UPS goes Jarrett, Toyota

[starbuck]

UPS sticks with Jarrett in move to new Nextel Cup team

By CHRIS JENKINS, AP Sports Writer

July 8, 2006

AP - Jul 7, 7:45 pm EDT
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JOLIET, Ill. (AP) -- Dale Jarrett says he didn't want any part of trying to recruit his current sponsor to follow him to his new team.

They did anyway.

UPS announced on Friday that it would leave Robert Yates Racing at the end of this season to remain with Jarrett when he moves to Michael Waltrip's newly formed Nextel Cup team next year.

The move apparently happened without any lobbying from Jarrett, who said he recused himself from the negotiations out of respect to Yates. Jarrett and Yates have won 29 races together since 1995.

``Dale told us from the beginning, 'I don't want anything to do with you all talking to UPS,''' Waltrip said.

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Now that the deal is done, Jarrett said he is excited UPS chose to stick with him. They will sponsor Jarrett through 2008 and might continue to sponsor Waltrip's team with a new driver beyond that.

``We feel very fortunate that we're the team that they chose and we'll continue this relationship for a couple more years,'' Jarrett said.

The deal is a major boost for Waltrip, who is starting a team nearly from scratch but now finds himself in the enviable position of having three fully sponsored cars next year when he only expected to have two.

``People thought we were maybe a little bit of a 'paper' team, not a whole lot substantial there,'' Waltrip said. ``And like I said, we have a comprehensive map of where we're heading (and) how we're going to get there.''

Waltrip is still looking to hire a third driver, a move he hopes to announce in the next few weeks. He'll also have significant financial backing from Toyota, which is making its entry to the Nextel Cup series next year.

``We know the infrastructure that we need to build in order to compete with the teams that are winning today, and this allows us to build that infrastructure at a faster pace,'' Waltrip said. ``Money buys speed -- that's obvious.''

And when it comes to buying speed, Yates just suffered a major blow to his purchasing power.

Considered one of the most formidable teams in NASCAR a few years ago, Yates now must replace a marquee driver and sponsor at a time finding either one can be a challenge.

``Obviously we would have liked to have Dale finish his career with us simply because I know we have been good for each other and he has repeatedly done the job for us in the (No.) 88,'' Yates said in a statement. ``But now we are going to move forward and grow our company in a direction necessary to stay competitive.''


AP - Jul 7, 7:45 pm EDT
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Driver Jeff Burton said drivers know that losing a sponsor can hurt a team owner.

``I don't blame UPS for continuing to (sponsor) Dale Jarrett,'' Burton said. ``Jarrett is a highly respected winner that has done an awful lot for our sport. At the same time, they need to understand that it's the car owners that have financial liability in this thing, not the drivers.''

Burton, who left Roush Racing for Richard Childress Racing in the middle of the 2004 season, said he doubts Jarrett would have left Yates if the team's performance had been better.

Jarrett has won only two races since the beginning of the 2003 season, but Yates remains optimistic about his team's stature in the garage.

``I'm convinced we are still one of the top-five teams in all of NASCAR,'' Yates said. ``But we won't be satisfied until we are winning championships as proof that we're the best.''

But will Jarrett and his sponsor be any better off with Waltrip, a new team working with a new manufacturer?

It might not really matter.

Patrick Guilbert, UPS's vice president of sponsorship, said that while winning is important, it's just as important to have a driver who can appeal to employees and customers.

``I don't know that any successful program that is built entirely and solely on performance,'' Guilbert said. ``This sport and the venue that it provides is an opportunity to hit on all cylinders, no pun intended, that provides an opportunity to grow business, deliver that motivation platform for our employee base and perform at track.''

Waltrip -- who for years has both battled and embraced his reputation for being a better pitchman than driver -- insists his team is serious about performance.

``Our PR story has been very positive, and we've done some wonderful things,'' Waltrip said. ``But just equally, on the competition and performance side, we're doing just as good of a job. And we feel like that as we develop and unfold, that we will be a formidable group, able to win next year.''

[Big_AL]

funny how they got dale jarrett to come to toyota. the only reason is because he is a former champion and he would get to start in the daytona 500

[TheBeast]

Toyota didn't need to bring in a past champions provisional to make the 500. The past 5 years going to Daytona for the 400 there has been nothing but Toyota's setting outside Daytona USA and all over outside, they have put enough money in Brian France's pockets to guarantee they will have a car that will make the race and run well.

[Big_AL]

yea but it dont hurt to have that to help make sure they make it in either.