Contact Status: Driver: 2008+; Sponsors: 200?
- 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)
- Ganassi pays bonuses: Despite massive layoffs and a season of struggles, car owner Chip Ganassi still paid year-end bonuses to employees, including those who were laid off.(Florida Times Union)(1-1-2009)
- EGR will run Chevy's; all move to Ganassi's shop UPDATE: Director of Dodge Motorsports Mike Accavitti told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that Chip Ganassi Racing will race Chevrolets as part of its recent merger with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Accavitti's announcement was the first public admission of an anticipated manufacturer change by the Ganassi team.
(Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway)
AND The new Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team will run Chevrolets and work out of the Chip Ganassi Racing shop, a team spokesman confirmed. The team still has not named a driver nor a crew chief for the #41 car nor has it named a crew chief for the #8 car driven by Aric Almirola. It also still needs sponsorship for Almirola and a half-season sponsorship for #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. The new organization resulted from a merger of Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing, which was announced in mid-November. Neither the shop location nor the engine package is a surprise. The Ganassi team has been a Dodge organization since 2001, the first full season after Chip Ganassi bought a majority interest in Sabco Racing from Felix Sabates. Dodge had a contract with Ganassi at least through 2009, but Dodge officials had indicated that they would let Ganassi out of its commitment if it was in the best interest of the team.(SceneDaily)(12-16-2008)
UPDATE: The newly merged Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Team is keeping busy early in the offseason with the relocation of two of its cars to another shop. The cars for Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola's teams will be moving from the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. West shop to the Ganassi Racing shop in Concord, NC. "We've moved our equipment and we're going to run out of Ganassi's shop in Concord," Truex Jr. said. "Things are moving along. We'll just have to wait and see, but so far things have been going pretty well." The move will combine the DEI teams with Ganassi's #41 team and #42 team, of Juan Pablo Montoya, in the state-of-the-art 183,000 square-foot facility, which opened its doors in 2003. "Bono (Kevin Manion, Truex Jr's crew chief) and Juan Pablo's crew chief Brian Pattie are good friends, they've been for a long time and they're really excited to work together," Truex Jr. said. "I'm excited about that. So far everything seems to be going pretty smooth." Sponsorship still needs to be set for some of the cars, including Montoya's, which only has 19 races set with the Wrigley Chewing Gum company. As for Almirola, the search for sponsorship is still on after the U.S. Army departed the team to head to Stewart-Hass Racing in 2009. "We've got several sponsors that we've been talking to and we've been giving tours of the shop and wining and dining them," Almirola said. "We've got several people interested so that's good news, but, just nothing set in stone right yet." The Ganassi cars will make the switch from Dodges to Chevrolets, which is the same manufacturer DEI has fielded since its existence. The team will still utilize engines from Earnhardt-Childress Technologies. "We're continuing to get our motors from the Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies, which has been really, really awesome," Almirola said. "Our motors last year were really, really good every weekend. It's not very often you get a race car driver not complain that he wants more motor. We did not struggle for motor at all this past year."(RacingOne)(12-17-2008)
- GM unsure EGR will use Chevy's UPDATE: General Motors has not been told whether the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team will field Chevrolets next season, according to Pat Suhy, GM’s NASCAR manager. Dale Earnhardt Inc., a four-car Chevrolet team, and Chip Ganassi Racing, a two-car Dodge team, announced Wednesday their plans to merge for the 2009 season. They did not announce a manufacturer, but Dodge teams seem resigned to the probability that the new four-car organization will race Chevrolets next season.
“Until they tell us what it’s going to be, I’m not confident of anything,” Suhy said Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of Sunday’s Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale. “They need to make a decision based on their own needs and what kind of support they can get and what they think is in their best interests.” Suhy would not comment on how much support DEI gets and whether it is based on a four-car team.(SceneDaily)(11-15-2008)
UPDATE: Plans are in place for Chip Ganassi Racing to switch from Dodge to Chevrolet and be a part of the engine program currently used by Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Richard Childress Racing. DEI, a Chevrolet-based organization, announced on Wednesday it is merging into a four-car team with the Dodge organization of Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009. Officials from both sides said no decision has been made on whether they would be under the Chevrolet or Dodge umbrella. Richard Childress, the owner of RCR and co-owner of the Earnhardt Childress Racing [ECR] engine program, said a meeting is scheduled for Tuesday to hopefully finalize plans to bring Ganassi Racing into the ECR program. Asked if the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing would have to be Chevrolet to be a part of that program, he said, "I would think so. ECR will still be around," Childress said. Childress was glad to see the merger between DEI and Ganassi, saying, "It'll make them stronger for sure. If it's put together and works like ECR, it will be great. ECR has worked beyond all of our expectations." Childress didn't rule out the possibility of employees from Ganassi's engine program joining ECR. "I know he's [Ganassi] wanting to keep his engine shop going," he said. "We haven't decided everything yet."(ESPN)(11-16-2008)
- Some more info, questions about the DEI/Ganassi merger: On Wednesday, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced they were “launching a combination of racing operations” for 2009, collectively planning to race four cars in 2008. According to a press release issued by the two teams, Martin Truex Jr. will drive the #1 for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing next season, Aric Almirola will drive the #8, Juan Pablo Montoya the #42 and a driver to be named later will pilot the #41.
