Races [2] that Rain-X is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
New Hampshire - 9/20
Phoenix - 11/15
Races [2] that GE Reveal Light Bulbs is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Michigan - 6/14
Infineon - 6/21
Races [2] that TomTom is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Pocono - 6/8
New Hampshore - 6/28
Races [2] that Vaseline Men Body Lotion is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Dover - 9/27
Martinsville - 10/25
Races [3] that Guitar Hero is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Indianapolis - 7/26
Atlanta - 9/6
Charlotte - 10/17
Contract Status: Driver: 2009 and leaves; Sponsor: 2010
#1 Team Past News and Rumors
(NOTE: some older links may not work)
Official: McMurray to the #1 car: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced that they will add Jamie McMurray as a teammate of #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, to drive the #1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevy for the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. McMurray will return to Ganassi whom he raced for from 2002-2005. Bass Pro Shops will once again return for their fifth season as one of the primary partners on the #1 Chevy. The Jamie McMurray Foundation (JMF), created in 2006, was formed to promote awareness of, and raise funding for, research, education and support for individuals and families affected by autism. The JMF is dedicated to bringing the financial backing and support of the NASCAR community, together with the passion and commitment of the autism community to promote better understanding of this challenging disability. Bass Pro Shops, of Springfield, Missouri, will enter their fifth season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as one of the primary sponsors of the #1 Chevy.(Earnhardt Ganassi)(11-18-2009)
McMurray supposedly signs with EGR: Apparently, a one-year deal was inked last Wednesday between Jamie McMurray and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and is expected to be announced sometime on Tuesday. Kevin "Bono" Manion is expected to continue on as the crew chief.(FoxSports)(11-17-2009)
Starbucks makes NASCAR debut to be associate on #1: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Starbucks Coffee Company will provide NASCAR fans attending this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) a taste of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, Starbucks latest coffee innovation, through an extensive trackside sampling effort. Beginning Friday, Nov. 13, the thousands of NASCAR fans in attendance at PIR should be on the lookout for a fleet of Starbucks branded golf carts combing the race-track property passing samples of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew. Starbucks ambassadors will be ready to introduce race fans to an instant coffee that is full bodied and flavorful, just like the Starbucks coffee they have already come to know and love. As part of the promotion, both the Starbucks and Starbucks VIA Ready Brew logos will have associate sponsor placement on the TV Panel of the #1 Rain-X Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr.(EGR)(11-12-2009)
Rain-X to sponsor Truex at Phoenix: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Shell Lubricants announced that the Rain-X brand will make its second appearance as the primary sponsor on the #1 Chevy of Martin Truex Jr. for the Nov. 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). Rain-X made it’s NASCAR debut as the primary sponsor for Truex and the #1 team for the NSCS race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 20. The #1 Chevy bright yellow and blue design draws inspiration from the yellow and blue color scheme that has become synonymous with the Rain-X® brand. Race fans should be sure to look for the Rain-X logo on the hood of the #1 Chevy along with the giant “beaded” rain drops running off the windshield and down the sides of the front quarter-panels. More info about Rain-X at www.rainx.com (EGR). See images of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(11-11-2009)
#1 Chevy deemed too low UPDATE: The #1 Bass Pro Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. failed a post-race inspection when NASCAR officials found the height of the car was too low. The violation was discovered because the #1 Chevy was the random car selected for inspection after the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Truex finished 14th. Any penalties for the team will be announced on Tuesday, NASCAR officials confirmed. NASCAR also is taking three cars back to the Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. -- the #2 Dodge of race winner Kurt Busch, the #24 Chevy of Jeff Gordon, who finished 13th, and the #5 Chevy of Mark Martin, who finished fourth. NASCAR also will take three engines to the R&D Center -- the #2 Dodge, the #11 Toyota motor of driver Denny Hamlin, who finished second, and Gordon's. The winning car and the engines from the top two finishers always are inspected in the R&D Center.(ESPN)(11-9-2009)
Penalties Issued For Car #1 Team: NASCAR announced penalties for the car No. 1 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a violation that occurred during post-race inspection last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. The team was penalized for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-I (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.8.1B (front of the car did not meet the required height specification; too low in post-race inspection). Crew chief Kevin Manion was fined $50,000 and remains on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31, 2009. Car owner Teresa Earnhardt and driver Martin Truex Jr., were penalized with the loss of 50 championship owner and 50 championship driver points, respectively.(NASCAR)(11-10-2009)
Earnhardt-Ganassi staying with Chevy: Toyota and Richard Childress, who is part of the joint venture which currently supplies Chevrolet engines to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, gave co-team owner Chip Ganassi an ultimatum for a decision on manufacturers next year. Following several early morning meetings at Texas Motor Speedway, EGR opted to stay with Chevrolet. Ganassi spoke with General Motors Racing manager Mark Kent in a closed-door meeting inside the #1 team's transporter Sunday morning at Texas Motor Speedway and Alba Colon, GM Racing's Chevrolet program manager, camped out in front of the hauler for part of the morning. He also met with Toyota senior manager Andy Graves before making his decision. When asked for a comment after his meetings, Ganassi said "It's nobody's business."(FoxSports)(11-9-2009)
Earnhardt Ganassi to Toyota? So, what's the holdup in EGR's decision to remain with Chevy or move to Toyota? Perhaps it's the "E" in EGR. Can anyone really imagine the Earnhardt name associated with Toyota? Since Teresa Earnhardt is not at the racetrack on a weekly basis, that might be a tough answer to get. And with the current General Motors situation, Chevy is in no position to offer EGR a new and improved deal. Maybe Chip Ganassi believes delaying the decision will prevent the current engine builders from sabotaging the cars? But since Ganassi didn't want to answer the question of manufacturers on Sunday, what do we know? Richard Childress Racing's engine department — which supplies motors for EGR — was expecting a call on Friday from the Ganassi camp regarding their status for next season. It never came. Principals at EGR are expected to meet with Toyota again on Tuesday. EGR has had discussions with Joe Gibbs Racing about supplying engines for next season. Apparently Toyota Racing Development, which provides Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull Racing with engines, does not have the capacity at this time to be a supplier for EGR.(FoxSports)(11-3-2009)
New driver of #1 announced this week? An announcement on the driver that will replace #1-Martin Truex Jr. could come this week, sources close to the situation said. Jamie McMurray, who is losing his ride at Roush Fenway Racing because the organization has to reach the four-car cap, is one candidate. Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Cup champion, is the other. EGR co-owner Chip Ganassi wants McMurray. Bass Pro Shops, which will sponsor the #1 for 20 races next season, isn't sure he fits the image.(read more at ESPN Insider)(11-2-2009)
UPDATE: It's no secret that Bass Pro Shops has a contract to sponsor the #1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing car that McMurray is slotted to drive next year. And it's no secret that Bass Pro Shops wants to move to the #39 car with Ryan Newman. Now, this is not a knock on BPS, which has offered tremendous support to many racing programs in and beyond NASCAR. But McMurray's contract with EGR has been prepared but lacking signatures for some time. No, McMurray is not going to apply for his NRA membership any time soon, but he will go above and beyond for his sponsors whether it's Bass Pro or anyone else.(FoxSports)(11-3-2009)
McMurray close to signing new deal? UPDATE: hearing that Jamie McMurray is close to signing a deal to drive the #1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevy in 2010, announcement could come the week following Martinsville.(10-21-2009)
UPDATE: It’s not etched in stone, but the speculation surrounding Jamie McMurray-to-Earnhardt Ganassi Racing isn’t exactly written in chalk, either. Neither McMurray nor anyone at EGR has confirmed the move, but garage-insiders say there’s a strong likelihood the driver of the Roush Fenway Racing #26 Fusion will replace Martin Truex Jr. in the #1 Chevy next year. The wild-card in the scenario is the sponsor. Bass Pro Shops would like to have an “outdoorsman” type of driver, one who’ll appeal to their customer base. To some degree, Truex Jr. fulfilled that role; less so McMurray, who’s not exactly the world’s most passionate hunter, fisherman or camper.(Ford Racing)(10-25-2009)
Vaseline colors for Truex at Martinsville: Vaseline MEN Lotion returns as primary sponsor of the #1 Chevy this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Vaseline Men made it’s NASCAR debut as primary sponsor of the #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. at Dover International Raceway on Sept. 27. Vaseline will have an onsite tent manned by brand ambassadors to help educate NASCAR Fans on the importance of skin health and Vaseline Men Lotion at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.(EGR), see my #1 Team schemes page for images of the scheme.(10-22-2009)
