It's official: Robby won't return to RCR

WELCOME, N.C. (AP) -- Robby Gordon said Tuesday he will leave Richard Childress Racing at the end of the season with the intention of racing for his own Nextel Cup team in 2005.

RCR will name Gordon's replacement on Friday.

Richard Childress

"Now is the time for me to start my future as an owner at NASCAR's highest level," said Gordon, who was co-owner of a short-lived Cup team in 2000 with John Menard and Mike Held. Gordon then drove for several teams in 2001 before winding up with Childress and winning the season-ending race at New Hampshire. That victory earned Gordon a full-time ride with RCR.

Gordon, who has run a part-time Busch Series schedule this year with his own team, said he has been putting the pieces in place for a Cup team for most of 2004.

Robby Gordon

"We don't have anything to announce yet for next season," he said. "We hope to make some announcements soon."

Gordon and Childress both said the parting is amicable, although the owner put the former open-wheel racing star on probation after he started an accident at New Hampshire in September that seriously damaged the championship hopes of title contenders Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield.

"He has won three points races, a qualifying race at Daytona and has had a lot of good runs for RCR since 2001, but sometimes change is good," Childress said. "Robby is a true racer and I will always be grateful to him for what we've been able to accomplish together and for the positive things he brought to our organization."

Going into Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Gordon is 23rd in the season standings.