Crazy Eights: Dale Jarrett To Join Waltrip, Toyota Next Year

Jarrett (r) Will Drive Toyota Entry For Waltrip’s Racing Team In ‘07

NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett will drive a Toyota when he joins Michael Waltrip Racing for the ’07 Nextel Cup season, and the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL’s Ed Hinton reported the deal is said to be worth up to $22M, with “much of it coming in incentives after his driving career is over.” Robert Yates Racing’s (RYR) Doug Yates said that the team, for which Jarrett currently drives, “had matched Jarrett’s initial offer from Waltrip and Toyota, but that Toyota then ‘made him an offer he couldn’t refuse’” (SUN-SENTINEL, 5/14). In St. Pete, Brant James wrote Jarrett gives Waltrip and Toyota “a recognizable face [and] guaranteed entry in the Daytona 500 and [the] first five races.” Jarrett is the “sixth marquee driver” that Ford has lost since ‘03. Waltrip did not name a sponsor or number for Jarrett’s car, but he has “discussed the possibility of UPS leaving RYR with Jarrett to sponsor the new car.” If UPS makes the move, Waltrip “hopes to add a third car ... because he has a third sponsor in place.” Meanwhile, Jarrett said that he “plans to ease into management and perhaps take an ownership stake at retirement.” He has said he planned to race through ’08, but he “hinted [retirement] might be further off than expected” (ST. PETE TIMES, 5/14). Yates said regardless of whether UPS remains with RYR, the team will “field the car –- and the team’s No. 38 Ford driven by Elliott Sadler –- next season” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/14).

PAYING THE DRIVER: While speculation is that Jarrett will earn “exponentially more” with Toyota than Ford, Toyota Racing Development USA CEO Jim Aust said, “If drivers are going to earn more money, it’s because of the old law of supply and demand. ... If you are in fact a very competitive driver who runs upfront over all, just because of expansion of NASCAR, prices are going to go up.” RYR GM Eddie D’Hondt said of Toyota’s efforts to land drivers for Nextel Cup, “We [NASCAR] don’t have a draft, so their draft exists by cold calling and seeing people in the garage and in a sense trying to woo them to their team. And that makes it hard on us” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/14). In Charlotte, Jim Utter wrote Ford “did not take to the news [of Jarrett’s move] kindly.” Ford Racing Technology Dir Dan Davis: “Toyota is going to have its work cut out for them in Nextel Cup, no matter how much they plan on spending” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/14).

UPS’ Promo Merchandise For No. 88 Ford Approaching $1M A Season

DISCOUNTS? Roush Racing President Geoff Smith reiterated his belief that Toyota is “undercutting other teams for sponsors by ‘offering radical discounts.’” In Greensboro, Dustin Long wrote the insinuation is that Toyota teams “can charge less [for sponsorship] because the manufacturer will subsidize a greater percentage of the cost.” But Waltrip said of Smith, “I can’t believe a man would stand up and make a false statement like that. My manufacture support is no different than their’s is, than Robert (Yates’) is or Rick Hendrick’s is.” Waltrip also denied Jarrett will be paid $20M for two seasons (GREENSBORO NEWS & RECORD, 5/14).

LIKEABLE: USA TODAY’s Theresa Howard reports sales of UPS’ promo merchandise around Jarrett’s No. 88 Ford “are approaching $1[M] a season.” Jarrett is appearing in ads for the company via The Martin Agency, Richmond, in which he “‘races’ the [UPS] truck on a NASCAR track.” An Ad Track poll showed that 26% of people familiar with the ads like them “a lot,” compared to the average rating of 21%. Also, 19% thought the ads were “very effective,” compared to the 20% average (USA TODAY, 5/15).