Left unsaid were almost all the important details:
• What brand of cars the teams will campaign.
• Whether Ganassi’s crew will supply engines or whether Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies will.
• Whether the team will be run out of DEI’s shops in Mooresville, N.C. or Ganassi’s complex in Concord, N.C.
• Who will be in charge and which executives will remain from the two teams.
• Who will sponsor the #8, which has no announced sponsors or the #41, which has sponsorship for only half the season.
• And, most importantly, whether Teresa Earnhardt or Chip Ganassi has the final say in the operation of the newly merged organization.
Apparently, most of those questions remain to be sorted out. While it is expected that the new entity will, in fact, campaign Chevrolets, sources close to the situation insist that the two parties have not yet worked out many of the critical details in the agreement. So why announce it now if it isn’t sorted out? Sources say that DEI’s deal with Bass Pro Shops requires the team to field a minimum of three teams and that if it fails to do so, the sponsor could walk. And in this brutal economy, losing yet another sponsor is the last thing DEI could afford, figuratively or literally.(Ford Racing)
OWNERS POINTS: another question not answered: what happens to the #15 team and #01 team OWNERS points, both easily in the top-35? No idea yet, they could be sold or transferred in separate deals. Could end up with Richard Childress Racing for the new #33 team that Clint Bowyer will drive for in 2009 as RCR will NOT be transferring the owners points from the #07 team. So no word yet what will happen to the #15 or #01 owners points....yet.(11-15-2008)
- More on Earnhardt-Ganassi Merger: A key player in the merger was Dodge Motorsports, which gave its blessing to team owner Chip Ganassi to pursue the partnership with a Chevy organization. "Number one, we want all of our business partners to be healthy like we want to be healthy,'' said Mike Delahanty, the senior manager of Dodge Motorsports. "Under these unprecedented times there are business solutions that no one ever thought possible. The blessing is, 'Chip, we want you to be healthy and viable long-term. We want you to have a business plan that does that. Bring us a business plan that does that and we'll talk about it, even if means letting him go.''' Sources close to the situation said the teams are expected to compete under the Chevy/General Motors banner of DEI. That would leave Dodge with three cars in Penske Racing, three in Gillett Evernham Motorsports and one or two in Petty Enterprises. Martin Truex Jr. [#1] and Aric Almirola [#8] will remain the drivers from the DEI side and Juan Pablo Montoya [#42] will be kept from Ganassi. The driver of the fourth car [# 41] will be named at a future date. AJ Allmendinger, Scott Riggs and Regan Smith are among the candidates for that seat.(ESPN.com)(11-13-2008)
- OFFICIAL - Earnhardt and Ganassi Form New Four-Car Team: Two of motorsports’ biggest names – Earnhardt and Ganassi – will launch a four-car team beginning in 2009 through the combination of the motorsports operations of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Inc. (CGRFS). NASCAR stars Martin Truex Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the #1 and #42 respectively and future star Aric Almirola will be behind the wheel of the #8. The driver of the #41 will be named in the near future. “In this ultra-competitive era of NASCAR, it is necessary to build and sustain the strongest team possible and our combining with the people and equipment at Dale Earnhardt Inc. will help create a strong four-car program for years to come,” said Chip Ganassi. “This is a win-win for both organizations as well as all of our partners.”
“Having a partner like Chip who is heavily involved on the competition side of the business is an ideal situation for DEI,” Teresa Earnhardt said. “He has a long history of managing championship teams in the IndyCar and Rolex Grand-Am Series and I share his passion and goals of winning races and ultimately championships in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. I think this is a case where we are stronger together than we are apart.” Details of the new four-car operation will be announced at a future date.
For more information log onto www.chipganassiracing.com and www.daleearnhardtinc.com.(CGRFS PR)(11-12-2008)
- Latest DEI/Ganassi merger news UPDATE 2: The Chip Ganassi-Teresa Earnhardt merger may be back on, with Ganassi the on-track presence for what would be a two-car DEI operation, under the Chevy banner. Earnhardt needs a second team sponsorship in order to keep her Chevrolet technology deal. However, why Ganassi would really want to merge is unclear, and how Ganassi might get out of his contract with Dodge is also unclear. Regardless of what happens with the possible merger, Ganassi is expected to pair #42-Juan Pablo Montoya with his full Target sponsorship, and DEI's #8-Aric Almirola would get the 12-race Wrigley's sponsorship. That would leave #01-Regan Smith the odd-man out at DEI.(Winston-Salem Journal)(11-12-2008)
UPDATE: The long-speculated partnership between Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates now appears to be imminent. Sources close to the situation tell Sirius Speedway that while the deal cannot technically be classified as a merger, an announcement is expected within the next few days regarding a competitive and economic partnership between the two teams. The deal will allow DEI and Ganassi to field at least three cars next season with drivers Martin Truex, Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya and Aric Almirola. A fourth car is possible, dependant on sponsorship. There is no word on potential manufacturer affiliations, with DEI currently aligned with Chevrolet, and Ganassi in the Dodge camp.(SIRIUS Speedway/Motorsports Soapbox), am hearing Chevy will be the manufacturer of the 'team'.(11-12-2008)
UPDATE 2: Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi will combine their slumping race teams next season, an effort to stabilize their organizations in a tough economic time. The combined team will be called Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and will field cars for Martin Truex, Aric Almirola, Juan Pablo Montoya and a driver yet to be named, two people familiar with the decision told the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal has yet to be announced. Both organizations have struggled to secure sponsorship this season, forcing the teams to pool resources. Truex and Almirola will come from Dale Earnhardt Incorporated; only Truex's car has full sponsorship for next season. Montoya has half a season of sponsorship, and Ganassi's flagship #41 has full sponsorship but no driver. DEI fields Chevrolets, and Ganassi has a Dodge contract. Details of a manufacturer switch still are being worked out as the team is expected to use General Motors.(Associated Press)(11-12-2008)
- Latest Ganassi merger rumor? Petty? UPDATE4 negotiations fell thru?:Trying to pin down the state of Petty Enterprises, under its new Boston Ventures' management, and the future of the Chip Ganassi operation has been tough enough the last few weeks, but now the speculation of a GM-Chrysler corporate merger has thrown things into a real tizzy. Insiders at both the Petty and Ganassi Dodge camps say there is speculation that the two struggling teams may somehow merge, and that that speculation is fueled by the sense that fellow Dodge owner George Gillett, who has majority interest in Gillett-Evernham-Motorsports, is "99 percent" certain to jump to Toyota. Ray Evernham was Dodge's mainstay in NASCAR racing, making such a move highly unusual. Dodge officials a few weeks ago denied such a change might be coming. One major complication for Dodge teams like Petty's and Ganassi's is that Gillett-Evernham has been a major Dodge engine operation. If Gillett moves to Toyota, then Dodge loses a very big player.(Winston-Salem Journal)(10-12-2008)
UPDATE: hearing that a Ganassi-Petty Enterprises merger is still possible with Target being the sponsor for Bobby Labonte in the #43. With #42-Juan Pablo Montoya and #44-Chad McCumbee as teammates and a possible 4th team with Kyle Petty running part time in the #45.(10-21-2008)
UPDTE 2 - DEI?: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is negotiating with several organizations, including Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Petty Enterprises. "We're talking to a lot of different people," Sabates said on Tuesday. "We're keeping our options open. Obviously, the way things are going today with sponsors, unless you have the sponsors you can't run. We only have a sponsor for the 41 car [Target] and the 42 [Wrigley's Big Red/Juicy Fruit] for half a year. We're looking at all possibilities." DEI and Petty Enterprises are in similar situations. DEI has only the #1 car of Martin Truex Jr. fully sponsored for next season, with partial sponsors in line for the #8 and none for its other two cars. Petty Enterprises is looking for sponsors for the #43 and 44 that is expected to replace the #45. So how would a merger with DEI help Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates? "They have a sponsor for one and a half cars and we have a sponsor for one and a half cars, that makes three cars, doesn't it?" Sabates said. "The same thing with Petty. They've got one car. There are other people out there, too." The biggest stumbling block for DEI to merge with Ganassi or Petty may be manufacturer permission. DEI is under contract with General Motors to field Chevys and the other two are under contract with Dodge/Chrysler. The proposed merger between GM and Chrysler could help that situation, but there remain other obstacles on both sides. "Everything is up in the air," Sabates said. "We're just talking in theory. We don't know what is going to happen. We don't have anything concrete with anybody. And I'm not saying we will do anything."(ESPN.com)(11-4-2008)
UPDATE 3: An alliance is in the works that would combine the #s 1 and 8 Chevys at DEI with the #s 41 and 42 of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates next season. The newly combined outfit would boast a lineup consisting of Martin Truex Jr., with Bass Pro Shops sponsorship, Juan Pablo Montoya, with Wrigleys sponsorship, and Aric Almirola. Ganassi still has a deal in place with sponsor Target, but it is unknown right now whether that will be for Almirola or for a yet-to-be-determined fourth driver. Ganassi could offer the presence of an at-track, hands-on owner, an important element that's been missing at DEI since the death of its founder Dale Earnhardt. Ganassi won four titles in Champ Car and two titles as an owner in the IRL IndyCar Series, including this season. Ganassi's current contract with Dodge extends through 2010. Given the economic climate and uncertainty of the Dodge program beyond 2009, the move would align Ganassi with Chevrolet for next year and beyond. Max Siegel, president of global operations declined comment on the report.(FoxSports)(11-5-2008)
UPDATE4: hearing that DEI and Ganassi are not going to merge after meeting Wednesday and there was no deal and negotiations are off.(11-7-2008)
- Clauson hopes third time is a charm: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) driver Bryan Clauson was scheduled to make his Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, but qualifying was rained out both times. Therefore, Clauson will attempt to make his NSCS debut again this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in the #40 Target/Guitar Hero World Tour Dodge. Clauson—a 19-year-old from Noblesville, Ind.—has competed in 24 Nationwide Series (NNS) races throughout this 2008 season, driving the #40 Fastenal Dodge. To-date, the teen racer has collected one pole, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. The #1 best-selling video game, Guitar Hero, returns to the race track this weekend at TMS as primary sponsor of the #40 CGRFS Dodge.(CGRFS PR), see an image of the scheme on my #40 Team Schemes page.(10-30-2008)
- Clauson to attempt Cup debut at Atlanta: The #1 best-selling video game, Guitar Hero, returns to the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) as primary sponsor of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ #40 Dodge driven by 19-year-old Bryan Clauson.
