Parrott headed back to Robert Yates Racing
Role has not been defined, but he says it is 'special opportunity'
Todd Parrott is headed home.
Starting Monday, Parrott's on-again off-again tenure at Robert Yates Racing will resume, though his new role with the struggling organization is yet to be determined.
That role is expected to be announced sometime next week.
Robert Yates has gone through several changes in his organization recently. To rejoin RYR, Parrott will forego his current role at Petty Enterprises as crew chief of
Bobby Labonte's No. 43 Dodge.
He departs with the Petty organization's blessing, including Labonte and team manager Robbie Loomis, who was in a similar position last year while serving as crew chief for
Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports.
"They totally understand," Parrott said Wednesday. "It has nothing to do with anything bad here [at Petty Enterprises], it's just a situation where I see something over there [at Yates], a special opportunity.
"We have great people over here [at Petty], but I helped build [Yates], and I want to help build it again."
Parrott's last run at RYR ended late last year, but he quickly caught on with Petty. Many had high hopes that combining Labonte, a champion driver, with Parrott, a champion crew chief, would return the legendary No. 43 to its rightful status. Performance has indeed improved, but is still a work in progress.
Thus far in 2006 Labonte has just four top-10 finishes, including a season-best fifth-place effort at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Teamed with driver
Dale Jarrett, Parrott led the No. 88 Ford to multiple Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 victories, as well as the 1999 Cup Series championship -- RYR's first and only title to date.
He also served as crew chief for driver
Elliott Sadler, and for a time held the team's general manager position.
Totally AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Parrott is back!!!!!
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