert the very best in his retirement. At this time [they] are continuing to explore several exciting opportunities for the 2008 NASCAR season.(NHL Racing site)(9-14-2007)

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

were quite surprised by the announcement of Robert Yates’ retirement from racing and handing the team over to his son Doug. [They] wish Robert the very best in his retirement. At this time [they] are continuing to explore several exciting opportunities for the 2008 NASCAR season.(NHL Racing site)(9-14-2007)

This puts me on edge a little.

[thunderfoot]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

Statement from NHLR on Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing: Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, LLC was excited about its future plans with Robert Yates Racing [#38 and #88] and were quite surprised by the announcement of Robert Yates’ retirement from racing and handing the team over to his son Doug. [They] wish Robert the very best in his retirement. At this time [they] are continuing to explore several exciting opportunities for the 2008 NASCAR season.(NHL Racing site)(9-14-2007)

What kind of "exciting opportunities" are we talking about here? Possibly how to scam the government without getting caught? Cheating on your taxes and throwing the blame on someone else? How to screw a corporation without having to kiss? Endless possibles here folks.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

What kind of "exciting opportunities" are we talking about here? Possibly how to scam the government without getting caught? Cheating on your taxes and throwing the blame on someone else? How to screw a corporation without having to kiss? Endless possibles here folks.

TF not funny, not funny at all.

[MIKE28]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

I am very glad no criminals got their hands on this outfit. Hopefully they will get some chassis people that will have the knowledge to make the adjustments needed to put these boys in victory lane. Not that they dont have good people now. But I dont seem to see anyone with a handle on things yet for good finishes. I want to see the old days come back to where they are a threat to win each week.

I agree totally. Doug will bring them back. Now they need to find sponsors for both cars and find out what number Travis is gonna use since they sold the number to Hendricks for JR to use. Will we see the 28 back? Hopefully.

[Team Yates]

First I want to start with, oh my God, where do I want to start?!? I'm going to incorporate several little tid bits into one post.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing executives was really all Doug Yates needed to see. It wasn't a deal breaker, per se, but from his estimation was a stark indicator of the commitment level of his new partners.
Yates really liked Yeley, and felt he was a talented and quite marketable young man. But Newman/Haas/Lanigan dragged its feet, prompting Yates to change direction toward an alignment with Roush Fenway Racing. "All three of those guys are great people. We had good intentions," Yates said of team owners Paul Newman, Carl Haas and Mike Lanigan. "The deal was a handshake deal and a letter of intent, and there wasn't enough commitment there.
"Some things came about that we really needed to make decisions on and nobody would move on it. In this sport windows of opportunity open and close quickly, and some key ones came and went and it just wasn't moving fast enough.

1.The Yates/NHL merger:
I said that I wasn't so sure about Yeley, but then that deal got thrown out the window because NHL "dragged" their feet. I didn't know what to think about the merger, but a merger of sort has been talked about for awhile. So, now I'm looking at Kvapil, well I'm really, really not sure!!! Maybe, just maybe with the truck experience under his belt, but........well, we will see!!

2.Doug in charge:
Yes, he did do a "stint" back in 2002, but that was also with Eddie De Hondt as GM. Also, that was 5 years ago, you don't think that he could have taken some business courses or just gained more business knowledge in the past 5 years?!? I do, I think he's been doing whatever he needs to do to make it work again!! He knew long before any of us that he his dad was going to retire, so I think he has been doing more business oriented things to get ready to take the reins.

3.Robert retiring:
Well, yes I knew that it would happen sometime, but I'm still shell shocked, but that is a combination of all kinds of annoucements and "rumours". My heart is heavy, but at least he didn't "sell out" and give up. Hopefully Doug can get his head around it and turn it upside right!! Doug learned alot from his dad about racing and life in general. I'm sure that Doug wants to make his dad proud and I think that he has been doing everything he can to be better in the areas that he may lack.
I'm very sad that Robert is retiring, but I know that he deserves to be able to relax and do something else. I have the utmost respect for him, I've been with him throughout all the years, through the happy times and the many, many heartaches. He's a real stand up guy who stands behind himself regardless of how a decision made may have turned out to work against him. He would just dust himself off and jump back into it. He's not a cheater or sneaky, and he's always upfront with people. I will really miss Robert being a "part" of it but it will be his son who holds the reins. I have alot of faith in Robert, so I back his decisions to hand the company over to his son, to shy away from the NHL merger and to keep it a family owned business who has complete control.

I'm sure that I have more to say but this post is already to long!!

[MIKE28]

I think that Doug, with the help from Roush, can turn things around. I dont know if he can do it with the 2 drivers he has now, but I hope so. I still feel that David is not the answer. He is ok, but not for RYR, as they are in the rebuilding stage. I have been to 5 races this year and scanned David and it seems that when Todd gives him the changes that he asks for, he still doesnt run any better. I hope Travis can come in and help get them running better, but I really feel that they need someone to come in who is experienced. These 2 drivers are like having 2 rookies.

[LSC9901]

Experienced would be the key to Yates racing but ...... The experience they need is not available now and what is available for experienced drivers is what is leaving. Drivers past their prime who, in truth, have little to offer as far as bringing in experience and a chance at some victories. They've got to find the next star who hasn't been discovered yet. Sound impossible ???? Probably.

[Bob Tanner]

Here is a scenario I haven't seen mentioned:

Roush needs to cut to four teams from his current five.
Yates racing has room and Roush technology.
Maybe next year's line up at Yates will be:
Gilliland in the #38
Kvapil in the #28
Biffle in some other number?

Right now I don't think Kvapil has a sponsor but with the help of Roush and John Henry's Fenway Group I don't see that as a major problem.