2010 #1 driver to be named soon: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing is close to naming a driver for the #1 car next season and it apparently won't be Jamie McMurray, as has been widely speculated. A source close to the situation said McMurray, whose contract at Roush Fenway Racing is up after this season, no longer is in the picture and that two people are in the mix. Rumored drivers include: Bobby Labonte, Reed Sorenson, David Stremme, David Gilliland and Casey Mears.(see full post at ESPN Insiders)(10-16-2009)
DJ Hero featured on Truex's #1 car: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced that it has partnered with Activision Publishing, Inc. and its long-time sponsor Target to feature the highly anticipated, critically acclaimed new interactive music experience, DJ Hero, on Martin Truex Jr.'s #1 Chevy in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 17. At the race, Target invites race fans to take DJ Hero for a spin 10 days before its launch at the Target DJ Hero station located on “The Fan Midway” across the street from Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Truex Jr. will test his DJ Hero mixing and scratching skills at the Target DJ Hero station on Saturday, October 17 from 3:30 – 4:00pm/et. The station, decorated to give fans a true party feel, welcomes race fans to enter and test their skills on numerous DJ Hero kiosks. For more information about DJ Hero, visit www.djhero.com (EGR), see images of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(10-16-2009)
Guitar Hero 5 Returns to the #1: Guitar Hero, returns to the track at Auto Club Speedway as primary sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates' #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. The paint scheme first debuted at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sept. 6, 2009, coinciding with the launch of the popular video game on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The video game returns as primary sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing for the seventh time this season after sponsoring Aric Almirola and the #8 Team for four races.(EGR PR), see an image of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(10-7-2009)
EGR Saluting American Heroes: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will host some very special guests this weekend at Kansas Speedway. The team, in conjunction with the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Campaign, will host: Sgt. James Wilson who was wounded in action in 2004 on his second tour, served with 1st Airmobile B 1st/27th Company, Sgt. Matt Lloyd served with C Company 67th Signal Corp in 2004 and Sgt. Mike Davis served with 20th Engineers 1st Cavalry Division.(EGR)(10-2-2009)
Vaseline Men Lotion on the #1 at Dover: Unilever, one of the world's largest consumer products companies, announced on July 23, 2009 that Vaseline MEN Lotion would be an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. As part of that relationship, Vaseline MEN will be the primary sponsor of the #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. at this weekend's race at Dover International Raceway.(Earnhardt Ganassi PR), see an image of the car on the #1 team paint schemes page.(9-23-2009)
Truex Jr. donates 100 Dover tickets to fans in need: #1- Martin Truex Jr., always a fan favorite at the Monster Mile, has purchased 100 tickets to the AAA 400 Sprint Cup Series race for select fans who were unable to renew their September race tickets due to hardships brought on by the economic downturn or other unforeseen circumstances. Loyal Dover International Speedway ticket holders were contacted and told of Truex's special donation of tickets to the upcoming "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" race. The list was compiled from letters or personal stories shared by fans during the ticket renewal period for the Sept. 25-27 race weekend. "When we heard that Dover had a list of fans who wanted to come to the race but couldn't for one reason or another, we decided to take care of them," said Truex, driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. "The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation is always looking for new ways to help those in need in the NASCAR community, and we felt this was a great way to support fans who wanted to be at the race in Dover. Dover obviously has a special place in my heart."(Dover PR)(9-23-2009)
“Bono” goes Modified Racing: Kevin “Bono” Manion, crew chief for #1-Martin Truex Jr., will be pulling double duty this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Manion is bringing his Whelen Modified Car to the race track with Ryan Newman behind the wheel to race in the New Hampshire 100 on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1:00pm/et. This will be the fourth race of the year for Newman and Manion in the Modified Car.(EGR)(9-17-2009)
Rain-X to sponsor Truex at NHMS: The Rain-X brand will make its debut as the primary sponsor on the #1 Chevy of Martin Truex Jr. for this weekend’s Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. For more than 30 years, the legendary Rain-X Original Glass Treatment has been dramatically improving wet weather driving visibility by causing precipitation to bead up and roll off vehicle windshields. The #1 Chevy’s bright yellow and blue design draws inspiration from the yellow and blue color scheme that has become synonymous with the Rain-X brand. The Rain-X logo will be on the hood of the #1 Chevy along with the giant “beaded” rain drops running off the windshield and down the sides of the front quarter-panels. Race fans, be sure to visit earnhardtganassi.com to get exclusive behind the scenes video content from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and the No. 1 Rain-X Chevrolet. Follow along as Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team members show race fans how the team utilizes Rain-X products both on and off the race track (EGR), see an image of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(9-17-2009)
Bobby Labonte to the #07? #1?: Bobby Labonte's popularity has picked up considerably in the last few weeks. Apparently, his name is being presented as a possible candidate for the #07 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to sponsor Jack Daniels this week. Also hearing that he could be competition for Jamie McMurray in the #1 Chevy at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.(FoxSports)(9-13-2009)
McMurray looks to be headed to the #1 car: The merger between Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing all but made it official that Jamie McMurray will move to the #1 at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing next season. McMurray has been in discussions with EGR for several months after being told he would not be re-signed by Roush Fenway Racing to drive the #26 next season. Roush had to shrink from five to four cars to reach NASCAR's four-car cap rule.(See full post at ESPN Insiders)(9-12-2009)
Guitar Hero 5 on the Hood of the #1: Guitar Hero, returns to the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway as primary sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. The paint scheme coincides with the launch of the popular video game franchise’s latest hit, Guitar Hero 5 on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The video game returns as primary sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing for the sixth time this season after sponsoring Aric Almirola and the #8 Team for four races, including the 2009 Daytona 500, and the #1 team at Indianapolis [and will supposedly be on the #1 car at Lowe's Motor Speedway].(EGR)(9-2-2009)
EGR to switch to Hendrick engines? If Team Red Bull does stay in the Toyota camp, that could open up a Rick Hendrick engineering and engine option for car owner Chip Ganassi and driver #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. Ganassi and Montoya are running Chevrolets this season, with engines supplied through Richard Childress. However General Motors' bankruptcy and racing cutbacks have left a number of issues and sponsorships up in the air.(MikeMulhern.net)(8-10-2009)
Ganassi to Gibbs? UPDATE2 denied: The latest rumor is that Chip Ganassi somehow will merge his Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team [Chevy's w/#1-Truex Jr. (leaves end of 2009) and #42-Montoya] with Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota's w/#18-Busch, #11-Hamlin, #20-Logano], possibly eliminating another owner.(SPEEDtv/Jimmy Spencer)(7-23-2009)
UPDATE: Don't believe the latest that has Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates partnering with Joe Gibbs Racing, making Juan Pablo Montoya JGR's fourth driver with Target as the sponsor. Not that there hasn't been some conversation looking at that as a possible marriage. There are conversations between almost every organization about almost everything these days. But this one hasn't been talked about enough to warrant it as a substantial rumor. It likely never will be. Ganassi is under the umbrella of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with its partnership with DEI, and he's happy with that relationship. "We have an affiliation now," he said Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "We have an affiliation with Earnhardt with EGR [and] with Childress [Richard Childress Racing]. I'm very happy with that. Knock on wood. We've had no issues. The idea of what we put together at the end of the season last year, it's been mission accomplished."(ESPN Insider)(7-25-2009)
UPDATE 2: Statement from Chip Ganassi per the Speculation about Potential Merger with Other Race Teams: “There have been numerous incorrect reports in the media over the last few days about a possible merger of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and other race teams and I can tell you that we have never had any such conversation with any team, nor do we plan to. Furthermore, as I have said many times, we are currently a FIVE-car team, we just happen to compete over three different forms of racing. We fully expect to continue to be a two car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team in 2010 and beyond and have no plans of merging or downsizing at all. We are a Chevrolet team and focused solely on making The Chase for the Sprint Cup.”(EGR)(7-27-2009)
Roush's Smith talks about 2010 plans: Sunday on "The SIRIUS NASCAR Radio Pre-Race Show", SIRIUS XM's Claire B. Lang spoke with Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith about the possible changes to the team's roster of drivers before next season.
