Fixing Yates

Robert Yates Racing opened its doors in 1989, and the father-son team of Robert and Doug Yates built one of the preeminent organizations in Cup racing. Given the success they forged together, it was mandatory that when mentioning the best teams on the Cup level, Yates be included on the list.

After all, the team won a Cup championship with Dale Jarrett in 1999 (DJ also had five other top-five points finishes), had two third-place finishes with Davey Allison in the early '90s, a couple top-10s with Ernie Irvan and three banner years with Ricky Rudd before the veteran was forced out after 2002 in favor of a young Elliott Sadler, whose best showing is a ninth-place points finish in 2004.

The organization's current ills aren't Sadler's fault, as RYR has become nothing but a shadow of its once great self since Sadler's top-10 points finish, but many trace the beginning of the team's decline to Rudd being replaced by Sadler.

Last year featured failures to make the Chase, including Sadler's summer collapse. And now in 2006, it seems everything has fallen apart at RYR. This isn't an organization in trouble, it's an organization in complete chaos.

Not only are both of Yates' Cup teams struggling in the points, but general manager Eddie D'Hondt was fired in May, quickly followed by Dale Jarrett announcing he was leaving at season's end to join Michael Waltrip Racing for what likely will be the final two years of his Cup career.

But it didn't stop there. UPS, Jarrett's sponsor for the past six years, decided to follow him to MWR, which likely is more damaging than Jarrett's departure. And all the while, nearly a dozen crew chiefs have come and gone at RYR over the last six years.

Then this past weekend, Sadler confirmed he also was leaving RYR at the end of this season. And don't be surprised if M&M's, Sadler's sponsor, follows him wherever he winds up.

Sadler and Jarrett, in fact, might not even finish this season in their respective No. 88 and 38 Fords. They are lame ducks ready to fly the coop, by choice or not.

It has reached the point where RYR has no idea who will be racing its Cup cars next season.

Robert and Doug reportedly are high on 19-year-old Stephen Leicht, who finished 33rd in his Cup debut Sunday at Pocono. While Leicht certainly is talented and may very well be a big part of the company's future, he's not RYR's savior in the short-term.

Rather, if RYR really wants to return to prominence and once again be an organization that has the potential to win any given race – rather than the one-line footnote it has become – it needs to shelve the youth movement for now and go with experience.

And with Yates' hopes to expand to three teams next year – even though sponsorship for the first two apparently still is uncertain – it is time to start from scratch with three very well-known names.

Ward Burton. Ricky Craven. The third? Even though he may have left four years ago under less-than-pleasant circumstances, the team should bring back Ricky Rudd.

Each of those three veteran drivers has said more than once in recent months how much they want to return to the Cup level, but only if they have a legitimate chance at success. Despite how bad things have gotten, RYR still could be a place where Burton and the two Rickys have a good chance to make noise behind the wheel.

Together, they have more 50 seasons' and 1,500 Cup starts' worth of experience, and they boast 30 Cup wins between them. If the trio joined up, RYR likely would start its return to respectability, while Ricky, Ward and the other Ricky – if he can forgive how he was treated in 2002 – could have the last laugh at critics who say they are washed up.

RWR would be good for RYR and vice-versa. And the team could continue developing young drivers like Leicht.

Everyone would win in such a situation.

Admittedly, the long climb back for the Yates organization won't be easy and it won't be quick. But if Burton, Rudd and Craven come on board, they would give RYR what it needs most: experience, stability and plenty of past success – not more chaos, embarrassment and shame.

So, Robert and Doug, reach for the phone and give those drivers a shout. You'll be glad you did.