Yates said there’s a "realistic" chance that RYR could go to three Cup teams next season if 44-year-old Ward Burton, who has been out of Cup the past two seasons, comes up with a sponsor.
Citifinancial and M&M’s, according to team officials, are looking for younger drivers such as Leicht, 19, and Gilliland, 30.
"If Ward walked in with a sponsor today we’d say, ‘Ward, you’ve got the ride,’" Yates said.
ROOM FOR CARMICHAEL IN CUP?
If Motocross racer Ricky Carmichael wants to give NASCAR a try, Joe Gibbs Racing will find a seat for him. J.D. Gibbs said Sunday the team has had preliminary discussions with Carmichael, who many consider the greatest motocross racer of all time.
"We’re just talking to him, like a "Hey, if it ever comes up and you are interested in doing something, let’s brainstorm,’ " Gibbs said.
Both Gibbs and his brother, Coy, are huge motocross fans and have followed the 26-year-old Carmichael’s career. He holds the all-time record for wins and championships in AMA competition, and has never lost an outdoor competition. He’s expected to make the 2007 season his final one in Motocross, and Gibbs said he didn’t think it would take him long to adjust to stock-cars if Carmichael wanted to give them a try.
"I think Ricky would be on a super quick learning curve, it’s just a matter of what he wants to do," Gibbs said. "But we’d love to sit down and maybe work something out with him in the future. But for now, we’re just excited about what he represents, the fans that he has and maybe in bringing him over here - I really think he would love running this stuff."
