Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411150024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Yates announced Friday that Jarrett, who will leave Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the year, will begin driving the NASCAR Winston Cup car with the Texaco/Havoline colors at next February's Daytona 500.
Kenny Wallace, who drove for Irvan after he crashed during practice in August at Michigan International Speedway, will race next Sunday at Atlanta for Yates before starting his own team in 1995.
Irvan had told reporters while at a Charlotte hospital that he was shooting to race again at Daytona International Speedway in February. But the Jarrett announcement means that Irvan's recovery and future is unclear.
Yates said ``with Ernie still recovering for the accident, we feel Dale can step in and help his team get back in the race for the [Winston Cup] championship.
``Kenny [Wallace] stepped in and did all we asked him to in a difficult situation,'' Yates said in a release.
Jarrett, 37, has won three Winston Cup races since he started his first race in 1984.
Gibbs wants to hire Bobby Labonte to fill the spot left by Jarrett, who asked out of the final two years of his contract with the former football coach. There was no immediate comment by Joe Gibbs Racing on Friday.
Labonte officially was released Thursday from the remaining years of his contract with team owner Bill Davis, and was promptly offered the Gibbs wheel.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB