Labonte and Menard out at Yates after the season?

From Jayski:

Labonte & Menard out at Yates? Hearing Yates Racing will clean house with its current driver roster at the end of the season. After the example that Tony Stewart has set at Stewart-Haas Racing on how a satellite operation should be run, is there any question why Jack Roush would not consider unloading #96-Bobby Labonte and #98-Paul Menard, who are 27th and 31st respectively, in the point standings? Yes, Menard brings decent money to the table, but with Ask.com shopping its sponsorship there is certainly reason for concern for the #96 Ford.(Fox Sports)(7-11-2009) Comment here

NOT SURPRISED new blood is needed

They are definitely not running to well.

I like Bobby Labonte, but they are just not getting it done this year. I think this is probably the best thing that they could do for next year. IMO, they should move 2 Roush drivers (one of them should be Matt, Carl, or Greg to help the team get moving like Tony Stewart has done) to Yates. Jack wouldn't have a problem hiring someone else to take over a Roush Fenway car, but I don't think they'll be able to find a solid driver to come to Yates.

TeamBlueOval wrote:

I like Bobby Labonte, but they are just not getting it done this year. I think this is probably the best thing that they could do for next year. IMO, they should move 2 Roush drivers (one of them should be Matt, Carl, or Greg to help the team get moving like Tony Stewart has done) to Yates. Jack wouldn't have a problem hiring someone else to take over a Roush Fenway car, but I don't think they'll be able to find a solid driver to come to Yates.

I'd love to see Bif come over. Andrew, the drivers you mentioned are working for the same team. They will do what Jackie wants. Doug has his head under the hood and doesn't know or care about whats going on or he would have gotten out of this alliance a long time ago.

Roush is no Hendrick's. When Hendricks makes a deal HE FOLLOWS THRU. YOU DON'T SEE STEWART GETTING ANYTHING LESS THAN HENDRICKS DRIVERS. LAST YEAR THATS ALL YATES GOT ----SECOND BEST. This year SAME THING PLUS YATES NOT HAVING THE RIGHT DRIVERS.
Labonti and Mernard are not FORD DRIVERS, and I firmly believe that it makes a difference when driving a different Mfg's car. Sadler once mention the fact that he was surprised how different it was to drive a Dodge Also motormouth made the remark, when he switched to Dodge from Chevy. He just couldn't get the right feel. This might be all in their mind but nevertheless that feeling does exist.

I was half way excited thinking of a new start, but then I followed the link off of Jayski and found out it came from Lee Spencer and is labeled as rumors around the garage. She throws a lot of them out (as she has done in the past) and it's likely none of them have any truth to them.

eehwkram wrote:

I was half way excited thinking of a new start, but then I followed the link off of Jayski and found out it came from Lee Spencer and is labeled as rumors around the garage. She throws a lot of them out (as she has done in the past) and it's likely none of them have any truth to them.

Oh well thats where I got it from. If it true, I think she has the driver's name wrong. It should be TK. I can see him over at Gibbs. I would like to see Braun take over the #28. Ragan should have a have a shot with the #26. Never did like those 90 #'s. Still would like to see Bif in a YATES car. (never happen)

Labonte is past champ which is good for bringing in sponsors and he would have a Past Champ's Provisional. Menard brings a sponsor, which Yates has had an awful time trying to get. I think starting over would be a good idea with how poorly they've run, but would it cause even more problems. If they had two already sponsored rides for next year and just needed two drivers, it would be a lot easier. It's a shame they've fallen back to 07 or worse performance after improving last year.

As an organization, we are stronger today than we were last year. The truth is, Menard and Labonte aren't going to sniff the chase, but neither were Gilliland and Kvapil. No matter which of the four are behind the wheel, realistically we can hope for top 15 finishes as a high water mark and top 25 type of finishes week in and week out. The only good news is that with the sponsorship money, there is at least hope for the future.

Last year our drivers were what, 23rd and 28th in the points? I would rather take two steps back in order to in return hopefully take a giant leap forward rather than stick with what we had and wasn't working.

If we can use these guys we currently have to gain a stronger footing, build a stronger organization with the ultimate goal of getting back to the top (or somewhere near it), I can live with another so-so season (or maybe even two). But we need to at least show modest improvement in the second half of the season to make it so that Roush's castoff feels comfortable coming over. Let's face it, McMurray may be his worst driver, but he would be the best we have had in recent memory.

Go from there, keep building and maybe be the breakin team in 2011 for one of Roush's younger drivers.

for some reason I'm not really buying it.......




I'd like to know where they "heard" that one

Dog wrote:

for some reason I'm not really buying it.......




I'd like to know where they "heard" that one

WHAT AREN'T YOU BUYING. ROUSH SENDING MCMURRY OVER TO YATES ??????

Dog wrote:

for some reason I'm not really buying it.......

I'd like to know where they "heard" that one

Jack Roush has a lot of drivers in his stable, and with the possibility that Danica could be in a Roush car in 2010, I'd say it's possibility. He might need to get rid of two (Ragan and McMurray) drivers by next season in order to get Danica in.

Then he has Stenhouse, Darnell, and Braun that will soon be ready to move up to Cup as well.