FANTASY NASCAR Racin

ROBERT YATES - 4/19/1943 - 10/2/2017 -
YATES RACING - was an American stock car racing racing team that competed in NASCAR until the 2009 season when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has officially owned the team since his father Robert's retirement on December 1, 2007. The Yates family owned the team since purchasing it from Harry Ranier and J. T. Lundy in October 1988. After purchasing the assets of Ranier-Lundy Racing in October 1988, Robert Yates' first driver was Davey Allison, who had driven for the Ranier-Lundy banner since 1987 (his rookie season), and drove the #28 Havoline Ford from Yates' takeover of the team until mid-1993. The team finished second in its first race, the 1988 Daytona 500, being edged by Davey's father and NASCAR legend Bobby Allison. The team was noted for its strong engine program and its success on super speedways. Throughout most of its history, the team fielded Ford cars numbered 28, 38 and 88. In

1989 Allison would have two wins and follow that up with two additional wins in 1990. In 1991, Larry McReynolds (now a NASCAR analyst with Fox and Speed Channel) joined the team as crew chief and led Davey to five victories. In 1992 the Yates Racing started the season with a bang with Davey winning the Daytona 500. The win also put the Allisons in an exclusive club, joining Lee and Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr as the only father/son winners of the Daytona 500. In 1992 Davey again had another dominant year winning five races again, despite a broken hand suffered at Pocono in June and a cracked rib. Davey also experienced a personal tragedy in August when his brother Clifford was killed in

Xfinity race at Michigan International Speedway. Going into the last race at Atlanta, all Davey had to do was finish sixth or better to clinch the Cup title, but a collision with Ernie Irvan on the 251st lap damaged Allison's car and knocked him from contention. He would finish third in the points. In 1993 the team struggled, although Davey did win the Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond in March. This was Davey's last win before he was killed in a helicopter crash at Talladega in July. Several drivers filled the seat of the #28 car including Lake Speed and Robby Gordon until Yates lured Ernie Irvan away from Morgan-McClure Motorsports. With Irvan behind the wheel the team won at Martinsville in a car setup by Allison, the team also won at Charlotte in the Mellow Yellow 500 when Irvan led all but six of the races 334 laps. In 1994 the team got

off to a fast start with Irvan finishing second to Sterling Marlin at the Daytona 500, (which was Marlin's first win in 276 races). Two weeks later Irvan won at Richmond just like Davey Allison did the year before, Irvan would follow that win up a week later by winning the Purolator 500 at Atlanta. In May, the team won at Sonoma, California. In August, Irvan came within ten laps of winning the Inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, before cutting a tire and handing the race to Jeff Gordon. Irvan was in contention for the Cup title before he suffered near fatal injuries in a practice crash at Michigan a week later. Kenny Wallace took over the driving duties for the remainder of the season. While Irvan was still recovering from his injuries, Dale Jarrett replaced Irvan in 1995. Jarrett had moved to Robert Yates Racing after being with Joe Gibbs Racing since 1992. Jarrett won one race at Pocono Raceway and eventually finished the season 16th in the

points standings. In October Irvan returned to the track driving a second Yates car #88 sponsored by Texaco-Havoline in a race at North Wilkesboro, N.C. Irvan led six laps and finished sixth. In 1996 Yates expanded to two full-time teams with Irvan back behind the wheel of the #28 Texaco-Havoline Ford and Dale Jarrett driving the #88 car with sponsorship from Ford Qualitycare/Ford Credit. The new team wasted no time showing its muscle with Jarrett, under the leadership of rookie crew chief Todd Parrott won the Busch Clash at Daytona and the Daytona

#28 car for Robert Yates in 1998 and 1999. Despite winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1998, Irwin failed to find victory lane in his two seasons. Robert Yates was given his first championship as a NASCAR owner in 1999 with Dale Jarrett. His engines had won championships with him as an engine builder before, notably 1983 with Bobby Allison and DiGard Motorsports, and also with Darrell Waltrip. The next season, Ricky Rudd joined the team after his own Rudd Performance Motorsports team was sold. He would go on to drive three seasons in the Havoline Ford, from 2000-2002, and won his first race for the team in 2001 at Pocono after going win-less since 1998. Rudd drove the #28 to Victory Lane two additional times, Richmond in 2001 and his final victory at Infineon in 2002, and finished in the top ten in the standings all 3

seasons, including 4th in 2001, his 2nd highest career points finish. Elliott Sadler was hired in 2003, and Yates brought M&M's in as the sponsor, replacing longtime sponsor Havoline. Yates also changed the car's number from 28 to 38. Sadler collected two victories for the team, and finished a career-best 9th in points in 2004. The sponsorship on the #88 car changed from Ford Quality Care to UPS in 2001. Jarrett and sponsor UPS left RYR at the end of the 2006 season for Michael Waltrip Racing. Despite off-season rumors of the #88 being shut down and becoming a one-car team, RYR secured Ricky Rudd to drive for the team in 2007, with sponsorship from Snickers. Rudd officially announced his retirement from racing on August 20. On September 14, 2007, it was revealed that Yates transferred the #88 to Hendrick Motorsports for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s new car. Yates retired as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Team Owner after 2007, giving Yates Racing to his

son, Doug. Travis Kvapil would be in one car full-time, with the car switching to #28 in the 2008 season; while David Gilliland raced the teams second car. Yates Racing final Top 5 finish came in 2008 with David Gilliland at the wheel. 2009 would be Yates Racing final season with Paul Menard at the controls; 21 years since the Yates family took over Ranier-Lundy Racing. It would be a disappointing season as Menard was only able to post a season best 13th place finish. For 2010 this team became part of Richard Petty Motorsports as the team transitioned to running with Ford. For the organization's career they would field cars for 1155 races and post 57 wins. Major wins included:World 600 (1991 & 1996); Daytona 500 (1992, 1996 & 2000); Indianapolis 400 (1996 & 1999) and 1999 Cup Champion.