Baldwin May Not Field No. 36 Chevy Full-Time In 2015

Tommy Baldwin

Tommy Baldwin Racing may not field its familiar No. 36 Sprint Cup Chevrolet on a full-time basis in 2015, focusing instead on the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet while forging a new partnership with Jay Robinson Racing to keep the No. 36 entry on track.

Multiple sources tell GodfatherMotorsports.com that negotiations are underway to campaign the No. 36 under the Jay Robinson Racing banner in 2015, with TBR handling fabrication and preparation for the four restrictor plate races at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. That move, if finalized, will result in the layoff of approximately eight TBR employees, all of whom have been invited to apply for positions at JRR’s facility on Rolling Hill Road in Mooresville, NC.

Baldwin reportedly informed team personnel of the move Monday, saying the deal will be finalized later this week.

Baldwin stressed today that he has no plans to sell TBR, and is speaking with a number of parties in an effort to improve the performance of the No. 36 team.

“I’m working hard to get the 36 car going a little better,” he said. “But I have no plans to get out of the ownership game. I am talking to Jay Robinson and to some other people. We’re looking to see if we can do things together, better than we could do them separately.

“There is nothing done yet, and it’s too early to talk about details.”  

Baldwin has made a total of 321 career Sprint Cup Series starts since becoming a team owner in 2009, with a best finish of third at Talladega in 2011 with driver Dave Blaney. Michael Annett ran the full, 36-race schedule in Baldwin’s No. 7 Pilot/Flying J Chevrolet last season, finishing 32^nd in championship points. He is expected to return in 2015.

Reed Sorenson drove the No. 36 Chevy to 34^th in the final standings. Blaney, Mike Bliss and Bobby Labonte combined for 10 starts in a third, No. 37 machine last season.