Yates Says Thanks But No Thanks, Sticks With Ford

Say goodbye to any rumors that Robert Yates Racing will be running any other model than a Ford in the near future.

Yates told ESPN on Thursday that he had signed a new five-year deal with the manufacturer in a move that quieted some gossip but didn't clear up much.

"We have been talking to different people and they ask, 'What manufacturer are you with? How strong is that? How long term is it?' [This contract] puts a lot to bed. We have a good relationship with Ford, and we continue to," said Yates.

It's good to see one of NASCAR's traditional names still find a place in the growing sport. Yates knows he has some catching up to do to get Ricky Rudd and David Gilliland running like the Yates teams of the 90's, but this new contract helps solidify things for a few years.

The DEI-RYR partnership rumor is still alive and kicking, however, because DEI hasn't ruled out not campaigning with a different make in 2008. DEI has, however, inked a deal with Richard Childress Racing to build engines.

Confused yet? I am.
Yates isn't though, he's got a couple of a possible partnerships lined up now that he has manufacturer stability with Ford -- a group he holds near and dear to the heart.

"I sort of started my life with [Ford], and hopefully it will extend my life."

Uhh, like, so were Robert's parents at a drive-in in a Ford 9 months or so before his birth? And is Ford a new anti-aging brand?

Interesting analogy.

(Photo by Gavin Lawrence, Getty Images)