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CUP: Hall Of Fame Mulls Unknowns For ‘08
Written by: Tom Jensen   
07/12/2007
Joliet, Ill.
 
Tony Raines, driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series, pitches helmet, gets fined and penalized at Dover. (Photo: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) ยป More Photos

Hall of Fame Racing is unsure whether driver Tony Raines will be retained for next year, whether the team will campaign one or two NASCAR Nextel Cup cars or which manufacturer those cars will come from, Chevrolet or Toyota, one of the team's co-owners said Friday morning at Chicagoland Speedway.

Much of what the team ultimatey does in 2008 hinges on what Joe Gibbs Racing, who builds motors for the team, decides to do.

"We haven't made any decisions about anything at this point," said Bill Saunders, co-owner and general partner of the team, which was founded by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach. "We're a satellite Gibbs operation, and I would say if they made a decision … to go with Toyota – and I certainly don't know if they are going that way and quite frankly, I don't think they know whether they're going that way or what they would do – we would go with them for next year. If they go to Toyota, we go, too. If they stay with GM, we stay, too. That's all I can really say."

JGR President J.D. Gibbs has said repeatedly that the team is negotiating a contract extension with Chevrolet and will
not address Toyota rumors while talks with Chevrolet are continuing. But Gibbs has admitted being contacted by Toyota.

So with HOF dependant on Gibbs, it can't decide on a manufacturer until Gibbs does. As for the rest of HOF's plans, the only constant appears to be the return of DLP as a sponsor for a third season in 2008. But whether Raines, who is 32nd in driver points, stays on board or whether the team runs a second car are decisions that are in the future.

"We're still hoping for the second car. We're still talking to several groups," Saunders said. "Those conversations are going to have to come to an end pretty quick or you can't field a second car. We're in a good position with our Gibbs relationship. We can wait a little bit, but by the same token, we can't wait forever.

"As far as Tony goes, we have a contract with Tony for next year," said Saunders. "It all depends on how we do for the remainder of this season, how DLP treats us. We're happy with what Tony's done for us. We've had some unfortunate stuff happen to us, which is no fault of Tony's and no fault of the team's."