Ward in a Ford with UPS on board???
Ward in a Ford with UPS on board???
By Clint NewlinLastCowboys.com Staff Writer
Before you start getting all worked up and sending me a bunch of e-mails, accusing me of making crap up or simply being a rumor monger, let me preface this article by saying that I know none of the following to be fact….not even the part about Jarrett going to Toyota, which appears to be fact, but cannot in fact be a fact until Jarrett states it as such, in which case, the effect of the fact will fuel further fan speculation.
Now, say THAT 20 times fast! In short, the following is based solely on rumor, e-mails sent to me, and good old fashion speculation, dig? Now, enough of the salad….let’s get to the meat and potatoes, shall we?A couple of little birdies have told me in the last couple of weeks that Ward Burton is off the market in terms of driver availability. And while it is claimed that this information comes from people we would all consider ‘official’ type people, these ‘official’ type people are being coy in regards to whom or what has taken him off the market. One rumor that has gained momentum has Ward taking over the #88 UPS Ford owned by Robert Yates Racing when Dale Jarrett bolts for Toyota.
Again, Jarrett hasn’t officially said that he is going to Toyota, but he hasn’t exactly denied it either. I know what you’re thinking….why in the wide world of sports would Jarrett or UPS want some dude who hasn’t raced a Cup car in….in….well, in a long time? Let me tell you why….Another little nugget of information floating around out there states that if Jarrett bolts, UPS will stay with Yates, but they don’t want the next ‘potential’ Cup star.
They want a proven competitor, not just some cat with little or no experience. Still, why not someone younger to match up with Hamlin in the FedEx car? How about Mears? Let me tell you something….if Mears doesn’t stay with Ganassi, it will be because he can’t get out of his house due to the pile of Benjamins that Toyota has stacked in front of his door. Toyota is supposedly offering drivers up to three or four times what they’re making now. You think Yates is going to offer that kind of jack to Mears with his zero Cup wins? The answer is no with a capital NO. Who else with any kind of Cup experience is out there?There are people out there who are (and have been) in regular contact with Ward’s public relations rep and with people who know him. Both parties agree that he has something nailed down, but neither is willing to part with any information. Why would that be? Well, you could say that it’s because the whole rumor of Burton having a ride has no basis in fact, or you could go the other direction. Suppose the Yates rumor IS true?
Jarrett currently drives in the Cup Series. He has commitments to his team and sponsors. He hasn’t officially said anything yet, but is expected to soon. If he is going to Toyota and Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007, maybe THEY are the reason behind the delay. Maybe they’re waiting until they can announce a full roster? Maybe Yates and/or UPS have asked him to wait for whatever reason? If either of these scenarios holds any water, then it stands to reason that Ward’s camp wouldn’t want to play the part of the spoiler, especially where Toyota’s entry into Cup or Jarrett’s team or sponsors are concerned.
Let’s not forget that there is a connection between RYR and Burton, namely Tommy Baldwin Jr. who was Burton’s crew chief at Bill Davis Racing from 1998 to 2002. If anyone knows how competitive Burton is, it’s Baldwin. Baldwin is currently the crew chief for Elliott Sadler’s #38 M&M’s Ford, but it’s not like crew chief switching or changing is anything unusual over at RYR, right? There is also the Virginia connection, with the aforementioned Sadler being from the same state as Mr. Burton. At the very least, we’ll know what Jarrett’s plans are in a couple of weeks or less.
As for the fate of the 88….well, if Jarrett goes the way of Toyota, the rumors will start flying faster than we can write about them. Let’s just hope that Mr. Burton’s name is mentioned somewhere in there.Know anything about what Mr. Burton has cooking? Have any solid information to disprove any of the above speculation? I’d love to hear from you.If Burton isn't in a Cup ride by the time the Pepsi 400 rolls around, I am going to Daytona Beach, and I am going to set myself on fire in front of the NASCAR headquarters. Wait....on second thought, that would hurt a lot.
Who do I have to light up to get something done in this sport? What do I have to do to get a straight answer from Ward's people? I swear to God, I will take a squirrel hostage or put a blindfold around a redwood tree and put a gun to its head....er, trunk? Anyway, I'll do whatever it takes to get some straight answers.
