Sprague in a Pontiac? UPDATE 2: The new Haas CNC Racing Chevy Cup team, owned by Gene Haas, was announced a few months ago as the #60 Haas Automation Chevrolet with Jack Sprague driving full time in 2003. Hendrick Motorsports will supply cars, engines and technical support. Well looks like they may be running a Pontiac in 2003 and are leaning that way. Hendrick would still support the team.(Winston Cup Scene – need subscription to read – now in pdf format)(8-22-2002) UPDATE: Pontiac’s next announcement of a team for 2003 is expected to have ties to Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick says the Winston Cup deal being put together for driver Jack Sprague with Gene Haas and Joe Custer likely will put Sprague, one of Hendrick’s Busch Series drivers, in a Grand Prix. Haas Automation has been an associate sponsor on all of Hendrick Motorsports’ entries, and the relationship goes back eight years. Hendrick believes NASCAR has accomplished its goal of establishing common template cars and thinks both new GM models will be equally competitive. The Haas team will get cars, engines and technical support from Hendrick and from Pontiac team MBV (Johnny Benson), which was instrumental in developing the 2003 Grand Prix.(Sporting News)(8-26-2002) UPDATE 2: The Haas Automation/Hendrick Motorsports Winston Cup operation planning to debut full time next season with driver Jack Sprague appears likely to be the next team to join the Pontiac team in 2003. “I think it looks pretty favorable that they will be running the Pontiac. I’m not 100 percent, but they are awful close,” said Rick Hendrick, whose Hendrick Motorsports operation will supply engines, chassis and other technical assistance to the team. “They will be doing their own cars and we will be doing some chassis for them. The Pontiac and Chevrolet are basically going to be the same car with the only difference in the grille area. It won’t be any big deal.” The team still hopes to run at least three races this season, with its sights set on the fall events at Charlotte, Atlanta and Homestead.(ThatsRacin.com)(8-31-2002)