Clauson was scheduled to make his Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway but qualifying was washed out and the #40 car was unable to make a qualifying run. Bryan Clauson will be attempting his debut in the Sprint Cup Series at AMS in the #40 Target/Guitar Hero World Tour Dodge. Clauson—a 19-year-old from Noblesville, Ind.—has competed in the 24 Nationwide Series (NNS) races throughout this 2008 season, driving the #40 Fastenal Dodge. To-date, the teen racer has collected one pole, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless and wired controllers with new revolutionary online and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The Guitar Hero consumer bus will be parked in the display area at AMS all weekend for fans to take a sneak peak at the game. Clauson and Target Driver Reed Sorenson will make an appearance on Sunday to display their music talents prior to the Pep Boys Auto 500.(CGRFS PR)(10-21-2008)
- Clauson to attempt Atlanta: Chip Ganassi Racing’s #40-Bryan Clauson said he will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut in the upcoming race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a Ganassi Dodge. Clauson, a part-time Nationwide Series driver this year, didn’t get a chance to qualify at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last weekend because of rain, but the team will try again at Atlanta in the Pep Boys Auto 400 on Oct. 26. “We hope it doesn’t rain,” Clauson said. “It was frustrating, as good a test as we had out here. The guys went back and worked really hard on that car, and the motor shop did an awesome job, giving us a motor to come back with. We felt like we wouldn’t have any problem getting in the show. To not get to go out there and turn a lap, let alone make an attempt, was really frustrating.”(SceneDaily)(10-15-2008)
- Clauson hopes to make Cup debut at LMS:Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced it has partnered with Sony Computer Entertainment America and its long-time sponsor Target to have MotorStorm Pacific Rift on Bryan Clauson’s #40 Dodge in his Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (LMS) on October 11. Clauson, a 19-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., has been competing in the Nationwide Series (NNS) throughout this 2008 season, driving the #40 Fastenal Dodge. He made his career-first Nationwide start in September 2007 at Richmond, and has tallied 23 NNS starts since. To-date, the teen racer has collected one pole, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Clauson scored his first career stock car victory in the ARCA Series at Gateway in his fifth career ARCA start. MotorStorm Pacific Rift, which will be released Tuesday October 28, takes you to a solitary tropical paradise in the Pacific Ocean, ready for a whole new take on no-holds-barred racing action through thick swamps, dense jungle, towering peaks and steaming volcanoes. Not just pretty backdrops to the action, these environments take center stage in challenging players with everything in Mother Nature’s arsenal. Thick mud, tangled undergrowth, swift flowing rivers, choking volcanic clouds and searing lava pools all test the drivers to their limits and beyond.(CGRFS PR), this will be the first race for the #40 CGRFS team since it suspended operations after the 17th race of the season. The team is not in the Top-35 in owners points and must qualify on speed to make the race at LMS.(10-8-2008)
- Clauson to test Ganassi's #40 Cup car at LMS: Bryan Clauson will drive the #40 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge during the Sprint Cup test session next Tuesday and Wednesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Clauson, who has competed in select Nationwide Series events this year and will run the entire season next year, could make his first Cup start later this season. Dario Franchitti drove the #40 car for the first half of the season before a lack of sponsorship resulted in the team being shut down. Crew chief Steve Lane remained with the team and will lead the test, while Franchitti has moved over to Ganassi’s IndyCar Series stable. Where the 19-year-old Clauson would make that first start is still to be determined, but Atlanta has been mentioned as a possibility. Clauson has spent time testing a Cup car at non-NASCAR tests.(SceneDaily)(9-21-2008)
- Next merger rumor - Ganassi and GEM? Since early July, Ganassi's future existence has been linked to a merger with virtually every multi-car team left in the sport. The car owner had lunch with Michael Waltrip at Daytona; immediately, rumors sprouted up the two were joining forces. Since then, rumors have swirled that anyone from Roger Penske to Robby Gordon was buying Ganassi out, or that the owner was looking to get out of the business altogether. Like Gordon's team, CGRFS is a prime target for any interested owner due to his organization's "locked in" qualifying spots (both are in the Top 35) as well as his race shop's prime real estate. Built in 2004, the top-notch facility was built right next to the Concord airport, and is just a heartbeat away from Charlotte for teams looking to move closer to racing's central hub.
