Felix Sabates said that even though he and Joe Nemechek are parting ways at the end of the season, he will not replace the driver before November. He admits he is talking to Kenny Irwin and Robby Gordon about running for his team in 2000, denies he will run three Winston Cup teams full time and plans to put money into improving what he deemed a junk 2000 Monte Carlo. Sabates talked about honoring other owners’ contracts and the seven drivers — one which he says is in the top 10 in Winston Cup points — that he is considering for next season. He wants to find someone to join Sterling Marlin at Team SABCO. He plans to trim that list this week. Ron Hornaday is testing at Richmond tomorrow and Tuesday because he will drive the September race in Sabates’ third Cup car(#01). Hornaday, however, will only compete in the Busch Grand National Series next season. No one will run a full schedule in the #01 car. Sabates also plans to join Busch programs with owner Jim Mattei. The pair could run three or four teams in the series. At least two of the drivers would be full-time. As for his second Cup team, Sabates said he would not have a “recycled” driver, an experienced veteran that has worked for a variety of other teams. Sabates dined with Robby Gordon earlier this week and said the driver could be Sabates’ second driver next season. He added that he is not the only Cup owner interested in the open-wheel driver( Times-Dispatch )
