GM’s Pontiac Announcement and Team Reactions
Written by John Davison · October 28, 2003
Here is the text of the GM announcement today concerning the planned absence of Pontiac from NASCAR Nextel Cup racing beginning in 2004, and some comments from a few Pontiac teams.
GM Strengthens Chevrolet NASCAR Program in 2004
DETROIT - Following the end of the 2003 NASCAR season, GM will consolidate its resources in NASCAR to exclusively support the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and further advance and solidify the dominant position enjoyed by Chevrolet in this series.
“GM Racing will focus its 2004 NASCAR program on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and will no longer race or support the Pontiac Grand Prix race car,” said Doug Duchardt, director of GM Racing. “This transition will enable GM Racing to strengthen its Chevy Nextel Cup program and, at the same time, work with Pontiac on its future racing plans.”
“Given Pontiac’s long association with NASCAR and our many great accomplishments over the years, the decision to withdraw from NASCAR was not an easy one,” said Lynn Myers, general manager of Pontiac-GMC. “Consistent with GM efforts to focus its racing programs, Chevrolet will carry the NASCAR banner while Pontiac can now devote resources to developing future racing and marketing programs consistent with our new performance products, including the GTO, Grand Prix Comp G, G6 and the GXP performance series. We are proud of our racing accomplishments and we recognize that it is a powerful engineering, people development and marketing tool. Pontiac is investigating new opportunities to highlight the performance of our vehicles on Coming into the 2003 season, the Pontiac Grand Prix won two of the past three NASCAR Winston Cup drivers’ championships: Bobby Labonte in 2000, and Tony Stewart in ‘02.
Chevrolet has an ongoing record of dominance in NASCAR’s modern era. Chevrolet has won 23 of the last 31 NASCAR Winston Cup manufacturers’ championships including the 2003 title with 10 different drivers capturing 17 wins in 33 races so far this year. Through 2003 in the NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck series, Chevrolet has won 10 of 13, and five of nine NASCAR manufacturers’ titles respectively. With 2003 drivers’ titles still to be determined in both series, Chevrolet has won 11 of 21 in Busch and seven of eight in Craftsman Truck.
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Team reactions to the GM announcement today:
The following is #10 Valvoline Pontiac driver Johnny Benson’s reaction to today’s announcement that General Motors will consolidate its resources in NASCAR to exclusively support the Chevrolet Monte Carlo in 2004. Benson drove Pontiacs at Bahari’ Racing in 1996 and 1997 and has driven Pontiacs since the 2000 season. Benson won Rockingham last October in a Pontiac. Benson was in Homestead, Fla. today tire testing when he made the following comments.
“This is a surprise. I have driven a Pontiac in all but two seasons since I started in ‘95. I might have driven the most races of anyone in a Pontiac in recent years. Obviously, I have mixed emotions hearing this news. I guess it is disappointing we are going to lose a car in the series. If General Motors isn’t going to support the Pontiac next season then I doubt you will see too many teams running Pontiacs. I would guess that most of the Pontiac teams will switch to Chevrolets and I hope GM continues to support them the way they did when they were running Pontiacs. You know we heard some rumors at the beginning of the season about Pontiac not continuing. But, I don’t think anyone would have guessed that it would come this soon. I suspected they would eventually throw all their support behind the Monte Carlo but I figured it would be in a few years. The Pontiac was a good make. I think they were always just a touch behind, not a lot behind the Monte Carlo and others. But it was a good car and it was a pleasure to drive for them.”
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Cal Wells- “We’re disappointed, as PPI Motorsports is very proud to be a part of the Pontiac family. It was a tremendous honor to take the Pontiac Grand Prix to Victory Lane at Darlington Raceway in March. We’re continuing our preparations for 2004 and beyond, and we’re looking forward to the opportunities available to us with Chevrolet.”
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Morgan-McClure Motorsports had no comment on the GM announcement.
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