Speculation peaked on Thursday, when multiple sources told SI.com Ganassi was planning to join forces with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Gillett has been looking to add a fourth car since buying a 50% share in Evernham Motorsports last season. Rumored to be brokering a deal to buy Bill Davis Racing this week, negotiations on that side have fallen through. Bill Davis Racing officials had no comment on the process, but all indications are their organization is still up for sale -- just not to GEM. (A spokesman for Gillett Evernham Motorsports said the team won't comment on any merger speculation). That prompted a strong response from Ganassi, who told SI.com he adamantly denies anything's going on with Gillett. Ensuring SI.com he's here to stay in NASCAR for the long haul, Ganassi claimed in an exclusive interview he has no plans to merge with any organization at this moment -- with plans to run his two cars full-time in 2009.(Sports Illustrated)(9-19-2008)
- Ganassi-Waltrip merger? UPDATE: Car owner Chip Ganassi pulled the plug on Franchitti's team a month ago, in a shocker that left 71 people without jobs. That move by Ganassi has led to intense speculation about Ganassi's NASCAR future. Some of that speculation includes the possibility of some merger between Ganassi and the Michael Waltrip operation, which is also struggling and may be down to one sponsor next season for that three-car operation.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-26-2008)
UPDATE: The hottest rumor floating around the Cup garage this weekend [at New Hampshire] is that Chip Ganassi still is trying to make a deal with another team to keep himself in NASCAR. This week it was supposedly an arrangement with Michael Waltrip Racing, which would expand to four cars and put Montoya in a Toyota.(Yahoo Sports)(9-15-2008)
- Franchitti back to the IRL in 2009: Target Chip Ganassi Racing announced they will be adding former IndyCar Series and Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti as a teammate of the 2008 Indy 500 winner and current points leader Scott Dixon, as the driver of the #10 Target Honda. In addition, Chip Ganassi Racing and Target announced the details of their joint plans to take their partnership into its 20th season and beyond. Chip Ganassi, Team Owner: “It is going to be very exciting to have Dario in one of our IndyCars next year. I have always admired his competitive spirit when he raced against us and have really grown to see more of what he is about this season while he raced in NASCAR. When there was a possibility of an opening on our IndyCar team, the only person I thought about was Dario. This is going to be a great move for Dario and for our team. There is little in my racing career that I am more proud of than my team’s partnership with Target. We will be entering our 20th year with Target in 2009 and we could not be happier."
Gregg Steinhafel, CEO, Target:“We are excited about our relationship with Ganassi in both their IndyCar and along with Felix Sabates in their NASCAR operations, and we look forward to celebrating our 20th year with the team in 2009. This program has had tremendous success over the years, and we look forward to even more success in the years to come.”
Dario Franchitti, Driver #10 Target Honda Dallara: “Part of the reason that I signed with Ganassi last year was because of how many options that Chip has at his disposal for a driver. You can do almost any form of racing that you want. With unification and the new schedule having more road and street courses it made me think about this more and more. I have really enjoyed this last season in stockcars and have not completely closed that chapter of my professional career but the opportunity that arose was just something I could not pass up. I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of one of those Target cars and be a teammate to Scott Dixon. Target is a tremendous sponsor and they and Chip always give you everything you need to win.”(Chip Ganassi Racing PR), so Franchitti will NOT be back in the Sprint Cup car full time in 2009 and he will not run any more Nationwide races in 2008 with Bryan Clauson taking over the #40 ride in the NNS.(9-2-2008)
UPDATE: Dario Franchitti will step aside the remainder of his 2008 Nationwide races to provide more developmental seat time for Bryan Clauson. Therefore, Clauson will pick up the majority of the remaining races on the 2008 NNS schedule, piloting the #40 Fastenal Dodge.(CGWFS PR)(9-3-2008)
- Texaco leaving NASCAR UPDATE: Sirius Speedway has learned that Chevron-Texaco will not return as sponsor of #42-Juan Pablo Montoya's Dodge next season. The Texaco-Havoline brand is in the final year of its sponsorship contract with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and a media representative for Ganassi Racing confirmed the move this afternoon. Texaco-Havoline will not move to another team in 2009, electing instead to end their longstanding involvement in NASCAR. That decision leaves Ganassi Racing in need of at least two new sponsors in 2009, and possibly three. Team owner Chip Ganassi recently parked the #40 Dodge driven by Dario Franchitti due to lack of sponsorship, and there are longstanding rumors that Target may not return to the #41 Dodge currently driven by Reed Sorenson. (Sirius Speedway/Motorsports Soapbox)(8-19-2008)
UPDATE: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will need to find another sponsor for Juan Pablo Montoya in 2009 because Texaco sponsorship will dry up at the end of the season. Texaco/Havoline is leaving NASCAR and therefore will not return to the #42 next season, Ganassi officials said Tuesday. Ganassi is now looking for sponsors for Montoya for half of next season. Wrigley's will sponsor the other half, as it has done this season. The #40 team with driver Dario Franchitti was shut down earlier this year when no sponsors could be lined up. Team officials said they were not surprised by Texaco's decision, saying they knew the company was looking to leave the sport.
