Hall of Fame Join Forces with Yates Racing, Labonte New Driver

Hall of Fame Racing look set to start a new campaign in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year. The team officials have announced merger with Yates Racing earlier today, with the No 96 entry being fielded by the latter throughout the 2009 schedule. Bobby Labonte, Sprint Cup champion in 2000, will make a full-schedule appearance in the No 96 car in 2009, according to some sources quoted by Nascar.com.

“Jeff Moorad and I knew it would take time to construct the right model to improve our competitive position in the sport and we think we've come a long way to achieving that through our association with Yates Racing. We're proud to be associated with Doug and Max and Ford Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,” said Tom Garfinkel, co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing, according to Nascar.com.

Yates Racing will therefore field 3 cars in the 2009 Sprint Cup Series. Max Jones, co-owner of Yates Racing, insisted that this was a great step forward for his team, as the move comes to complete his team's expanding-operations stratagem for the Sprint Cup Series.

“This partnership with Hall of Fame is a great stepping stone for the Yates organization. Through this partnership, we are able to continue the expansion of our shop and field another Sprint Cup entry. We, along with Ford Racing, welcome Hall of Fame Racing and look forward to a very successful season,” said Jones.

Hall of Fame Racing will not only change racing partners for the new season – as they previously had a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing – and drivers, but also manufacturers. Having fielded Toyotas in 2008, the teams will not provide newcomer Labonte with a Ford machinery.

Labonte has competed for Petty Enterprises during last year's Sprint Cup Series, but was released from his contract with his former team in December 2008.