dirty
EOG Master
By RICK MINTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/15/07 Daytona Beach, Fla. ? Optimism is never higher in NASCAR than during the annual preseason test sessions at Daytona International Speedway. Every team is tied in points. All have had a winter break to improve their race cars, and drivers and crew members arrive with renewed enthusiasm.
That includes team owner Robert Yates, who suffered through a miserable 2006 season. His cars lost their competitive edge, and both of his star drivers? Elliott Sadler and Dale Jarrett ? left for other teams. Key crew members also quit.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude--><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="175"></table><!--startclickprintinclude--><!--begintext--> There were even questions about whether Yates would walk away from the sport. Yates said last week at Daytona that he did a lot of soul-searching during the dark days of the season.
"Performance was getting worse," he said. "I was not only questioning whether I wanted to be there; others were questioning whether they wanted to be there."
But midway through the season, Yates, who has been a major player in the sport for 35 years, decided that he was going to do whatever he could to resurrect his race team, which won 57 races from 1989 to 2005, but none in 2006.
"I started drawing a line," he said. "If you don't want to be here, leave. If you want to be here, believe in it and let's go. If you think I can do it, give me a shot at it."
He acknowledges that at age 63, there's reason to wonder whether his methods, which worked well for decades, will produce winning race cars in today's technology-
driven NASCAR.
"I've watched older guys drag a company down, and it's possible that I'm doing the same thing," he said. "I know I've got to learn to step back and let the young guys do it. But I believe I have picked a job I can do well."
He said he has learned a lot about managing racing talent from his son, Doug Yates, who oversees the team's engine-building efforts and has managed the team in the past before outside general managers were hired.
"Doug thinks I'm an old fogey and not doing it the modern way, but when he's not looking I do it his way, and it's working," Yates said.
Yates' boldest move is bringing veteran Ricky Rudd out of a one-year retirement to drive the No. 88 Ford that was driven by Dale Jarrett.
Rudd, who drove for Yates from 2000 to 2002, said he decided to give it another go largely because of the determination he saw in Yates when they met to discuss the driving job.
"I knew he was either going to step back, sort of retire and let Doug run the motor shop or he was going to say, 'I'm tired of being embarrassed. I'm going to come back and make this thing bigger and better than ever,' " Rudd said. "And that's the Robert that I saw when I met with him. It wasn't the Robert that was tired and wore out.
"He's got a plan, and he's got some really key people who are helping to put this thing back together, but it doesn't happen overnight."
The initial results seem positive.
Rudd posted the fastest lap at last Thursday's test session at Daytona, going 186.405 mph to beat Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick.
Like Yates, Rudd knows there are challenges ahead. But, like many others this January in Daytona, he's optimistic.
"I certainly see good things happening," Rudd said. "How quickly will it happen? I really don't know yet. I would not have taken this job if I thought we were going to go out there to run 10th or 15th or 25th every week. ...
"Hopefully there will be some good things and some good finishes along the way, and I wouldn't rule out anything."
Yates resumes a larger role to drive team | ajc.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/15/07 Daytona Beach, Fla. ? Optimism is never higher in NASCAR than during the annual preseason test sessions at Daytona International Speedway. Every team is tied in points. All have had a winter break to improve their race cars, and drivers and crew members arrive with renewed enthusiasm.
That includes team owner Robert Yates, who suffered through a miserable 2006 season. His cars lost their competitive edge, and both of his star drivers? Elliott Sadler and Dale Jarrett ? left for other teams. Key crew members also quit.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude--><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="175"></table><!--startclickprintinclude--><!--begintext--> There were even questions about whether Yates would walk away from the sport. Yates said last week at Daytona that he did a lot of soul-searching during the dark days of the season.
"Performance was getting worse," he said. "I was not only questioning whether I wanted to be there; others were questioning whether they wanted to be there."
But midway through the season, Yates, who has been a major player in the sport for 35 years, decided that he was going to do whatever he could to resurrect his race team, which won 57 races from 1989 to 2005, but none in 2006.
"I started drawing a line," he said. "If you don't want to be here, leave. If you want to be here, believe in it and let's go. If you think I can do it, give me a shot at it."
He acknowledges that at age 63, there's reason to wonder whether his methods, which worked well for decades, will produce winning race cars in today's technology-
driven NASCAR.
"I've watched older guys drag a company down, and it's possible that I'm doing the same thing," he said. "I know I've got to learn to step back and let the young guys do it. But I believe I have picked a job I can do well."
He said he has learned a lot about managing racing talent from his son, Doug Yates, who oversees the team's engine-building efforts and has managed the team in the past before outside general managers were hired.
"Doug thinks I'm an old fogey and not doing it the modern way, but when he's not looking I do it his way, and it's working," Yates said.
Yates' boldest move is bringing veteran Ricky Rudd out of a one-year retirement to drive the No. 88 Ford that was driven by Dale Jarrett.
Rudd, who drove for Yates from 2000 to 2002, said he decided to give it another go largely because of the determination he saw in Yates when they met to discuss the driving job.
"I knew he was either going to step back, sort of retire and let Doug run the motor shop or he was going to say, 'I'm tired of being embarrassed. I'm going to come back and make this thing bigger and better than ever,' " Rudd said. "And that's the Robert that I saw when I met with him. It wasn't the Robert that was tired and wore out.
"He's got a plan, and he's got some really key people who are helping to put this thing back together, but it doesn't happen overnight."
The initial results seem positive.
Rudd posted the fastest lap at last Thursday's test session at Daytona, going 186.405 mph to beat Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick.
Like Yates, Rudd knows there are challenges ahead. But, like many others this January in Daytona, he's optimistic.
"I certainly see good things happening," Rudd said. "How quickly will it happen? I really don't know yet. I would not have taken this job if I thought we were going to go out there to run 10th or 15th or 25th every week. ...
"Hopefully there will be some good things and some good finishes along the way, and I wouldn't rule out anything."
Yates resumes a larger role to drive team | ajc.com