Ganassi's other team -- the #41 of Reed Sorenson -- is sponsored by Target, which also sponsors Ganassi's championship-contending IndyCar Series teams. Ganassi officials said the Target sponsorship is solid for both NASCAR and IndyCar beyond this season. Ganassi still plans to field at least two teams in 2009 and hopes enough sponsorship can be found for a third.(ESPN.com)(8-20-2008)
- Franchitti hopes to talk to RCR about 4th ride: Dario Franchitti has been talking to teams and manufacturers about driving next season – in all sorts of series. “I haven’t talked to anybody in the IndyCar Series yet,” Franchitti said. “I’ve talked to a lot of other places, though.” Franchitti said he will talk to other teams in NASCAR, though he said he hasn’t spoken to Tony Stewart about the #4 Stewart-Haas Racing ride. Richard Childress Racing’s fourth car is a possibility, he said. “I speak to Richard all the time,” Franchitti said. “We haven’t spoken specifically about the fourth car yet, but that’s a subject I’m definitely going to talk to him about, for sure.”(SceneDaily)(8-9-2008)
- Franchitti to run limited schedule the rest of the season: Dario Franchitti is set to remain in NASCAR with Chip Ganassi Racing for the remainder of the year and will compete in a limited number of races, primarily in the Nationwide Series, following the closure of his Sprint Cup series [#40] team last month. Franchitti is set to stay focused on NASCAR for now after pondering the options he was offered by Chip Ganassi, following their meeting two weeks ago at Chicagoland Speedway. Franchitti plans to compete in seven Nationwide Series races, alternating with fellow rookie Bryan Clauson at the wheel of the #40 Fastenal Dodge.(Autosport)(7-27-2008)
- Ganassi-Waltrip merger? Car owner Chip Ganassi pulled the plug on Franchitti's team a month ago, in a shocker that left 71 people without jobs. That move by Ganassi has led to intense speculation about Ganassi's NASCAR future. Some of that speculation includes the possibility of some merger between Ganassi and the Michael Waltrip operation, which is also struggling and may be down to one sponsor next season for that three-car operation.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-26-2008)
- Ganassi Racing gets 100th win: Scott Dixon's win in the IndyCar Series Nashville Superspeedway race Saturday marked the 100th overall win for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with a new sponsor, Target. Today, his teams include two IRL IndyCars, and along with Felix Sabates he has two cars in the Sprint Cup Series, one entry in the Nationwide Series and a Daytona Prototype in the world of Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series racing.(Ganassi Racing PR)(7-13-2008)
- Franchitti to meet with Ganassi on Friday: Understandably, Dario Franchitti has not been in the best mood. He is a little more than a week removed from being informed by team owner Chip Ganassi that his Sprint Cup team, with no sponsorship, would be shut down. "It was a big shock that it happened," Franchitti said Thursday. "Myself and 70 people lost their jobs in Concord. A lot of people are upset right now, but I understand if there's no money, there's no money. Franchitti is racing again for Ganassi this weekend -- in the Nationwide series. The two men are expected to meet Friday to discuss Franchitti's future with the team. Meanwhile, Franchitti said his phone has been ringing, and he has been hearing about options from a number of "different places." "Tomorrow is quite a big day with this meeting with Chip," Franchitti said. "We're starting to look around, starting to talk, [but] nothing is going to happen until I talk to Chip and see what his plan is for the future and see if it's something I'm interested in. I certainly owe Chip that much." Franchitti also believes that if possible, he owes it to himself to remain in the Sprint Cup series.(ESPN.com)(7-11-2008)
- Breakfast between team owners...mean anything? It was probably just an innocent breakfast. Then again ...On the morning of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, there was an eye-catching breakfast gathering at Doc Bales' restaurant in the Hilton Ocean Walk hotel. The group at a large table, front and center, included Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates, owners of the NASCAR organization that bears both their names, along with Michael Waltrip Racing executive vice president Cal Wells and Michael Waltrip's partner and money man, Rob Kauffman. "Rob Kauffman said he wanted to meet Chip and me," Sabates said matter-of-factly at the Speedway later that afternoon.
Perhaps we should consider the backdrop. Ganassi recently shuttered his No. 40 Dodge Cup team, leaving open-wheel star Dario Franchitti to ponder his future in the sport. That left Ganassi with two active Cup teams and roughly 70 fewer employees, with more layoffs reportedly in the offing. There have been layoffs and a realignment of personnel at MWR. To Kauffman, that's a natural process for a team that raced for the first time in 2007. The issue of sponsorship is fundamental. UPS will leave Waltrip at the end of this season, likely finding a new home with Clint Bowyer at Richard Childress Racing, now that Bowyer has extended his contract with RCR. That leaves Waltrip with NAPA on his #55 car and Aaron's as part-time sponsor of Michael McDowell's #00. If additional sponsorship isn't forthcoming, Waltrip will have funding for two cars, the same number Ganassi now has.
