RYR confident 2004 will bring renewed success

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Saying Robert Yates and his expansive legion of loyal subjects are chomping at the bit to get 2004 underway is like saying the sky is blue.

The 2003 campaign was undoubtedly the most disappointing in the Robert Yates Racing history. Both teams started strong, with Jarrett taking the checkers in the season's second event and Sadler surging into the top five in points.

	Robert Yates

But following an organizational shakeup in the wake of Brad Parrott's release that sent Shawn Parker from Sadler's team to Jarrett's, both teams suffered significantly.

"I keep trying to remind people how we were 10th in points before our team was split up last year," Sadler said. "Shawn, Raymond and I had gelled better than we expected from the start.

"We had two top-five finishes in the first part of the season before Shawn was moved over to be crew chief for my teammate Dale Jarrett."

Subsequently, RYR failed to place a team in the top 10 for the first time since 1995.

But like most things in NASCAR, 2004 brings radical change and a fresh outlook for Yates. Jarrett's new crew chief, Mike Ford, revitalized Bill Elliott's career at Evernham Motorsports and was a member of Jarrett's 1999 Winston Cup championship team alongside new shop foreman Barry Swift.

Sadler, meanwhile, enters his sixth full season with a revamped pit crew courtesy of new general manger Eddie D'Hondt. D'Hondt, served as GM for Elliott's self-owned race team before moving with Elliott to Evernham Motorsports.

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Most of all, the Ford Taurus is a better race car than it was one year ago, and both drivers, Jarrett especially, should benefit from the new tire compound NASCAR has introduced for the season.

Both Yates drivers ranked among the top 10 at NASCAR Preseason Thunder, while running the new bodies, tires and restrictor plate packages introduced by the sanctioning body. Last year, the holes in the carburetor restrictor plates were 7/8 inch. This season, they're 29/32 inch.

"The new Ford seems pretty good and it is definitely better than what we have had at Daytona the past three years," Jarrett said. "This should be a product that will let the Ford teams get up front and lead in the Daytona 500 which we haven't been able to do for a few years."

Jarrett was the second quickest driver during the second and third days of the first test session. Overall, he ranked 10th. Sadler, meanwhile, posted the fifth fastest time overall.

	Jarrett's last win was nearly a year ago at Rockingham. Credit: Autostock

"As far as me being optimistic, I'm definitely more optimistic this year than even I was last year at the beginning of the season," Sadler said. "I know everybody has that tone at the beginning of the year and everybody has high hopes.

"But from what I've seen in the shop over the winter, the changes RYR has made, the way the cars look and as fast as the No. 88 and the No. 38 were at the Daytona test, I don't see why we should not be a threat from right out of the gates.

"I've got to believe in what my team is doing, but what's happening in that race shop right now is amazing."

Todd Parrott, Jarrett's former crew chief that led the No. 88 team to the 1999 NASCAR championship, joined the No. 38 team midway through last season and is back for a full stint in '04.

"I'm glad to be working with Todd again, too," Sadler said. "We get to know each other better and better all the time. He has had some great success and to work with someone with his experience is good for me as a driver."