Dale Jarrett's final weekend with RYR got off to a rough start at Homestead. Credit: Autostock

Jarrett wrecks, but RYR's '07 plans look promising

Yates confirms sponsorship for No. 88 car, but no driver as of yet

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Despite the fact that Dale Jarrett wiped out his No. 88 Ford in the first practice at Homestead on Friday, Robert Yates was in a pretty good mood.

	Dale Jarrett is taking UPS to his Toyota team in 2007, but Robert Yates said a replacement sponsor is already signed. Credit: Autostock
	INTEREST IN RYR •   DEI interested in purchasing Yates' No. 88 for space •   Gordon, Yates ownership merger was nearly a deal

Yates said on Friday that his two-car team will return intact in 2007 after he secured a sponsor for the No. 88 this week.

"I can tell you that we are good to go," Yates said, smiling.

The sponsor was not named, and Yates didn't give a timetable for a finding a driver to fill the seat, only saying that he had several candidates.

The news nearly completes a tumultuous year for Yates, who lost Jarrett and Elliott Sadler to other race teams in mid-season. Sadler immediately signed with Evernham Motorsports, leaving Jarrett to finish the season with Sadler's replacement, David Gilliland.

This weekend's Ford 400 at Homestead is the final race at RYR for Jarrett, who will take sponsor UPS with him to Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007.

Friday did not get off to a good start.

As practice came to a close, Jarrett hit the fence in Turn 2, forcing the team to go to a backup.

"He was trying to cut a really good lap and just got too deep into 1, but he was just going for it, going hard," Yates said.

Gilliland will drive Yates' No. 38 Ford in 2007, and Yates will also continue to field a full-time Busch car with Stephen Leicht as his driver.

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"You first have to have what it takes to race and then we have some wonderful opportunities there, but that's not determined," Yates said. "I can tell you that we're wide open and that's what we're going do next season. We're in business so we're happy."

The news that Yates will continue to run his own operation comes one week after it was reported that Dale Earnhardt Inc. was interested in purchasing RYR.

On Wednesday, Richie Gilmore, vice president of motorsports for DEI, denied that his team ever sought to buy Yates' operation.

"Well, I've told a lot of our guys, stories definitely grow in the sport," Gilmore said. "I think it's one of them stories that grew. It grew legs for sure."

Robby Gordon attempted to purchase half of Yates' operation in August and merge it with his own operation. Yates considered his offer, but the planned merger never took place.

Gordon eventually finished a deal to switch his manufacturer affiliation from Chevrolet to Ford.