Geoff Smith: "If you're asking about our team plans for 2010, we're settled that Carl Edwards and Aflac, Greg Biffle with 3M, and David Ragan with UPS will be staying put and that sponsorship is going to kind of determine whether or not the #17 or the #26 are going to have to be the teams we shut down and move, if we can."
Smith: "There are difficulties. You just can't assume that a team can transfer intact just because you want it to. There are sponsors that get to vote as to what organization they're going to sponsor. So we have to work through that, which is what I've been saying. I expect, now that the DeWalt cloud has been removed, we're going to move very quickly to lock in the sponsorship and then that sponsorship will determine [whether] the #17 stays or goes."
Host, Claire B. Lang: "Meaning that we could see a past champion, Matt Kenseth, moving?"
Smith: "It all depends on the sponsorships. Our objective is to keep both of those teams (the #17 and the #26) in the Ford Motor Company community. We're hoping that we don't have to keep one and then lose one out of the Ford community entirely. So if we can keep them both in the [Ford] community by shuffling the #17 we would do that. Pretty unlikely that Matt Kenseth or the #17 will move at this point."
(SIRIUS NASCAR Radio)(7-27-2009)
McMurray told he is free to 'look around' for a ride; to #1 car?: Roush Fenway Racing has informed #26=Jamie McMurray he is free to talk to other organizations about next season, team president Geoff Smith said on Sunday. But Smith said that is not an indication Roush doesn't want the driver of the #26 Ford associated with the organization in 2010. Smith said Roush is willing to move any of its five drivers with sponsorship to partner Yates Racing next season if that would maintain the current Ford stable. He said most of the drivers are willing to do that, understanding they will be in same equipment with the same technology. The problem is convincing sponsors to move to what is perceived as the "B'' team. UPS, for example, is committed to keeping David Ragan at Roush. "It's not moving apples to apples,'' Smith said from the garage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
NASCAR has mandated that Roush be at the four-car cap by 2010. Roush currently has five drivers, McMurray, Ragan, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth. Although Edwards, Kenseth and Biffle signed extensions last season, Smith is not opposed to moving one if that keeps all within the Roush/Yates umbrella. "We would be open to any combination to keep them,'' he said. McMurray is considered the most likely to be moved because his contract expires after this season. Smith said it did not make sense in this economic climate to re-sign him to a long-term deal without sponsorship commitment. Crown Royal, which sponsors a portion of races on McMurray's car, has two years left on its contract. Smith didn't rule out that could be moved to Kenseth's car if necessary.
Roush announced earlier this week that DeWalt, Kenseth's long-term sponsor, will not return in 2010. Smith said sponsorship for that car would be cleared up soon. McMurray avoided conversations with the media on Friday and Saturday. He reportedly has been contacted by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing as a candidate to fill the spot being vacated by Martin Truex Jr. in the #1 Chevy.(ESPN)(7-26-2009)
Ganassi plans to fill #1 ride: Chip Ganassi, co-owner of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, on replacing Martin Truex Jr., who is leaving the #1 Bass Pro Chevy for Michael Waltrip Racing next year: "We're going to fill it. Everything's fine. I'm not going out of business. We're going to have two cars (next year). You guys always ask silly questions. I wish I had great answers for you. I'm unable to make things up. All I can tell you is we're fine. We're talking to a few guys, and I'll tell you in due time.. .. I'm a bit of a gambler in that sense. I don't feel the need to announce my plans July 1 like a lot of people do. I'm not going to be dragged into that. We're going to make the best decision at the right time. We're on my calendar. I'm not on anybody else's calendar."(USA Today)(7-25-2009)
Ganassi: Danica should stay in the IRL: Chip Ganassi doesn't believe Danica Patrick should leave the IndyCar Series after this season to pursue a full-time ride in NASCAR. "Her IndyCar career, she's about to make a step in that career if she decides to stay there," Ganassi said before Friday's Sprint Cup practice for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "She's got one more step to make, and that's it. As much as I love what's going on here this weekend, my counsel to her is she's pretty close to making that last step in IndyCar racing and she could easily do that in the next three or four or five years and still be able to do this." Ganassi owns five teams between the IndyCar and Sprint Cup series, having won the Indianapolis 500 three times. He acknowledged talking to Patrick -- whose contract with Andretti Green expires after this season -- about driving for him in IndyCar. "If she wanted to do NASCAR on a full-time basis I would suggest there are better places for her to go and do it with [than Earnhardt Ganassi Racing]," said Ganassi, who is returning to the track for the first time in a month after undergoing eye surgery. "I don't think our team is in position to do that." There has been speculation that Patrick could compete in a handful of Nationwide or Cup events after the IndyCar season. EGR does not have a full-time Nationwide program, which many believe Patrick must compete in for a year or two before making the move to Cup. Ganassi characterized his talks with Patrick, who finished fourth in the Indianapolis 500 two months ago, as being on the pace lap level. "She's on the market right now and she's ready to make the next step in her career, wherever that takes her," he said. "I wish I could tell you I'm a lot further down the road on that. The fact of the matter is, like most of the other teams, we're in the top of the first inning on that."(ESPN)(7-25-2009)
New 2-race sponsor for Truex Jr.: Unilever announced that Vaseline Men Lotion will be an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Vaseline Men will be the primary sponsor of the #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. at select races NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. The Vaseline Men paint scheme will make its debut on the #1 Chevy in the NSCS at Dover on September 27 and again in Martinsville on October 25. The Vaseline Men lotion range includes fast-absorbing body, face and hand lotions that give men strong, resilient skin. More info at vaseline.com. Martin Truex, Jr., Driver of the #1 Chevy: “I'm really looking forward to driving the Vaseline MEN car at Dover and Martinsville at the end of this season. They are another addition in a long line of great partners that we've had on our car this season. I got my first win at Dover in 2007 and I hope to have another strong performance there.”(Earnhardt Ganassi Racing)(7-23-2009)
Truex debuts Guitar Hero scheme at Indy: The #1 best-selling video game, Guitar Hero, returns to the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as primary sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates' #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. This time the popular video game franchise introduces their latest hit, Guitar Hero Smash Hits. The video game returns as a primary sponsor with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing for the fourth time this season after sponsoring Aric Almirola and the #8 Team for several races including the 2009 Daytona 500. This marks the first race for Guitar Hero as primary sponsor of the #1 Chevy team. Guitar Hero will once again be the featured paint scheme for Truex and team with paint schemes at the upcoming Atlanta and Charlotte events.(Earnhardt Ganassi PR), no image yet.(7-22-2009)
- Truex to field car for ARCA race at Kentucky: NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate Jesus Hernandez will take another step forward in his career Saturday night when he competes in the ARCA race at the Kentucky Speedway. Hernandez will compete in a car entered by his fellow worker at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, Sprint Cup driver Martin Truex Jr. (#1 Bass Pro Chevy). Hernandez will pilot the #56 Chevrolet. The car will have support from lavendar Boutique and G.C. Pollex and Associates. Hernandez will be making his second career ARCA start, previously racing in this event in 2007, finishing an impressive sixth in his debut. The team, made up of many Sprint Cup employees moonlighting on this project, has made this a true grassroots effort. The team has worked for nearly eight months preparing this car for Saturday night’s race. Hernandez, 27, has competed this season in the Camping World East Series and has collected three top-10 finishes, including one top-five.(Breaking Limits)(7-17-2009)
- Truex's car too high at Chicago UPDATE Penalties announced: The #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. did not pass a post-race inspection when NASCAR officials discovered the right rear quarter panel was too high on the car. Truex finished 16th in the LifeLock 400 race at Chicagoland Speedway. The car will be taken back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further evaluations. NASCAR officials will determine if the height problem is a violation that requires a penalty. Any announcement of the process will come later this week, likely on Tuesday or Wednesday. Similar height situations have resulted in championship point reductions and fines in the past.(ESPN.com)(7-12-2009)
UPDATE: NASCAR announced that Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #1 Chevy in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, crew chief Kevin Manion and car owner Teresa Earnhardt have been penalized for rule violations during last weekend’s event at Chicagoland Speedway.
