Loomis will not be Gordon’s Crew Chief in 2006

UPDATE #2 This rumor is now upgraded to 'fact.' Robbie Loomis doesn't know what he'll do next season, but he does know he'll do something other than serve as crew chief for four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon. "I know that I am getting ready for a change," Loomis said Friday at Richmond International Raceway. "We have been preparing for that for a year, and it could be within Hendrick Motorsports and it might be something completely different." "I'm ready for like a change of season, like winter, fall, spring and summer," Loomis said. "That's been brought on more by the emotions I went through last year with my mom." 09/09/05 Robbie Loomis says his adoration for stock car racing hasn't waned, but his desire to so ardently pursue it has. So much so, he says, that he's uncertain he wants to continue the year-round grind. "I told my buddy over the winter I've never been so uncertain in all my life about my future, but I've never felt so good about where I stand with everything," Loomis said Friday at Richmond. "In life, for years, it was racing, God then family. I'm trying to get it God, family then racing.

"I have some things I need to work through. But I've been trying not to talk with anyone or do anything that takes my mind off getting this car in the Chase."

A recent report stated that Loomis had confirmed he wouldn't be back as crew chief for Jeff Gordon's team in 2006. The report said Loomis was ready for a change and that the team had been preparing for his departure for quite some time.

Gordon echoed that sentiment Friday before qualifying sixth for Saturday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400. "Truth of the matter is, he and I had talked about his future with the Hendrick Motorsports organization prior to the season even starting," Gordon said.

"A lot of it had to do with his mom, his family and his priorities and, you know, the intensity that comes with being a crew chief and whether he wanted to continue to do that, and for how long." NASCAR.com

09/06/05 It appears the successful crew chief/driver combination of Robbie Loomis and four-time Nextel Cup champion Jeff Gordon is drawing to an end. During a national teleconference call Tuesday, Gordon said he wasn't sure whether Loomis would return as his crew chief in 2006.

"Well, I mean, we talked before this season even started about Robbie's future and what he wanted to do. If it's up to me, yeah, I'd love to have him as, you know, my crew chief. Robbie, with his mom and some of the illnesses she's gone through, you know, he's trying to decide right now what his plans are and has nothing to do with our performance this year," Gordon said.

"I believe 100 percent in Robbie Loomis and in his abilities. You know, when we're on, there's nobody better and because of our lack of performance this year I really don't think that, you know, Robbie should be put to blame for that.

"It really has nothing to do with whether he's my crew chief next year or not. It has nothing to do with the performance that we've had this year." There was no immediate comment from Hendrick Motorsports or Loomis on Tuesday. More at ThatsRacin.com