Would it be too far-fetched to speculate that Waltrip and Ganassi might benefit by joining forces in some way, each bringing two teams to the table? Asked whether he might find a deal with Ganassi intriguing under the right circumstances, Kauffman deflected the question. "That's a highly speculative, theoretical thing," he said. "We just wanted to have breakfast with Felix and Chip, more than anything. We have a lot of common friends down in the North Carolina area. ... I think getting MWR on the right track and solidifying our position on the grid and improving our performance -- that's job one, two and three." Kauffman asked rhetorically whether the group would have met openly if they were talking about a deal. Probably not.(in part from the Sporting News)
NOTES: heard from one source the 'meeting' was nothing more then discussion over selling personal items and another source saying there is somethign to this and Ganassi and Waltrip could merge and become a four car team in 2009, no word if they would become a Dodge team [Ganassi] or a Toyota team [Waltrip]. Currently with five teams in the top-35 of ownes points, one could be sold off for points. Other rumored mergers include: Red Bull Racing and Ganassi Racing; Bill Davis Racing and Red Bull Racing.(7-10-2008)
- More cuts at Ganassi? With 71 employees already in the unemployment line, Chip Ganassi Racing is looking to cut another 30 jobs from its stock-car operations, several current employees said Saturday. The team shut down the #40 Dodge earlier this week after it wasn't able to find a sponsor for driver Dario Franchitti. With that came layoffs, some of them surprising. Several team sources confirmed that department heads often weren't included in the decision-making process. Some employees who were laid off had been with SABCO Racing long before Ganassi bought the team from Felix Sabates in 2001. While the #40 Dodge was missing from Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, most of that team still had a job. The cuts last week affected the #41 and #42 teams more than the 40. Most of the mechanics from Reed Sorenson's and Juan Pablo Montoya's team received their pink slips, replaced by members of the defunct team. Franchitti, the reigning IndyCar Series champion, has struggled to make the transition to stock cars. Ganassi has offered him a ride in the Nationwide Series for the rest of the season, but the Scot has yet to make a decision. Those left behind now are bracing for more cuts. Many of those who lost their jobs last week apparently didn't take the news well. In fact, the team had 12 police officers on hand to keep order.(Florida Times Union)(7-6-2008)
- Franchitti undecided on future plans: Dario Franchitti isn't sure what his future holds, but the former open-wheel star said Wednesday he'd like to remain in NASCAR. Franchitti lost his full-time ride Tuesday when team owner Chip Ganassi closed down the unsponsored No. 40 Dodge 17 races into Franchitti's first season. The move also resulted in 71 layoffs. "This is not a decision he made lightly, and it shows how bad the economy is," Franchitti told The Associated Press. "And you certainly never want to see all those people lose their jobs. I know for certain Chip struggled with that -- I didn't even recognize his voice when he called me to tell me what he had to do.
But the decision has been made and now I'll sit with Chip next week and decide what we're going to do going forward." Ganassi's got sponsorship on his Nationwide Series car, and has offered Franchitti that seat going forward. Ganassi also has successful teams in the IRL and Grand Am Series. Franchitti wasn't sure Wednesday what he'll do next. "Let's see what the future holds. I really just need to sit with Chip and see where his head is," he said. "But NASCAR is where I want to be. I want to be successful here and I certainly don't want it to end like this. I made a big commitment coming over here and I'd like to get in an opportunity to be successful." Franchitti said he'll skip Saturday night's race in Daytona and, after briefly considering returning to England to watch the British Grand Prix, decided to stay at his Nashville, Tenn., home this weekend clearing his head. He doesn't regret leaving the IRL for NASCAR. "When I made the decision to come here, I wasn't going to do the IndyCar thing anymore so this isn't a case of missing out on what could have been in Indy cars," Franchitti said. "That just wasn't a direction I wanted to go in. Never say never, but it's unlikely I'll go back." He's also not sure about moving to Grand-Am, where Ganassi drivers Memo Rojas and Scott Pruett are leading the standings. For now, he's waiting to see what Ganassi has available for him and is hopeful something can be worked out in NASCAR. Although the results don't show it, Franchitti and his team had made slow progress since he returned from his broken ankle four races ago. He started a career-best seventh last week in New Hampshire, but finished 38th.(Associated Press)(7-3-2008)
- Felix Sabates talks about closure of #40 team: Felix Sabates spoke with Claire B. Lang on "Dialed In" on XMSN (XM Channel 144) Tuesday evening about Dario Franchitti's future with the team
CBL: You didn't have a sponsor - people forget this team was unsponsored:
Sabates: "What happened to us - we kind of got hung out to dry by Coors. Coors was with me for almost ten years and they had a management change and the new people come over and told us don't worry about it - 'Don't look for a sponsor; we're going to be back with you in 2008, 2009.' So, we never looked for any sponsors and come October they come and tell us well Coors is going to do something else. They're going to sponsor the NASCAR Coors pole and this and that so then it was too late (for the 2008 season)...so we have been running all year long without a sponsor."