Truex was penalized 25 points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver standings. Manion was fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31, 2009. Earnhardt was penalized 25 points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner standings. The three were penalized for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); Section 12-4-I (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules) and Section 20-12.8.1C (right rear quarter panel height did not meet the required specifications; too high in post-race inspection).(NASCAR)(7-14-2009)
- Ryan Truex passes Park to win again: After getting passed for the lead with less than five laps remaining, former Sprint Cup Series winner Steve Park had a message for fans concerning the driver that left him settling for a second place finish. "You guys better get his autograph tonight because he ain't going to be around here much longer," Park said of 17-year old Ryan Truex. After losing the lead to Park on a lap 95 restart, Truex rallied back on the next lap to retake the top spot from him and went on to win the Camping World East Series Pepsi Full Fender Frenzy 100 Saturday at Thompson International Speedway. It was the second victory of the season for the Truex, of Mayetta, N.J., the younger brother of Sprint Cup Series regular Martin Truex Jr. Corey LaJoie, the 17-year old son of two-time Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie, finished 19th in his Camping World East debut. LaJoie was running ninth on lap 52 when he went to the pits with motor issues and retired from the event.(Hartford Courant)(7-13-2009)
- Manion to MWR with Truex? UPDATE: #1-Martin Truex's current crew chief Bono Manion is expected to join Michael Waltrip Racing in the future, whether that date is after Homestead or before is likely predicated on the Chip Ganassi. Manion has worked with Truex since the May Richmond race in 2003. If Truex and Manion leave EGR prematurely, Aric Almirola, who is still under contract but has not raced since Texas due to a lack of sponsorship, could jump in the car.(FoxSports)(7-8-2009)
UPDATE: Claire B Lang interviewed Truex on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio "Dialed In":
CBL: Can you talk at all about Bono and whether you can bring Bono over to the (MWR) operation - you and Bono have been through the war.
Martin Truex Junior: "We've done a lot of good things together. We've had a lot of success together. You know I love him - he's like a brother to me. So I would love to have him over here. I've got a lot of confidence in him. I know he's good. I know he can do the job so we'll just have to see. You know obviously it's not my sole decision to make. I think that we need to figure out his situation and talk to him and see what he wants and you know make sure that he thinks this is the right deal for him and we'll sit down and have Ty(Norris) and everybody and if they are comfortable with it then I'd be all for it. I think it would make things a lot easier for me coming into a new place to have him on my side.((7-9-2009)
- Truex: Too Many questions at EGR to stay: Martin Truex, who won two championships in what is now the Nationwide Series with Chance 2 Motorsports (a division of Dale Earnhardt Inc.) and then became a full-time Cup driver for DEI in 2006, said he believed the future of Michael Waltrip Racing was much more solid than that of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, the result of a merger between DEI and Chip Ganassi Racing after last season. “For me, there was a lot less in question [at MWR],” said Truex, who won one race and made the Chase with DEI in 2007. “They were able to answer more questions. It was easier to see where they were heading. The picture was just a lot more clear for me. … It’s solid."(SceneDaily)(7-8-2009)
- MWR to make announcement on July 7th? UPDATE 3: Truex: On Friday Rowdy.com visited Michael Waltrip Racing [Cornelius, NC] which offers an amazing tour of the facility, including the fabricating shop. Even more interesting than the tour itself was this tidbit...someone in our group was asking how Ryan and Martin Truex Jr. (brothers) were related. Somehow this led to our tour guide telling us that Michael Waltrip Racing would be making a MAJOR announcement on July 7th.(Rowdy.com)(6-27-2009)
UPDATE: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said no matter what happens with Martin Truex Jr., he expects Bass Pro Shops will remain with the organization for 2010. Truex, who drives for EGR, is expected to be announced as the 2010 full-time replacement for Michael Waltrip at Michael Waltrip Racing on July 7.(SceneDaily)(6-28-2009)
UPDATE 2: Martin Truex Jr. will be named on Tuesday the newest addition to Michael Waltrip Racing, multiple sources confirmed on Saturday at Daytona. A press conference including sponsor NAPA is scheduled for noon at the team's Cornelius, N.C., shop. Truex is in the final year of his contract with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. NAPA, the long-time sponsor of team owner Michael Waltrip, will be become his primary sponsor. Waltrip will move from a full-time to part-time schedule that will include the Daytona 500 in February. He could remain in his familiar #55 with Truex taking another number, possibly the #56.(ESPN.com)(7-5-2009)
UPDATE 3: A driving career that has spanned a quarter of a century, defined by two emotional winning performances on NASCAR's biggest stage, will be celebrated during the 2010 Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, announced that he will drive a limited schedule beginning next season as he begins to focus on being one of the youngest multi-team owners in the history of NASCAR.(MWR PR)(7-7-2009)
AND: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced that NAPA Auto Parts has signed a multi-year contract to continue its primary sponsorship with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series organization, and has named two-time Nationwide Series champion and 2007 Chase participant Martin Truex, Jr. as its driver. Starting in 2010, the car number on the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota will be the #56, a number that has been in the Truex racing family for three generations. MWR co-owner Michael Waltrip, the only full-time driver NAPA has had since joining the Sprint Cup division in 2001, will drive a limited schedule, to include the 2010 Daytona 500 driving the #55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota - an event in which Waltrip and NAPA have shared two memorable victories. Waltrip will retain the number 55. The owner points earned during the 2009 Sprint Cup campaign will be transferred to Truex's full-time effort.(MWR PR)(7-7-2009)
AND: Some notes from the press conference: Truex says he is committed to Earnhart Ganassi for the rest of the 2009 season; NAPA's contract extension is only described as "multi-year"; Waltrip will run a minimum of 4-5 races and as many as 10-12; Waltrip could run some races in the #66 PRISM Motorsports car, owned by Phil Parsons (who gets some assistance this year from Michael Waltrip Racing); no decisons have been made on crew swaps or crew chiefs.(7-7-2009)
- Almirola hasn't discussed #1 ride: UPDATE: Earnhardt/Ganassi could have an opening in 2009 if, as expected, #1-Martin Truex announces this week he will leave for MWR, but Almirola says he had not spoken with Ganassi about it. "That's not up to me," he said. "Those have been internal discussions that really have not involved me. Whatever happens I will be ready, race there or race somewhere else." Almirola said Ganassi has suggested he would allow him to leave if he finds work elsewhere.(St. Petersburg Times)(7-5-2009)
UPDATE: Aric Almirola was hanging out at the #42 transporter [at Daytona] with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing president Steve "Jake" Lauletta. If I [Lee Spencer] had to bet, Almirola will be back in the #8 Chevy by the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The race pays exceptionally well and apparently EGR is close to securing sponsorship.(FoxSports)(7-6-2009)
- Truex to MWR as of Chicago? looks doubtful: Could Martin Truex Jr. be headed to Waltrip's outfit a little sooner than next season? It seems like a pretty good possibility. One garage source said it's a likely possibility that Truex will be behind the wheel of Waltrip's #55 NAPA Toyota Camry for the Lifelock.com 400 on July 11 at Chicagoland Speedway, with Aric Almirola taking over his current seat in the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing #1 Bass Pro Chevy. And while the Truex to MWR rumor has been floating in the pond for some time, another name was tossed into the rumor mill concerning the big Waltrip announcement. Could Richard Petty Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne be heading to a new third Toyota team with MWR? Sounds odd, but its being whispered.[Jayski Note: Kahne is signed with RPM thru 2010](Hartford Courant)
AND The company line at Michael Waltrip Racing is that despite the expected announcement on July 7 that Martin Truex Jr. will join the fold (hearing in the #56 Toyota), he will not drive the car until next season. And Waltrip will likely continue to run a limited 10 to 12 race schedule in the #55 car in 2010. But the consensus in the garage is that Truex could be in a MWR car as early as the Chicagoland Cup race in two weeks. A press release from NAPA announcing Waltrip's brother Darrell (also a NASCAR on FOX analyst) as an honorary pit crew member for this weekend Coke Zero 400 has only fueled the speculation that it will be Michael's last race. For now, MWR Vice President and GM Ty Norris and COO Cal Wells' say that the teams will remain status quo for 2009. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing president Steve Lauletta says he expects to have Aric Almirola back in the #8 Chevy by mid-August if sponsorship can be secured. Lauletta echoed MWR's sentiments that Truex will not be departing from the #1 Chevy before season's end.(FoxSports)(6-30-2009)
- Truex Jr. may leave EGR, but Bass Pro Shops will return: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said no matter what happens with Martin Truex Jr., he expects Bass Pro Shops will remain with the organization for 2010. Truex, who drives for EGR, is expected to be announced as the 2010 full-time replacement for Michael Waltrip at Michael Waltrip Racing on July 7. “I heard about that [announcement] – I have no idea [its content],” Lauletta said in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway garage. “We have not re-signed Martin for 2010.” Lauletta was fairly mum on whether the team would put current driver Aric Almirola (who started the year driving for EGR in Sprint Cup and has since been driving select Nationwide and Truck races for other teams) in the #1 car or someone else.
