#33/55 team owner Andy Petree’s 2003 Winston Cup program extends only a few races beyond the Daytona 500. And the next is four months — not four days — away. “What next?” Petree asked rhetorically, with a wry smile. “That’s a good question (and) I was just thinking that, as I was walking over here. I don’t know — we’ve got a few things we’re going to do: Busch racing, Truck racing, some ARCA races.” After cutting back to one full-time [#55 Chevy with Bobby Hamilton] team in 2002 realized he needed more funding from the other backer to continue even a single team in 2003. He had one hoped-for merger, with NFL owner Jerry Jones, fail to come to fruition and he continues to seek sponsorship or a partner to continue his Winston Cup operation on some level. His deal with Monaco Coaches, which is centered on several Craftsman Truck Series events, included only the Daytona 500 in Winston Cup. Petree is looking ahead to several announcements and getting back to his shop complex to get his remaining employees back to work on race vehicles for all three of NASCAR’s national series. “We’ve got about 25 guys and we’ve got enough to do to keep them all busy,” Petree said. “We’ll be working hard, but it will be hard not to be at all the Winston Cup races like we’ve been in the past.” Petree said he would drive the next race for APR, in a Monaco-sponsored Chevy truck at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, CA. That program encompasses four races, and Petree said he would also reprise his successful outing — at least in qualifying — in the Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway. He said he also had a fully sponsored program for a “young driver to run some Busch, Truck and ARCA races, though not a full season.” “That will enable us to keep our core group of employees together while we try to build for 2004,” Petree said. “Our next Winston Cup race is at Sears Point, and we got another young driver that we can’t announce yet, for there.” Petree acknowledged he was pleased at the performance of former CART Indy car driver Christian Fittipaldi, who made only his second Winston Cup start in the series’ biggest race.(see full story and quotes at NASCAR.com )(2-19-2003)
