Skinner out, R. Gordon in

[MountaineerTom]

Two related stories from jayski.com

More on Skinner at: http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0819/0818skinner.htm

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1)

Skinner Free to Look and Out: during an interview on FSN's Totally NASCAR, Mike Skinner said he has been given permission to look around for other driving oppurtunities. Skinner currently drives the #31 Lowes Chevy AND from SpeedVision: Mike Skinner and Richard Childress definitely will go separate ways next year, Skinner said Friday. The decision apparently was made in the past week "According to Richard, he's tried everything in his power to keep me in the car," Skinner said. "It may be a situation where the sponsor [Cingular] is wanting somebody else in the car. I have another year on my contract, and obviously I will be released of that, and I'll release Richard of his part of that contract if we find another job thats a comparable job." Cingular announced Wednesday that it would take over sponsorship of the #31 car, replacing Lowe's. Lowe's sources confirmed Friday that that company will migrate to Hendrick Motorsports, likely with rookie Jimmie Johnson. Skinner has been mentioned as a possibility for one of Childress's Busch cars, but that will not happen, Skinner said.(8-17-2001)

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2)

Cingular Sponsorship moving? UPDATE 6 to RCR #31? Gordon in - 3yr deal?: At least four teams are vying for a major sponsorship with Bell Atlantic/Cingular Wireless (Actually it is BellSouth not Bell Atlantic which is Verizon), according to NASCAR sources. The company currently sponsors Jason Leffler and car owner Chip Ganassi. Among the car owners expected to be talking with the company are Richard Childress and Bill Davis. Childress and Mike Skinner are assessing their situation, Childress says, but an announcement could still be a month away, according to Childress. Childress has made it official that Jeff Green will drive an AOL-sponsored car for him next season, ending months of debate(Winston Salem Journal)(7-16-2001)

UPDATE: hearing the #33 Andy Petree Chevy driven by Joe Nemechek and currently with sponsorship by Oakwood Homes (who will leave at the end of 2001) will get the Cingular sponsorship in 2001. Cingular currently sponsors the #01 Dodge driven by Jason Leffler(8-8-2001)

UPDATE 2: also hearing Cingular could end up on the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy's that Jimmie Johnson will drive in 2002(8-9-2001)

UPDATE 3: The battle for the Cingular Wireless sponsorship is down to Bill Davis vs. Richard Childress, according to sources close to the situation. That would leave Chip Ganassi and Andy Petree still searching for sponsors for next season(Winston Salem Journal)(8-11-2001)

UPDATE 4: hearing there was a teleconference today in which it was announced that Cingular Wireless will sponsor a RCR car next season, didn't say which car, but hearing it'll could take the place of Lowes on the #31 and Lowes could go to go to the Hendrick Motorsports #48 and Jimmie Johnson? Chip Ganassi said on FSN's Totally NASCAR that the Target car at Bristol is a one race deal only and he has two sponsors Cingular and Coors

AND from a Cingular Newsletter - Cingular Wireless will take the green flag in the 2002 Winston Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing. Cingular, the country's second largest wireless company, will be a primary sponsor of Richard Childress Racing, and will compete nationally in the 36-race series in the Cingular Wireless Chevrolet. Cingular and RCR have agreed to a four-year sponsorship. The driver and the number of the Cingular Wireless/Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet will be announced in the near future.(8-15-2001)

AND "We hope to be ready to give everybody all of the information about our teams and drivers at the first of next week," Childress said (That's Racin')(8-16-2001)

UPDATE 5: Richard Childress said that he wouldn't make the announcement or talk about it until the first part of the week, but it has been learned that the Cingular Wireless Phone Company will be the primary sponsor on the #31 Chevy currently sponsored by Lowe's. Still no word on who will drive the car. Current #31 driver, Mike Skinner, still has a year left on his contract with RCR(Insider Racing News) AND hearing Robby Gordon has signed a 3-year deal with RCR to drive the #31 Cingular Chevy(8-17-2001)

(Edited by MountaineerTom 99Z71 at 9:27 pm on Aug. 17, 2001)

[General Lee 01]

Well, I'm not surprised about Skinner out. Everybody could see that coming.

But Robby Gordon should be interesting. IMO there are other "fish in the sea" (Kenny Wallace, Stacy Compton). I'm kinda surprised because I thought he (Robby Gordon) didn't do too good on the ovals.

 

 

[Guest Friz]

I tend to agree w/ Jeremy. Robbie did well on two road coursed this year(He had Watkins Glen in his hand until the fire), but he is not an oval driver.

But, maybe he could show his stuff batter if he was in a decent car. We all know that RCR has top quality equipment and personnel.

it should be interesting....

[Kansas Kid]

All I can say is I would prefer to see Skinner stay in the car, then let Robby Gordon drive it.  The only place he can run is the road course, period.  And I don't like Skinner in the least, so you can guess my opinion on Robby Gordon.  btw, Jeff Green isn't much better then either of these two.

[Elwood]

I have to agree with Kansas Kid on R. Gordon, Skinner, and Green.

[burgundyz71]

NOOOOOOOOO not Robby Gordon, I have been an RCR fan ever since Dale started driving for him and always considered Richard was a smart fella, he could surely do alot better than Gordon. Bring Hank Jr up from Busch or any number of Busch drivers.