#7 Dodge / Ultra Motorsports owner Jim Smith said Saturday he is moving ahead for plans for 2004 with his Winston Cup operation despite the lack of a primary sponsor secured for next season. Smith said he believes his Cup organization should remain mostly intact, other than the loss of crew chief Tommy Baldwin, who has already notified Smith he will not return to the team next season. “We’ve got some money in our checking account, and rather than putting it in my checking account and going home, we’re going racing,” Smith said. “We’re talking to a few people a little bit, but nothing of major consequences. I’m confident that something somewhere will pop up. We don’t have to have $18 million to operate. They’ve had everything they wanted this year, and I think you can waste money in Winston Cup, too. I know what an adequate number is to run a Winston Cup team, and I won’t go racing without that adequate money.” Veteran Jimmy Spencer has driven for Smith this season and is expected to return next year if Smith continues with the team. “Jimmy doesn’t want to go anywhere. I’m proud of all these guys. Tommy didn’t want to leave. They have families and stuff, and they have to make decisions,” Smith said. “I’m going to meet with all the top people at Ultra Motorsports and assure them they have a job. If we don’t end up Cup racing all year, the Truck teams are certainly going to be a lot better than they are right now.”( ThatsRacin.com )(11-1-2003)