“We’re not going to talk about what we’re doing and what our options are,” Lauletta said. “We’ll keep that all internal.” He said those discussions would include Bass Pro Shops. As far as his manufacturer situation, Lauletta said EGR is in a similar situation as the rest of the Chevrolet organizations as it has been asked to cut back.(SceneDaily)(6-28-2009)
- TomTom returns to the #1 at NHMS: After riding to victory lane last weekend at Iowa with Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti, TomTom will again appear on the #1 Chevy of Martin Truex Jr. This is the second time this season TomTom has appeared on Truex's car. He first piloted the green TomTom Chevy at Pocono Raceway earlier this month.(Earnhardt Ganassi Racing PR), see an image of the car on the #1 Team Schemes Page.(6-25-2009)
- EGR to Toyota? Once #1-Martin Truex Jr. announces that he's driving for Michael Waltrip Racing next month, where does that leave Earnhardt Ganassi Racing? With #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. But after GM dramatically reduced its assistance to EGR last week, is now the time that Chip Ganassi bolts to Toyota? One hot rumor swirling around the garage was a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing to run Montoya in a fourth car similar to the situation that Marcos Ambrose has with MWR. On Sunday, JGR president J.D. Gibbs said, "No, no, no...," but the guess is his bottom line could say "yes".(FoxSports)(6-23-2009)
- Waltrip closer to hiring Truex? Michael Waltrip hinted Friday that he's closer to a decision on his future - and that future may involve Martin Truex Jr. Waltrip reiterated his stance that he needed to run better in order to remain the driver of the NAPA-sponsored #55 car at Michael Waltrip Racing, the race team he owns. Truex, whose contract at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing expires after this season, has been frequently tied to the possible opening in the #55. "You just have to figure that he's one of the ones that no one knows where he's going," Waltrip said. "He's been a Chase guy. He stumbled in and has run up front from the beginning, so I don't know what the future holds. But he might be one of those on that list that would be better than me." Asked if he was any closer to a decision on his future on Friday, Truex smiled. "I'd love to share it with you, but I can't," he said.(Scene Daily)(6-13-2009)
- Truex Jr. to have GE Reveal as sponsor for two races: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and GE Lighting announced that the GE Reveal Light Bulb brand will be the primary sponsor on the #1 Chevy of Martin Truex Jr. for races this weekend, June 14 at Michigan and the following race at Infineon Raceway on June 21st. The light bulbs bring Clean, Beautiful Light to any space.
The #1 Chevy’s bright blue design draws inspiration from the blue coloring of an unlit GE Reveal light bulb. Race fans should be sure to look for the iconic GE script logo on the hood of the #1 Chevy along with the rainbow-hued logo of GE Reveal running down the car’s quarter panels. For more information, consumers may visit www.ge.com.(EGR), see an image of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(6-8-2009)
- Truex's brother wins at Watkins Glen: NASCAR Camping World Series East rookie Ryan Truex passed race leader Patrick Long between Turns 10 and 11 on the last lap and took the checkered flag in the Tioga Downs Casino 125 Saturday at Watkins Glen International. Truex, in the #00 NAPA Toyota, who was making just his fifth career start in the series for Michael Waltrip Racing, ran in the top three throughout the day.(WGI)(6-7-2009)
- Truex Jr. discusses future contract plans: from a Team Chevy Driver Press conference transcript with #1-Martin Truex Jr.:
DOES THE FACT THAT YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUMOR MILL ANNOY YOU? “It is what it is, there is no way to stop it. I don’t get annoyed. I think it is kind of comical sometimes. But we all understand that you all are trying to get the story and you want to get it before the next guy. It is no different than us wanting to beat the next guy. We understand all that. Hopefully, we’ll be able to put all of it to an end shortly.”
HOW SOON? “Within a few weeks, I would say.”
DAVID REUTIMANN SAID EARLIER TODAY THAT THE BEST REASON FOR A DRIVER TO CONSIDER COMING TO MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING WAS THAT HE WAS THERE, BEING SERIOUS, IS THERE SOMETHING THERE TO ATTRACT A DRIVER? “That is a good answer (laughs). He did win last week. They seem like a great organization. They have come a long way. I think they have a lot going for them. We will just have to see what happens.”
DO YOU HAVE A GUT FEELING ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE GOING? “Yes, but I ain’t going to tell you though. I am just not going to tell you anything. The picture is pretty clear for me right now. I am in a good place. I am pretty happy with the way things have gone and I have been having fun at the race track and things are going well right now. I think in the next few weeks, everybody will know what is going on. I have just been concentrating on racing because I the picture is kind of clear so I am not really worried too much about it too much.”
DOES YOUR BROTHER BEING AT WALTRIP HAVE ANY IMPACT ON YOUR DECISION? “Well I think with my brother being there has a big impact. I have more of an insight on how they do things which has been good.”
SO IS YOUR NEXT MOVE GOING TO BE MORE LONG-TERM SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS AGAIN ANY TIME SOON? “Yeah, this time around it’s going to have to be.”
WILLYOUR SPONSOR FOLLOW YOU? “I don’t know. That’s something we’ll have to look at down the road once we figure everything out. We’ll see.”
