Crompton jumps before being pushed
17/11/2002 22:10 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
Neil Crompton will quit 00 Motorsport – and possibly fulltime driving altogether – at the end of another unsatisfying season.
Crompton, 42, told Channel Ten’s RPM program he would not sign a new contract with the Melbourne-based team, whether he was asked to or not.
The split is amicable, he insisted, but after a year of disappointing performances – the team failing to tune his Falcon into a car to match that of teammate Craig Lowndes – Crompton is fed up.
He’s exploring other options on and off the track – more likely to be off, he said, if a truly competitive drive can’t be found. Extended commentary work with Ten is the most likely option.
Crompton joined the fledgling 00 Motorsport garage in 2001, first as an endurance sidekick for Lowndes then as a fulltime competitor this year.
He sits 17th on the championship ladder, ten rungs below Lowndes.
David Besnard, expected to be released by Stone Brothers Racing to make way for Russell Ingall, is a strong candidate to replace Crompton.
And there’s more conjecture over the team’s immediate future, with European racing specialists Prodrive reportedly still interested in a joint venture.
Lowndes has a long-term contract with Ford and has committed himself to the team for next season.
|
|