Copyright © 2006 http://www.LastCowboys.com.
By Clint NewlinLastCowboys.com Staff Writer
Before you start getting all worked up and sending me a bunch of e-mails, accusing me of making crap up or simply being a rumor monger, let me preface this article by saying that I know none of the following to be fact….not even the part about Jarrett going to Toyota, which appears to be fact, but cannot in fact be a fact until Jarrett states it as such, in which case, the effect of the fact will fuel further fan speculation.
Now, say THAT 20 times fast! In short, the following is based solely on rumor, e-mails sent to me, and good old fashion speculation, dig? Now, enough of the salad….let’s get to the meat and potatoes, shall we?A couple of little birdies have told me in the last couple of weeks that Ward Burton is off the market in terms of driver availability. And while it is claimed that this information comes from people we would all consider ‘official’ type people, these ‘official’ type people are being coy in regards to whom or what has taken him off the market. One rumor that has gained momentum has Ward taking over the #88 UPS Ford owned by Robert Yates Racing when Dale Jarrett bolts for Toyota.
Again, Jarrett hasn’t officially said that he is going to Toyota, but he hasn’t exactly denied it either. I know what you’re thinking….why in the wide world of sports would Jarrett or UPS want some dude who hasn’t raced a Cup car in….in….well, in a long time? Let me tell you why….Another little nugget of information floating around out there states that if Jarrett bolts, UPS will stay with Yates, but they don’t want the next ‘potential’ Cup star.
They want a proven competitor, not just some cat with little or no experience. Still, why not someone younger to match up with Hamlin in the FedEx car? How about Mears? Let me tell you something….if Mears doesn’t stay with Ganassi, it will be because he can’t get out of his house due to the pile of Benjamins that Toyota has stacked in front of his door. Toyota is supposedly offering drivers up to three or four times what they’re making now. You think Yates is going to offer that kind of jack to Mears with his zero Cup wins? The answer is no with a capital NO. Who else with any kind of Cup experience is out there?There are people out there who are (and have been) in regular contact with Ward’s public relations rep and with people who know him. Both parties agree that he has something nailed down, but neither is willing to part with any information. Why would that be? Well, you could say that it’s because the whole rumor of Burton having a ride has no basis in fact, or you could go the other direction. Suppose the Yates rumor IS true?
Jarrett currently drives in the Cup Series. He has commitments to his team and sponsors. He hasn’t officially said anything yet, but is expected to soon. If he is going to Toyota and Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007, maybe THEY are the reason behind the delay. Maybe they’re waiting until they can announce a full roster? Maybe Yates and/or UPS have asked him to wait for whatever reason? If either of these scenarios holds any water, then it stands to reason that Ward’s camp wouldn’t want to play the part of the spoiler, especially where Toyota’s entry into Cup or Jarrett’s team or sponsors are concerned.
Let’s not forget that there is a connection between RYR and Burton, namely Tommy Baldwin Jr. who was Burton’s crew chief at Bill Davis Racing from 1998 to 2002. If anyone knows how competitive Burton is, it’s Baldwin. Baldwin is currently the crew chief for Elliott Sadler’s #38 M&M’s Ford, but it’s not like crew chief switching or changing is anything unusual over at RYR, right? There is also the Virginia connection, with the aforementioned Sadler being from the same state as Mr. Burton. At the very least, we’ll know what Jarrett’s plans are in a couple of weeks or less.
As for the fate of the 88….well, if Jarrett goes the way of Toyota, the rumors will start flying faster than we can write about them. Let’s just hope that Mr. Burton’s name is mentioned somewhere in there.Know anything about what Mr. Burton has cooking? Have any solid information to disprove any of the above speculation? I’d love to hear from you.If Burton isn't in a Cup ride by the time the Pepsi 400 rolls around, I am going to Daytona Beach, and I am going to set myself on fire in front of the NASCAR headquarters. Wait....on second thought, that would hurt a lot.
Who do I have to light up to get something done in this sport? What do I have to do to get a straight answer from Ward's people? I swear to God, I will take a squirrel hostage or put a blindfold around a redwood tree and put a gun to its head....er, trunk? Anyway, I'll do whatever it takes to get some straight answers.
Copyright © 2006 http://www.LastCowboys.com.
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