Gibbs to Chevy (again)? UPDATE 2 Pontiac testing at AMS: [Joe] Gibbs [Racing] has decided to switch from Pontiacs back to Chevrolets for the 2003 season, according to Chevrolet sources. The move comes after 18 months of intransigence by NASCAR officials for rules relief requested by Pontiac teams. That would put Stewart and teammate Bobby Labonte back in Monte Carlos, which would be a serious blow to General Motors’ Pontiac division, perhaps serious enough for the division to leave this branch of the sport and take it’s $35 million racing budget somewhere else.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-4-2002) UPDATE: hearing an announcement could come as soon as Charlotte/Lowes during The Winson/Coca Cola 600 weeks.(5-5-2002) UPDATE 2 but…. Officials from Joe Gibbs Racing said they’ll test the new 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix Winston Cup race car at Atlanta Motor Speedway on May 20. The car will be driven at speed on the track and then taken by NASCAR officials to the Lockheed wind tunnel in Marietta for further tests. Gibbs’ team is leading the development of the new Pontiac body, but if the new car doesn’t turn out to be as competitive as they hope, the team is preparing to switch to the Chevrolet Monte Carlo before the start of the 2003 season.(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(5-5-2002) UPDATE 3: NASCAR and Pontiac Racing will conduct a developmental test for the 2003 Pontiac Thursday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The test will be closed to both the public and the media.(AMS PR)(5-7-2002)
