[Havax]

Yates Racing is pleased to announce Paul Menard as the driver of the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion in 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. Following his first full season in the Sprint Cup Series, Menard finished 26th in the point standings, while earning his first career pole at Daytona International Speedway and his first career top-five finish at Talladega Superspeedway. "I’m really looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life with Yates Racing and behind the wheel of the No. 98 Ford Fusion,” said Menard. “The No. 98 has been to victory lane 25 times, many times with Marvin Panch and Lee Roy Yarbrough. It’s exciting to be starting with Max (Jones) and Doug (Yates), and having Larry Carter on the box making the calls. I’ve seen how solid the Roush/Yates engine program has been over the years and I know we can have a really good season in the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion.”
Helping Menard make the transition to Yates Racing and Ford Motor Company will be veteran crew chief Larry Carter. Carter comes to Yates Racing from Roush Fenway Racing, where in 2008 he helped Jamie McMurray earn four top five and 11 top-10 finishes. Prior to working with McMurray, Carter worked with veteran driver Rusty Wallace in his final season of Sprint Cup racing.
Yates Racing co-owner Max Jones is pleased with the addition of the No. 98 to the team's racing stable. “Paul is a focused and determined young man. His efforts combined with the strength and compatibility of our sponsor partners, and with Ford, will take him to new levels,” Jones said.



http://insiderracingnews.com/

[LSC9901]

The fact that he brings a sponsor along didn't hurt either. Thanks ... Dad!!

[Racer Duck]

Well, now that it's solid that Carter has left Jamie, who's gonna be on the box for Jamie? Wingo & Carter are what Jayski is saying, but with Carter no longer in the picture is it Wingo or someone else?

Also, right now the 98 has no owner points. Does this mean Yates Racing will buy the #15 (or #01) team from DEI to get the owner points? Will Daddy Menard put up the bucks to get son into the Chosen? probably...

[oncea3fan]

as far has points go , I thought NASCAR made a rule that you couldn't sell your point to another team now.

but then again , I thought the top 35 was to give teams some valus to sell, rather then a bunch of used up race cars.

whats the real story.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

as far has points go , I thought NASCAR made a rule that you couldn't sell your point to another team now.

but then again , I thought the top 35 was to give teams some valus to sell, rather then a bunch of used up race cars.

whats the real story.

if that were so, Jayski wouldn't be speculating on who might buy which closed down team for their Chosen points...

[Motorsports One]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

if that were so, Jayski wouldn't be speculating on who might buy which closed down team for their Chosen points...

When DEI and Ginn announced their merger, they became a 6-car team and were not allowed to sell the points from the 2 extra cars. They had to downsize to 4 cars and chose to give the points from one of the Ginn teams to Menard's team.

The question is, is the DEI / Ganassi merger effective now or just at the beginning of 2009? If it's not effective yet, I think DEI can sell the points from the #01 and #15 cars before the merger is official.

[jay1594]

The whole top 35 Points thing is a bunch of crap. The teams who are not so competitive should get an equal chance even if their only entering one or two races. If it knocks someone like Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch out of the field so be it, they could get back in to win the championship. I think it would make Nascar alot more competitive instead of seeing Busch dominate a whole season then Johnson dominating the chase. It would shake things up a bit

[thunderfoot]

It should go back to the qualify and race kind of thing. You dont qualify you dont race.

[jay1594]

That's Exactly What I am Saying !!!!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

It should go back to the qualify and race kind of thing. You dont qualify you dont race.

Originally Posted by jay1594

That's Exactly What I am Saying !!!!

all our "should, would and could"'s are being answered with a single "won't".

it's up to those with the bucks to change the system and they think the current system is what's bringing in the most bucks, so why change?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

it's up to those with the bucks to change the system and they think the current system is what's bringing in the most bucks, so why change?

Excuse me but is that another way of saying that the owners and sponsors are running the show and not the sanctioning body?

Interesting concept.

[jay1594]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Excuse me but is that another way of saying that the owners and sponsors are running the show and not the sanctioning body?

Interesting concept.

Yeah. I mean if you look at it the owner's realy have no control over how they will get into a race and stuff that is up to the people higher then the owenr's called NASCAR !

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by jay1594

Yeah. I mean if you look at it the owner's realy have no control over how they will get into a race and stuff that is up to the people higher then the owenr's called NASCAR !

I respectfully disagree.

NA__AR makes no decisions without analysing how any decisions will affect the Big Four Team Owners and the sponsors. This is called "The inmates running the asylum."

[jay1594]

Yes I understand and agree with somewaht your perspective. However, You don't see NASCAR stepping aside and bending the rules for those teams. Therefore really they control everything, the teams have no say, NASCAR tries to do everything to their advantage!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by jay1594

Yes I understand and agree with somewaht your perspective. However, You don't see NASCAR stepping aside and bending the rules for those teams. Therefore really they control everything, the teams have no say, NASCAR tries to do everything to their advantage!

Well, let's see...

Two years ago BDR's #23 truck had to set out a race for gross cheating. Hendrick's Knaus has gotten caught three times in the last four years, yet the #48 has been allowed to race every race.

The Big 4 get protection (or as I term it, team ownership welfare) through the Chosen 35 Rule.

Those two jump immediately to mind. NA__AR doesn't have to bend rules for the Big 4. All they have to do is levy rules which directly and indirectly benefit them.

This is something you can take to the bank: NA__AR loses no sleep when a Morgan-McClure, a BAM Racing or even a DEI without a Dale Junior goes under. But if a HMS or maybe even a JGR starts feeling the pinch, NA__AR will move heaven and earth to bail them out.

I stand on my contention that the Big 4 teams are, de facto, running NA__AR. If they aren't running it, they are exerting an inordinate amount of pressure at the top.