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO HAVE SPONSORS THAT IDENTIFY WITH YOU? “I think it’s very important. Obviously you want to be yourself and you want to be true to your fans and real. When you go out and sell something you don’t want to just say hey use this because I do. When you’re promoting somebody’s product you want to be sincere about it. At least I have. That’s why Bass Pro has been such a great fit for me. It’s a no brainer. It would be easy for me to go to their stores and meet their customer because I’m a customer of theirs and I have been. I think it’s important to do that with your fans. To promote the sponsor and put 100 percent into it you need to be connected.”(Chevy Racing)(5-30-2009)
- TomTom to sponsor Truex for two races: TomTom Inc. announced that it will become an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) during the 2009 racing season. TomTom will be the primary sponsor for multiple races of the #1 Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr.in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The #1 car, as well as the driver and crew uniforms, will prominently display the TomTom logo throughout the 2009 race seasons. The TomTom logo and brand colors will also be featured as the primary paint scheme at several races throughout the year. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver Aric Almirola first debuted the TomTom paint scheme on the #8 Chevy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1 of this year. The TomTom paint scheme will return to the track on the #1 Chevy at Pocono on June 7 and New Hampshore on June 28 (NSCS). "This is a great opportunity for me to represent a world-renowned brand such as TomTom,” said Martin Truex Jr. TomTom will feature NASCAR and IndyCar race previews, updates, and features on its blog site, located at www.clubtomtom.com. For a complete selection of TomTom portable navigation devices online, visit www.target.com. For more information on TomTom, go to www.tomtom.com.(EGR)(5-28-2009)
IMAGE: see an image of the car on my #1 Team Schemes page.(6-6-2009)
- Truex Jr. to Waltrip? The word on the street is that #1-Martin Truex to Michael Waltrip's team in 2010 is a 'done deal,' but Truex and Ty Norris, the general manager for Waltrip's operation, both insist their 2010 deals are still up in the air, for at least another three weeks. "We've been hearing the same things," Norris concedes. "But we're still in discussions with NAPA and trying to figure out things (sponsorship) for 2010 and beyond. There are a lot of decisions that need to be made before we can even pursue something or get anything done. The biggest issue right now is we're in negotiations right now with NAPA and Michael, to see what the future looks like. We met a week ago and decided to give ourselves three or four more weeks, and then we'll make some decisions. So we're three or four weeks away from making the decision about what Michael and NAPA are going to do. Only after we make that decision can we look at the second decision." All that would seem to imply that Waltrip himself has to make a good case for sponsorship-driver renewal with NAPA between now and the July Fourth 400 at Daytona.(mikemulhern.net)(5-24-2009)
- National Wild Turkey Federation logo back on the #1: The National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) "Flying Turkey" logo will again appear on the #1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. for the Coca-Cola 600. The NWTF car made its debut last week for the Sprint All-Star Weekend festivities. The Bass Pro Shops partnership with NWTF is part of the Conservation Fund's "Racing for America's Wildlife" program. The program is designed to engage the NASCAR community in conserving America's hunting and fishing heritage through habitat protection, restoration, education, and outreach.(Earnhardt Ganassi PR)(5-20-2009)
- Truex Jr. hopes to make decision soon: #1-Martin Truex Jr. said Friday a decision on his future with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will be made “sooner rather than later.’’ But Truex isn’t revealing the options he is weighing. Truex is in the final year of his contract with the team, which came together this year following a merger between his former team, Dale Earnhardt Inc., and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. It has been a difficult transition at times and Truex, who made the playoff Chase in 2007, is 19th in points through the first 11 races this year. Teams take a break from the regular schedule this week for the All-Star Race on Saturday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “To be honest, I think we started the season probably a little farther behind than I thought we were gonna be with all that went on through the winter,’’ Truex said on Friday after signing autographs at Dale Earnhardt Inc. fan day. “The Ganassi bunch has really helped us a lot with our cars. We've gotten all of our cars on the same page as far as chassis and what we're running. Ever since we've done that, it's just been real easy for us. It was really just a bunch of hardware. We pretty much welded their front clip on there and we went to running fast. So that's been pretty neat.’’(Charlotte NASCAR Examiner)(5-16-2009)
- #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy to Pay Tribute to National Wild Turkey Federation: The National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) flying turkey logo will appear on the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing #1, Bass Pro Shops Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. on Saturday, May 16. Truex will be competing for a win in the NASCAR Sprint Showdown in order to earn his way into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race later that night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. Truex is among the Top 10 finalists for the All-Star Race Fan Vote. Bass Pro Shops salute to the NWTF is a part of the Conservation Fund’s “Racing for America’s Wildlife” program. The program is designed to engage the NASCAR community in conserving America’s hunting and fishing heritage through habitat protection, restoration, education, and outreach.(Bass Pro Shops), see an imgae of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(5-13-2009)
- Truex Jr. unsure of future plans: #1-Martin Truex Jr. said he'll make a decision soon on where he'll drive in 2010 and beyond. The two-time Nationwide champion signed a one-year deal last August to stay with Dale Earnhardt Inc., which merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in the offseason. Though Truex says he's "100 percent committed" to Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and enjoys his crew, the timing and ambiguity caused by the merger — which moved Truex's #1 Chevrolet into Ganassi's shop in late December — left the team in disarray. "We just lost our way and needed time to regroup and that's why we started out slow," he said. "We sat on our hands all winter, not because we wanted to but because we were forced into doing it, and it hurt us." Truex wouldn't put a timetable on a career decision but said he has begun "laying the groundwork" for signing a long-term deal. "There's a lot of things that go into this with the economy the way it is," he said. "I need to put myself in a happy home for the next three to five years. A lot of things will drive that decision."(USA Today)(4-25-2009)
- Drivers on CMT Cribs: Martin Truex Jr. will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch as the featured celebrities on CMT Cribs when the latest episode airs this Saturday, April 25th. Packed with the latest in luxury living, top of the line toys and the wildest whips on the road, this season takes us to new levels of country living. Martin’s segment will focus on his new garage. Be sure to tune into to CMT (Country Music Television) this Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 4:30pm/et/pt and re-air at 7:30pm/et/pt on that same day.(EGR PR)(4-23-2009)
- EGR looks to have a 'common chassis' soon: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing [#1-Truex Jr., #8-Almirola, #42-Montoya] is planning on a common chassis constructed using the best ideas from both elements of EGR. It might appear as early as in two weeks when the season resumes at Phoenix after next weekend's Easter break. EGR competition director Steve Hmiel said Truex and Montoya might be in "common cars" as early as in two weeks on the 1-mile Phoenix oval, or as late as the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. "There's one done now that could go to Phoenix if they desire," Hmiel said. "We finished one Thursday morning before we came out [to Texas] and we finished another one [Friday]."(NASCAR.com)(4-5-2009)
- Dale Earnhardt Inc. appoints two new executives: Dale Earnhardt Inc. President and CEO Teresa Earnhardt announced the appointments of two executive leaders for the company on Thursday. Jeff Steiner was named Executive Vice President and General Manager responsible for the oversight and management of DEI, the Dale Earnhardt Foundation and special initiatives relating to Earnhardt properties. Steiner began his role at the company on April 1. Chad Warpula was appointed as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for DEI. Warpula will oversee the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates NASCAR Sprint Cup team and handle all legal matters for DEI, EGR and Earnhardt-Childress Racing. Both executives will report to Teresa Earnhardt.(Scene Daily)(4-10-2009)
- If #8 team closes, Truex could be free agent..to Gibbs? UPDATE Bass Pro Shops not leaving: The buzz in the garage has Earnhardt Ganassi Racing shutting down the #8 Chevy and sidelining Aric Almirola after this weekend if a sponsor doesn't magically appear. If that happens, three contracts are affected: #1-Martin Truex Jr., Bass Pro Shops Racing and Chevy. Truex's contract states that he must have two teammates or he can leave the team. Bass Pro Shops has a performance clause and with Truex 28th in owner points, the #1 team is in a precarious position. Finally, Chevy can alter its support to EGR if three teams are not under the roof. The hot rumor at Martinsville last week had Truex replacing Joey Logano in the #20 Home Depot Toyota. Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs insisted Sunday and again by phone on Wednesday that "Joey's our guy. We haven't had any conversations with anyone," Gibbs said. "We'd like to have someone in line by summer time, but you have to sit down, look at what partner is available, what driver is available and who would be a good fit for the team. We had [#96] Hall of Fame last year and we don't have it now. So we have room for a fourth team. We'd love to have it."
Gibbs mentioned JGR's plans to run the #02 Farm Bureau Toyota to race later this season. An announcement was made in January that Farm Bureau Insurance was signed for six Cup races in 2009, including being the primary sponsor for two Cup races on Denny Hamlin's car at Darlington and Atlanta and on Logano's car at Martinsville. A fourth team will feature Farm Bureau as the title sponsor for the fall races at LMS, Texas and Homestead. Gibbs did not believe Farm Bureau was committed to a level where it could expand as a full-time sponsor in 2010.
Truex said on Friday that he's committed to staying the course. "When I give someone my word by signing a contract, if they keep theirs and I keep my mind, there's no reason to ever think about doing anything else, obviously," Truex said. "Right now, my focus is on getting this car better and moving up in the points. We're back here where we shouldn't be. We've never been back this far before and we've had a tough start to the year."
As for Bass Pro Shops, if Truex does leave. don't be surprised if the sponsor fills out Ryan Newman's program on the #39 Chevy at Stewart-Haas Racing [US Army is there for 23 races]. That deal, which is valued between $8 million and $10 million, could go down before summer.(FoxSports)(4-4-2009)
UPDATE: SPEEDtv's Hermie Sadler reported that EGR's President Steve Lauletta said they would be meeting Tuesday to decide the fate of the #8 team and that Bass Pro Shops is signed with EGR thru the 2010 season and there is no 'out' for them.(4-5-2009)
- Bobby Ginn says DEI owes Hendrick: Former team owner Bobby Ginn contends that he owes only 20% of the $1.5 million that Hendrick Motorsports is seeking from Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. because of the termination of Ginn’s engine contract with Hendrick in 2007, according to court documents. Hendrick Motorsports is suing DEI and Ginn in North Carolina Superior Court over the termination fee resulting from the merger of DEI and Ginn in July 2007. DEI claims Ginn Racing and Ginn are responsible for a $1.5 million fee that was due Nov. 15, 2008. Ginn states in a recent filing that because a new entity was created that was 80% owned by DEI and 20% owned by Ginn, that DEI is responsible for 80% of the fee due Hendrick. In filing his response to Hendrick’s and DEI’s claims, Ginn states that it had been agreed that the $1.5 million fee would be paid from operating revenues of the new entity, which was named “DEI/Ginn – Team #01.” If there were not sufficient revenues to pay the fee, then the responsibility for payment would be split 80/20, Ginn contends.
Although not broken down in the suit, 80% of $1.5 million would be $1.2 million, with $300,000 left for Ginn to pay. The $1.5 million fee was the second of two termination fees. The first payment of $1.754 million was paid by Ginn, with a portion of the proceeds received “as part of the merger and acquisition transaction,” according to Ginn’s filing.(SceneDaily)(3-17-2009)
- Truex taken to hospital due to stomach pain UPDATE 2: Despite finishing in the top 15 in both of Saturday's practice sessions at Atlanta Motor Speedway, #1-Martin Truex Jr. left the garage shortly after practice ended complaining of pain in his side. "I think it's kidney stones," said the driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shop Chevy. Truex was seen in the infield care center at Atlanta Motor Speedway and transported to a local hospital. He is slated to start 23rd in Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500.(FoxSports)
UPDATE: Truex Jr. has a small kidney stone but is not expected to miss the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a team spokesman said Saturday afternoon. Truex likely will pass the stone tonight but even if he doesn’t, he should be cleared to drive. It would be a matter of pain tolerance because he cannot take strong pain medication and race or he could be in violation of NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy. Truex completed both practice sessions Saturday before going to Spalding Regional Medical Center in Griffin, Ga., because of the pain.(SceneDaily)(3-7-2009)
UPDATE 2: After suffering from sporadic bouts of intense pain during the final Sprint Cup practice session, #1-Martin Truex Jr. was taken by ambulance to Spalding Regional Medical Center in Griffin Saturday afternoon and diagnosed with kidney stones. He passed the offending stone at about 10pm/et and is ready to go racing today. Truex was examined and administered fluids while at Spalding Regional, then released shortly after 5pm/et. He passed the stone a few hours later. Driver spokesperson Amanda Jones said Truex was doing great Sunday morning and was eager to hit the track. Truex Jr. has been officially released by NASCAR to race in today’s Kobalt Tools 500.(AMS Pit Notes)(3-8-2009)
- Truex Jr. to sport Wild Turkey Federation colors at Sprint Showdown: The National Wild Turkey Federation’s flying turkey logo will appear on the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Bass Pro Shops sponsored #1 Chevy, driven by Martin Truex Jr. Truex, who recently won the pole position and finished 11th in the Daytona 500, will be trying to win the NASCAR Sprint Showdown and earn his way into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race both on May 16th at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Bass Pro Shops salute to the NWTF is a part of the Conservation Fund’s “Racing for America’s Wildlife” program. The program is designed to engage the NASCAR community in conserving America’s hunting and fishing heritage through habitat protection, restoration, education, and outreach.
The NWTF is an over 500,000 member conservation organization with chapters across the United States, Canada and 10 other foreign countries. The Federation has worked with its volunteers, partners and wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations to 49 states and in parts of Canada. Bass Pro Shops is a dedicated supporter of NWTF’s Women in the Outdoors, JAKES, and Wheelin’ Sportsmen outreach programs. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com.(Bass Pro Shops PR), see an image of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(2-24-2009)
- Teams looking for sponsors: The most important part of Sunday's Auto Club 500 was not what happened on the track but what took place in the garage, the suites and elsewhere. Some teams had prospective sponsors at Auto Club Speedway as they look to find additional funding. Teams looking for sponsors range from Roush Fenway Racing to Richard Petty Motorsports to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and others. Richard Petty Motorsports is trying to find sponsorship for #44-AJ Allmendinger beyond the nine races it has for him this season. De Cordell, chief sales and marketing officer, says the team also is looking for a primary sponsor for about six races on #43-Reed Sorenson's car and a major associate sponsor for #9-Kasey Kahne. Cordell said the team had two potential sponsors at Sunday's race, including one that came about after RPM's Daytona 500 performance where it placed three of its four cars in the top 10.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing continues to search for sponsorship for #8-Aric Almirola and #1-Martin Truex Jr. Steve Lauletta, team president, says Almirola has sponsorship for about 10 races. Lauletta says Truex needs to add a sponsor for about six races. Lauletta said the team received two calls about prospective sponsors this week after the Daytona 500 where Truex won the pole, and had a couple of potential sponsors at the race. The team also is planning to announce a sponsorship agreement next week between its NASCAR teams and car owner Chip Ganassi's IndyCar program. Lauletta estimates the team worked on that deal for 14 months.
Roush Fenway Racing also is looking for future sponsorship and benefited from Matt Kenseth's victory at Daytona. While the organization has primary sponsors for all five cars, each of those sponsors are open to joining other companies on the cars, says Robin Johnson, executive vice president, business development for Roush Fenway Racing.(Roanoke Time)(2-23-2009)
- Activision teams with EGR to sponsor #8 and #1: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced a partnership with Activision Publishing, Inc., the publisher of the top-selling Guitar Hero video game franchise, for a multi-race deal that will include primary sponsorship of multiple races with Aric Almirola and his #8 Chevy, and multiple races with Martin Truex Jr. and his #1 Chevy. In the 2009 Daytona 500, the first race to feature a Guitar Hero branded car, the #8 will race around the track with a paint scheme of Activision’s latest #1 music-based video game - Guitar Hero World Tour. The orange and black car will sport the familiar Guitar Hero World Tour logo and the same graphics as the game’s packaging. Subsequent races will feature the #8 or the #1 cars branded with upcoming Guitar Hero titles. Aric Almirola: Driver, #8 Chevy: “I was excited about running my first Daytona 500 to begin with, but now having the Guitar Hero brands on my car will make it even that much more fun. I can’t think of another brand that I would rather have on my car. I play the Guitar Hero games all the time and to now be representing it is very cool.”
Martin Truex Jr.: “I am really looking forward to pairing up with Activision and Guitar Hero. It is one of my favorite video game brands and I can’t wait to see it on my car.”
