Menard To Wheel No. 98 Cup Entry For Yates

November 19, 2008 10:30 p.m. EST

Concord, NC (AHN) - Paul Menard is trading his No. 15 Chevrolet for the No. 98 Ford of Yates Racing.

Menard, who announced he would be taking his sponsor and leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Yates earlier this season, made it official that he will drive the new No. 98 entry for Yates in 2009 in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.

"I'm really looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life with Yates Racing and behind the wheel of the No. 98 Ford Fusion," said Menard. "The No. 98 has been to victory lane 25 times, many times with Marvin Panch and Lee Roy Yarbrough.''

This past season Menard, whose father owns sponsor the Menards merchandising store chain, finished 26th in the final Cup standings after winning the pole at Daytona earlier this year and scoring a top-five finish at Talladega.

Menard will have a veteran crew chief at Yates Racing in Larry Carter, who came to Yates Racing from Roush Fenway Racing. He called the shots on the ride of Jamie McMurray this season and McMurray scored four top five and 11 top-10 finishes.

"It's exciting to be starting with Max (Jones) and Doug (Yates), and having Larry Carter on the box making the calls,'' said Menard. "I've seen how solid the Roush/Yates engine program has been over the years and I know we can have a really good season in the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion."