BY TEAM FORD RACING CORRESPONDENT

Charlotte, N.C. — Robert Yates, Ford's legendary patriarch of horsepower, missed last weekend's Pepsi 400 at Daytona but intends to be back at the track for this weekend's USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, near Joliet, Ill.

Yates, 61, had surgery for kidney stones last week and was advised by doctors and family members to stay home and rest. The news here, of course, is that Yates missed a Daytona race for the first time since the 1960s, when he was beginning his apprenticeship with Ford's Holman-Moody stock-car powerhouse in Charlotte.

Yates, who became a team owner in 1987, since has won the Daytona 500 three times—with Davey Allison in 1992 and with Dale Jarrett in 1996 and 2000. His cars also have won once in the Pepsi 400, five times in twin qualifiers, and three times in the Budweiser Shootout.

The Yates cars ran well enough in Saturday night's rain-delayed event, with Dale Jarrett, in the No. 88, making a determined run to fifth place and Elliott Sadler, in the No. 38, running among the leaders despite several mishaps, including a miscalculated late pit stop that dropped him to 21st at the finish.

Yates is reported to be doing well at his home near Charlotte. Robert's son Doug, head of Roush-Yates Engines, and RYR general manager Eddie d'Hondt took care of business in Robert's absence.