In a season that once looked so promising for the Yates Racing team, after four races in the 2009 Sprint Cup season, it now looks pretty grim.
Bobby Labonte has been a nice addition to the team, even though he is still under the Hall of Fame Racing banner. While the No. 96 has run well, the two other teams, the No. 98 driven by Paul Menard and No. 28 driven by Travis Kvapil, have been an utter disappointment.
Menard's No. 98 used last year's No. 28 points to guarantee themselves into the first five races of the 2009 season. That has been the only bright spot in the year for the team, as Menard and new crew chief Larry Carter have struggled to say the least, in their first year together.
If that isn't enough, Menard needs to have a top 15 run at a tough track like Bristol to give him a shot at the securing a spot in the top 35 for the rest of the year. And for a guy playing racecar driver with his daddy's money, that is not a good sign for this team.
As for the No. 28 team, the season started off disastrous with the points swap. A blown tire, blown engine, and missed a race have derailed this team's season as they might not make it past Bristol if sponsorship isn't found.
Now with the No. 98 most likely out of the top 35, the season has turned to harsh times for Yates Racing. Menard has been in this situation before and struggled in 2007 at DEI. Only a merger got Menard some points and put him in the top 35.
It's a sad state for a team that was looking so high 20 years ago with Davey Allison, and a team who won a championship with Dale Jarrett 10 years ago. Let's hope Menard plays the part of racecar driver better than he has lately.
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