Michael told DJ he could drive as long as he wanted. UPS may change that. UPS could be looking to move its program to another team. They are not happy to be missing races. You know that NAPA has to feel the same way. The growing pains of bringing a new team to the track is beginning to take a toll. The popular Jarrett has won the Daytona 500 twice and the ‘99 cup championship. I hate to see him go out like ol’ D.W. He deserves better than that. He got his first win driving the Wood Bros. Ford at Michigan. D.J. moved on to the start up team of Joe Gibbs Racing. He won the Daytona 500 driving the 18 Interstate Batteries Chevy. known as the ‘Dale and Dale show’ as Jarrett won at the expense of Dale Earnhardt. His most productive years were driving the powerful Fords fielded by Robert Yates. It was the 88 team that won him a second Daytona 500 (also at the expense of Dale Earnhardt) and the Winston Cup Championship.
Another Team Toyota news item; Bill Davis Racing and Jeremy Mayfield will toss in the towel at the conclusion of the season. Sounds like a mutual decision. Jeremy was not making races despite several crew chief changes. Bill Davis, who won the Daytona 500 with Ward Burton at the wheel of his 22 Dodge, points to the struggle to bring Toyota to the party as well as the extra challenge of the Car of Tomorrow. Neither seem to be pointing fingers at the other for now.
Just as all this makes news, the stories about Joe Gibbs Racing switching to Toyota just seems to get stronger. JGR has been with GM since it began. First as a Chevy team, then to Pontiac at a time when the Pontiacs were struggling to have a top tier team. Bobby Labonte won his Winston Cup Championship driving the 18 Pontiac in 2000. when the Pontiac division decided to leave NASCAR, JGR switched back to Chevy. Their thinking might be this; as a GM team, they are no better than 3rd or 4th behind Hendrick, RCR, DEI. If they switch to Toyota, they become perhaps the top dog among TRD teams.
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MWR is denying this report is true. However, I honestly believe DJ’s career is over and that he is only hanging in there for the big dollars. Time to move on, life has more to offer, and he should be consentrating on his family now.
Pete, I just saw that Ty Norris is denying the rumor about UPS. There are posts all over that is putting UPS at Rousch for Greg Biffle. I did not put that in my post because I felt that UPS may also be talking to others. I guess we will see who is really holding the cards. I am certain that sponsors on this level must have a performance clause in the contract that gives them an ‘out’ if the team does not make races. It is my opinion that would be the clause UPS might use to walk away from MWR.
Found this on Jayski this morning….
Jarrett and UPS to return in 2008 with MWR: Dale Jarrett is puzzled by reports that he could retire at the end of the season. Not only does he plan to continue racing for Michael Waltrip Racing next season, but he also says that sponsor UPS is solidly on board with the #44 team. He also dismisses talk that longtime Jarrett sponsor UPS is considering leaving the team. While he says the company is asking fair questions and keeping an eye on things, he expresses no concern that the sponsor could bolt at the end of this season. As to his own status, the 50-year-old former champion laughed about reports that he could retire at the end of this year. He says that he knew this was going to be a process of building a team and the he remains committed to just that. He wants to build the team to the level that someone will want to replace him when he does decide to stop driving.(SceneDaily.com)(8-17-2007)
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