The entire Joe Gibbs(who owns the NASCAR teams of Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart)-owned Interstate Batteries Funny Car crew has been notified that the team will cease to exist at the end of the 1999 season. Crew chief Wes Cerny told all crew personal and driver Tommy Johnson Jr. that the team will be dissolved at the conclusion of the NHRA Finals in Pomona. Insiders also speculated that the sudden move may be related to the funding of the Interstate Batteries-sponsored NASCAR entry but Interstate personnel on hand offered no comment. The MBNA Dragster team will continue into next season as planned with Cerny moving over to crew chief the operation. Cerny will be bringing his mechanics from the Funny Car half of the Gibbs’ operation and will retain only Mike Neff from the current Top Fuel team( NHRA Site )
