Report: Champ Car legends Newman-Haas bids to buy Robert Yates Racing-UPDATED 3
Quote selected text Published July 27th, 2007 in NASCAR News
UPDATE 3:
Yates and Newman/Haas/Lanigan have joined forces: CLICK FOR MORE
UPDATE 2:
Contrary to published reports, an announcement scheduled for Friday afternoon involving Robert Yates Racing and Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing does not involve the sale or merger of race teams, The Charlotte Observer has learned.
Yates and Newman/Haas/Lanigan - which leads the Champ Car World Series points race with three-time champion Sebastian Bourdais - will announce an engine development and technology sharing agreement. sources said.
Yates owner Robert Yates said last month he was no long seeking investors and was looking for a deal that would help his organization’s performance on the track.
UPDATE:
Robert Yates Racing has scheduled a news conference for Friday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to talk about its future plans.
That future could include a partnership with Champ Car’s Newman-Haas Racing team, owned by Carl Haas and actor Paul Newman. It would be more of a merger than a buyout, according to sources.
Haas has been involved in NASCAR before as owner of Haas-Carter Motorsports and currently owns the Busch Series car driven by Kyle Krisiloff.
Both RYR and Newman-Haas have strong ties with Ford.
Seven-time Champ Car champion owners Carl Haas and Paul Newman have offered to purchase Robert Yates Racing, sources told FOXSports.com. An announcement could come as early as Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Haas currently runs the No. 14 CAH-PPC Ford in the Busch Series with Michael Lanigan, who became a partner on the Newman-Haas Champ Car operation earlier this season, and Mari Hulman George. Haas was most recently involved in NASCAR at the Cup level as Travis Carter’s partner on the Nos. 26 and 66 in 2002. Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing currently leads the Championship Point Standings with three-time champion Sebastian Bourdais who looks to win an unprecedented fourth title this season.
Robert Yates purchased the No. 28 from Harry Ranier in 1988. He expanded to two teams in 1995 with the No. 88 and Dale Jarrett. Yates won the championship with Jarrett in 1999. RYR currently runs two entries in the Nextel Cup Series with David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd, who are currently 27th and 30th in points, respectively. Stephen Leicht pilots Yates Busch’s effort in the No. 90 Citifinancial Ford and is currently eighth in the standings.
- Yates Racing and Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing join forces
- Report: Graham Rahal to Possibly Drive for Newman Haas
- Report: Robert Yates to retire, Kvapil to the No 88 in 2008-UPDATED
- Yates interested in signing Yeley
- Sebastien Bourdais could switch to Nextel Cup instead of F1
Why not…Penske and Ganassi did it…as long as they don’t do the IRL.
NASCAR now said that it wasn’t buying RYR but partnering with. Yates made it clear weeks ago he wasn’t desperate to acquire a partner nor sell but they hadn’t completely closed the door on acquiring a partner it just had to be someone that would work well with them.
They aren’t Resort guys, or NYSE guys they are racing guys that have knowledge and partnerning and expanding is probably going to be a good thing for RYR.
And supposedly the deal is done and will be announced on Friday.
thats a bit of a shocker i didnt think that yates was for sale but its true money talks b.s. walks thats the new nascar i miss the good old days when nascar was a redneck sport and rednecks drove and owned the cars oh well times they are a changin
Sweeeet, Paul Newman’s my favorite actor. They obviously know what
they’re doing if they’ve won seven Champ Car titles.
Sebastian Bordais to NASCAR you heard it here first.
Bourdais is headed to F1.
Not necessarily.
He has tested for Scuderia Toro Russo several times and yet hasnt been called in.
He even said himself if he doesnt get in this next year then he will look to NASCAR or another series.
But then again with Scott Speed and Tonio Luizzis recent performance he may be going there who knows.
After his last test, both F1 owners said how impressed they were. He was faster then the regular drivers straight away…..at Spa, no less.
It’s my gut feeling and my opinion after reading all the comments and lap times…..that he will get the job.
He is head and shoulders above their drivers this year.
But, you are correct, no contarct.
If he does not get it, he would be foulish to leave Newman/Hass. Now he has options with them too. They run a top of the line operation and have a history of great drivers…Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, Nigal Mansell, Chritiano De Matta, Sebastian Bourdais, Paul Tracy…..etc.
They would do well in Nascar. Maybe not right away…everyone has to learn. But, at some point they will do well. They are champions with high standards and they strive to win. Got to love car owners like that.
Bourdais wouldn’t head to Nascar… he has himself way too set on heading to F1, and he will most likely be there within the next few season.
I might be the only one who feels like this, but you might as well just chisel “Robert Yates Racing” onto a tombstone. Rest In Peace. Seriously, it’s like they completely forgot what happens when a rich guy w/ tons of money buys a team. They end up folding just like Ginn did yesterday. Watch. Give it less than a year, and the legacy of Yates Racing, as well as the lineage of drivers ranging from Davey Allison to Ernie Irvan to Dale Jarrett to Ricky Rudd, is all in the past.
Isn’t that exactly what will happen to RYR if somebody doesn’t step in to help the team out? There has been talk for some time that Yates was going to merge with another company. At the end of last season, there were many reports that it was going to be DEI. At least with Haas-Newman, there is some experience in owning race teams whether they be stock cars or otherwise.
I read today, a decision by Tosso Roso on Bourdais must be made by months end. This should play out rather quickly.
They have an option on his services that only runs through July.
Ga damn… Paul Newman looks old in that picture.