BearsBunny2
07-17-2003, 11:16 PM
Sprague out, Andretti in at Haas CNC Racing
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
John Andretti will replace Jack Sprague in the Haas CNC Racing No. 0 Pontiac for the next two races, the team announced Wednesday.
Andretti, released from his Petty Enterprises ride last month, will drive in the New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend and the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway next weekend for the first-year team.
Sprague, however, has left the team in a "mutual decision to part ways, effective immediately," the team announced.
"We are thrilled that there was someone available to us of John Andretti's caliber, with his vast amount of Winston Cup experience," Haas CNC Racing general manager Joe Custer said in a statement.
"We're excited that he has agreed to come on board for the next couple of races. Following the races at New Hampshire and Pocono, we'll evaluate how things are going and move forward from there."
Andretti was fired from the No. 43 on June 10, just before the Sirius 400 at Michigan. Andretti, who has been racing full-time on the Winston Cup tour since 1994, has two victories in his career.
One of those came in the 1997 Pepsi 400 with Cale Yarborough's old team. Tony Furr, the crew chief for the No. 0 car, was Andretti's crew chief then.
"I feel really good about being reunited with Tony Furr," Andretti said. "The Haas CNC Racing team is an excellent organization. I look forward to being behind the wheel of the No. 0 NetZero HiSpeed Pontiac for the next couple of races."
Andretti tested this week for Dale Earnhardt Inc. at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and could drive a fourth DEI car in the Brickyard 400 next month that would preclude him from filling the No. 0 seat.
Sprague was 37th in the Winston Cup points standings after a blown engine and 40th-place finish in the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Sprague's best finish of the season was a 14th in the season-opening Daytona 500, and he'd finished in the top 20 only one other time, a 19th at Michigan.
Sprague started the season with crew chief Dennis Connor, with whom he had much success in the Craftsman Truck Series, but Furr replaced Connor in early April.
Sprague was fourth in the Rookie of the Year chase behind Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears. Sprague was rookie-of-the-race once this season, at the Daytona 500
"Gene Haas gave me a great opportunity to move into the Winston Cup Series this season," Sprague said. "Unfortunately, being a rookie team with a rookie owner, rookie crew chief and a rookie driver, and not having a great deal of Winston Cup knowledge, we started off behind the 8-ball.
"Haas CNC Racing made changes along the way to try to make the team more competitive, but we never really got a handle on it. After eight years of winning races and championships, this year's been very frustrating for me, and I'm sure it has been equally as frustrating for them. That said, we decided to part ways and try to find success apart."
Sprague won the Craftsman Truck Series championship three tomes, moving to the Busch Series with Hendrick Motorsports in 2002. He was fifth the Busch points standings last year, winning one race.
Team owner Gene Haas started a Winston Cup team, with help from Hendrick, and hired Sprague.
"The Haas CNC Racing team hasn't achieved the goals we set for ourselves prior to the start of the season," Custer said. "Everyone involved with this organization has high expectations for success.
"Jack Sprague is a talented race car driver, but we thought it would be in everybody's best interest to make a change at this stage of the game. We feel confident we can continue to build this race team into a winning organization."
Hope he will do well and be able to keep driving.
:D
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
John Andretti will replace Jack Sprague in the Haas CNC Racing No. 0 Pontiac for the next two races, the team announced Wednesday.
Andretti, released from his Petty Enterprises ride last month, will drive in the New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend and the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway next weekend for the first-year team.
Sprague, however, has left the team in a "mutual decision to part ways, effective immediately," the team announced.
"We are thrilled that there was someone available to us of John Andretti's caliber, with his vast amount of Winston Cup experience," Haas CNC Racing general manager Joe Custer said in a statement.
"We're excited that he has agreed to come on board for the next couple of races. Following the races at New Hampshire and Pocono, we'll evaluate how things are going and move forward from there."
Andretti was fired from the No. 43 on June 10, just before the Sirius 400 at Michigan. Andretti, who has been racing full-time on the Winston Cup tour since 1994, has two victories in his career.
One of those came in the 1997 Pepsi 400 with Cale Yarborough's old team. Tony Furr, the crew chief for the No. 0 car, was Andretti's crew chief then.
"I feel really good about being reunited with Tony Furr," Andretti said. "The Haas CNC Racing team is an excellent organization. I look forward to being behind the wheel of the No. 0 NetZero HiSpeed Pontiac for the next couple of races."
Andretti tested this week for Dale Earnhardt Inc. at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and could drive a fourth DEI car in the Brickyard 400 next month that would preclude him from filling the No. 0 seat.
Sprague was 37th in the Winston Cup points standings after a blown engine and 40th-place finish in the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Sprague's best finish of the season was a 14th in the season-opening Daytona 500, and he'd finished in the top 20 only one other time, a 19th at Michigan.
Sprague started the season with crew chief Dennis Connor, with whom he had much success in the Craftsman Truck Series, but Furr replaced Connor in early April.
Sprague was fourth in the Rookie of the Year chase behind Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears. Sprague was rookie-of-the-race once this season, at the Daytona 500
"Gene Haas gave me a great opportunity to move into the Winston Cup Series this season," Sprague said. "Unfortunately, being a rookie team with a rookie owner, rookie crew chief and a rookie driver, and not having a great deal of Winston Cup knowledge, we started off behind the 8-ball.
"Haas CNC Racing made changes along the way to try to make the team more competitive, but we never really got a handle on it. After eight years of winning races and championships, this year's been very frustrating for me, and I'm sure it has been equally as frustrating for them. That said, we decided to part ways and try to find success apart."
Sprague won the Craftsman Truck Series championship three tomes, moving to the Busch Series with Hendrick Motorsports in 2002. He was fifth the Busch points standings last year, winning one race.
Team owner Gene Haas started a Winston Cup team, with help from Hendrick, and hired Sprague.
"The Haas CNC Racing team hasn't achieved the goals we set for ourselves prior to the start of the season," Custer said. "Everyone involved with this organization has high expectations for success.
"Jack Sprague is a talented race car driver, but we thought it would be in everybody's best interest to make a change at this stage of the game. We feel confident we can continue to build this race team into a winning organization."
Hope he will do well and be able to keep driving.
:D