Steve Lauletta: President, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing: “I really love to see big brands come into the sport and it is even better when they are on one of our cars. I don’t know if there is a bigger or hotter video game brand right now than the Guitar Hero franchise. We had an opportunity to work with them last season and now look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with Activision.”(Aric Almirola site)(2-5-2009)
- Target to sponsor Montoya, 3 cars for EGR UPDATE: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced they have moved their long-time partner Target to the #42 car of Juan Pablo Montoya. It is a reunion for Target and Montoya as he paired with Target and Chip Ganassi Racing back in 1999 and 2000 during his early open-wheel days when he took the American motorsports world by storm, earning a series championship and an Indianapolis 500 crown. The Colombia native will make his “re-debut” in Target red on Jan. 24 when he competes in his third consecutive Rolex 24 At Daytona in the #01 TELMEX car. He and his teammates have won the last two races and Ganassi’s teams have won the prestigious endurance race an unprecedented three consecutive years since 2006.
Target Celebrates 20th Season with Ganassi: The team’s partnership with Target continues to rank as one of the longest relationships in motorsports. Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and that same year established a partnership with Target. Today, Target remains the only full-time sponsor in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and the IndyCar Series. With the addition of Montoya and along with his IndyCar Series teammates Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti, Team Target now sports three drivers that have all won open-wheel championships and the Indianapolis 500.
Chip Ganassi, Managing Partner: “I am looking forward to reuniting Target and Montoya. They had quite a bit of success in their last stint together and to add Juan to a Team Target that already has Dixon and Franchitti in the IndyCar Series is going to be great for them. Target is a premium full-season sponsor and Montoya is a premium driver and putting them together is the right thing to do for everyone. There is little in my racing career I am more proud of than my team’s partnership with Target. We will be entering our 20th season with Target in 2009 and we could not be happier with adding Montoya to the Target mix. Juan and the whole 42 team did a lot of great things both on and off the track for Texaco/Havoline and Wrigley’s last year but aligning Juan and Target was the best move for our organization.”(Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)
AND Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates confirmed late Tuesday that it will campaign full-time Chevy for Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola in 2009, with a fourth car entered for the Daytona 500. No sponsor has been announced for Almirola’s #8 car, nor has a driver been picked for the fourth car [the #41], according to EGR President Steve Lauletta, who gave an impromptu press briefing late Tuesday during the Sprint Cup Media Tour Presented by Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Target will sponsor Montoya in the #42, with former co-primary Wrigley’s taking on a role as associate sponsor, Lauletta said. Bass Pros Shops will sponsor the #1 of Truex. “We kind of get the best of both worlds putting our 20-year relationship with Target on Juan. He won the Indy 500 with them before and then Wrigley’s can still continue to do their NASCAR programming around Juan and remain with the team.”
As far as Almirola’s car, Lauletta said, “We haven’t announced sponsorship programming for that, but we will here pretty soon. And then our plan is to run a fourth car at the Daytona 500. We’re working on some opportunities with that, and again we’ll announce that at a later date.” With the fourth car, its future is contingent on sponsorship. “If we can continue to run the fourth car past Daytona, we’re going to attempt to do that,” said Lauletta. “But as of right now, the plan is Daytona.”(SPEED)(1-20-2009)
UPDATE: Lauletta made official that longtime sponsor Target is moving from the #41 car without a driver to the #42 of Juan Pablo Montoya. The 42 had sponsorship for only half the season with Wrigley's, which will remain an associate sponsor. Lauletta said the #1 car driven by Martin Truex Jr. is sponsored for most of the season by Bass Pro Shops and that the company will extend that through the season if other sponsorship being sought falls through. He said multiple sponsors for the #8 of Aric Almirola would be announced soon along with sponsorship for the fourth car for at least the Daytona 500. There are several candidates to drive the fourth car, which will continue past the first race if sponsorship can be found. All four car numbers finished in the top 35 in points last season and will be guaranteed a spot in the 500. While the organization still utilizes the old DEI shop in Mooresville, N.C., for its seven-post machine and other technology, most of the work is being done out of Ganassi's shop in Concord, N.C. Ganassi has shut down its engine operation and the team is using engines provided by Earnhardt Childress Racing.(ESPN)(1-21-2009)
- EGR cuts more jobs: And while this wasn’t officially on the Media Tour, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing cut another 40 jobs on Monday, making it a virtual certainty that the time won’t field more than two full-time cars next year.(Tom Jensen Online), see the unofficial layoff count on my Racing Jobs/School/Expos page.(1-20-2009)
- Earnhardt-Ganassi down to two teams? When Dale Earnhardt Inc. merged with Chip Ganassi Racing last year, the plan was to run four cars in NASCAR's top series. It could be down to two. Driver #1-Martin Truex Jr. said Friday night that Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing is planning to field just three cars for next month's Daytona 500 -- with him, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya and #8-Aric Almirola behind the wheels. And Almirola said he has no guarantee to drive beyond the season-opening race because of sponsorship woes. "As far as I can tell, I believe three," Truex Jr. said at NASCAR's preseason tour at Daytona International Speedway. "I'm pretty sure that's what's going on. ... I believe that's it. That's about all I've got there. Montoya, me and Aric." Truex Jr. and Montoya are fully sponsored for 2009, but Almirola conceded his lack of sponsorship could be a problem this season. "Chip and Teresa [Earnhardt] have to do whatever makes financial sense to them, and hopefully for me that means run 36 races," Almirola said. "For them, I hope that's the case because that means that they'll have been able to afford to do that. Now, saying that, I don't know. I'm not privy to look at their financial statements every week or every month, so I don't know what they're going to be willing to do and not do without a sponsor. The moral of the story is we need a sponsor badly. We need sponsorship dollars to be able to take our #8 Earnhardt-Ganassi with Felix Sabbatta's Chevy to every single race that we can. We need sponsorship dollars."(ESPN/AP)(1-17-2009)
- Siegel close to leaving DEI UPDATE 2: A NASCAR team source told ESPN's Kelly Naqi that Dale Earnhardt Inc. president of global operations Max Siegel is close to leaving the team. Siegel said he's talking to DEI chief executive officer Teresa Earnhardt about his future plans with the team, which was part of a merger and has been renamed Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. When contacted, Siegel said, "This has been a great opportunity and I have always been committed to doing what's in the best interests of the sport and the company. I am currently in discussions with Teresa about how I can have the most positive impact on the future of DEI."(ESPN.com)(1-11-2009)
UPDATE: Max L. Siegel, former president of global operations for Dale Earnhardt Inc., is rejoining Baker & Daniels to lead an expansion of the law firm's sports and entertainment practice. Baker & Daniels says Siegel's experience as an industry insider makes him "ideally suited" to head the team. Siegel, a native of Indianapolis, represents a variety of entertainers and athletes. At Dale Earnhardt Inc., he was the highest ranking African-American executive in the NASCAR industry. Siegel served on the executive team that produced pop artists like Britney Spears, Usher and Justin Timberlake. Siegel also has worked with gospel stars Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin, and he has represented sports athletes like Tony Gwynn and Reggie White. He was last with B&D from 1992 to 1994. Two of B&D's past partners have taken new sports jobs. Jack Swarbrick and Fred Glass recently accepted athletic director positions at the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University, respectively.(Indianapolis Star)
AND Max Siegel on Wednesday announced he will step down as president of global operations at newly formed Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing to run NASCAR's diversity program. Siegel will continue to consult Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing on strategic initiatives on the business and marketing side through the new company he has started in conjunction with his former law firm, Baker and Daniels, which has offices worldwide.(ESPN.com)(1-14-2009)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR announced that Max Siegel and his new sports and entertainment marketing company, 909 Group, will be managing the industry’s Drive for Diversity initiative, which seeks to develop minority and female drivers and crew members. Siegel, along with a team to be announced, will take a hands-on approach on the day-to-day operations of Drive for Diversity; increase its reach inside and outside the sport; create mainstream marketing programs for the initiative; and further involve the entire NASCAR industry, particularly top-tier teams and sponsors.(NASCAR PR)(1-15-2009)