CBL: Talk about the options for Dario Franchitti:
Sabates: "Dario had a hard time with it. He made a change from the Indy Racing League to come here. But truth of the matter is that he needs more seat time. We gave him an option to go in the Nationwide car because we do have a sponsor for the #40 Nationwide car. He's going to decide what he's going to do in the next few days and maybe he'll be racing in Chicago (Nationwide race July 11).....I hope he does get in the Nationwide car. He's a very talented driver and if he gets a few more months under his belt maybe we can get a sponsor for next year and we can go racing next year.
Sabates told CBL on the cost of running the team and how much he's paid to keep it running: - "It cost you $20 to $21, $22 million dollars to run a competitive team and if you run 15 races and you don't have any money coming in you have already lost $10 or $11 million dollars."
Sabates on Dario's choices: "Chip pretty much told him if he wanted to go to back to Indy that, because it doesn't cost near as much money there as it does here, and over there Chip is the Rick Hendrick of over here - so he can get a sponsor for an IRL car very easily. So he's got his choice - if he wants to drive the Nationwide Car - get some more experience, maybe we'll get a sponsor for next year or go back to the IRL -- it's up to Dario - he has a contract and we intend to honor it."
Sabates on what he thinks Dario will do: "At the end of the day - I think he will get in the Nationwide car- he needs more seat time anyway."(XM Radio PR)(7-2-2008)
- Ganassi's #40 team closes down: hearing that the #40 Chip Ganassi Racing team of Dario Franchitti will skip the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway and has closed the team, supposedly laying off around 70 employees.(7-1-2008)
UPDATE: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today that due to a lack of sponsorship funding it will cease operation of the team's #40 Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Dodge driven by Dario Franchitti beginning this weekend in Daytona. "This is a difficult decision for Felix and I that did not come without its share of anguish," said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. "In this tough business environment continuing to run the car without proper funding has become increasingly difficult." CGRFS is committed to Franchitti's continued stockcar development and are currently in discussions with him on his racing options with the team which could include running the balance of the 2008 Nationwide season in the #40 Fastenal Dodge. Currently the #42 Texaco/Havoline/Juicy Fruit Dodge of Juan Pablo Montoya is 21st in owner points while the #41 Target Dodge driven by Reed Sorenson is sitting 31st in the standings.(CGRFS PR)(7-1-2008)
- Guitar Hero to be featured on #40 at New Hampshire..image: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced it has partnered with Activision and its long-time sponsor Target to feature the latest version of the Guitar Hero series, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, on Dario Franchitti’s #40 Dodge in the Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) on June 29. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which will be released June 29, is the latest installment from the Activision franchise that was the top-selling video game in 2007. The game puts players in the shoes of Joe Perry (guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar) and Tom Hamilton (bass), as they rock out alongside front man Steven Tyler and drummer Joey Kramer. Gamers will experience Aerosmith’s Grammy winning career, from their first gig to becoming rock royalty while jamming to the band’s top songs.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR), see an image of the scheme on my #40 Team Schemes page(6-18-2008)
- New look for #40 at Infineon: Chip Ganassi Racing welcomes two familiar sponsors to the #40 Dodge of Dario Franchitti, Texaco/Havoline and The Hartford. The Hartford is back after having sponsored the car at Bristol with Franchitti behind the wheel. Texaco/Havoline, one of the primary sponsors on the #42 Dodge driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, will also sponsor the #40 car this weekend.(CGRFS PR)(6-18-2008)
- Kanaan visits MIS: Tony Kanaan, the only driver to win at MIS in both the Championship Auto Racing Teams series and the Indy Racing League, is at the speedway this weekend. "I just came here to support my friend, Dario Franchitti," Kanaan said. "This is my first time at a NASCAR race. I had my first victory at this place. I'll never forget this place. Every time I drive underneath the tunnel, I get good memories. It's a good place for me." Kanaan added that he was not considering a move to NASCAR. Kanaan won the CART race at MIS in 1999 and won the IRL race last August.(Michigan Live)(6-15-2008)
- Special schemes for the #40 and #42 at MIS: This weekend, the Wrigley’s Brand’s will rev up the new Juicy Fruit and Big Red Slim Pack, sleek 15-stick envelope packages that are more durable and portable. New Slim Pack paint schemes on the Big Red and Juicy Fruit Dodges as well as the new Slim Pack television commercials will air and will run throughout the race on TNT. Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 Dodge will feature Big Red, while his teammate Dario Franchitti will carry the Juicy Fruit logo on his #40 Dodge.(Chip Ganassi Racing)(6-11-2008)
- Ganassi and Penske? Preposterous: Rumors that have surfaced recently about a possible alliance between Chip Ganassi [#40,#41,#42] and Roger Penske [#2,#12,#77] in NASCAR racing, or of a possible Penske buyout of Ganassi's stock car team? Both men field Dodges in Sprint Cup racing, and at the recent Indianapolis 500, won by Ganassi driver Scott Dixon, the two pillars of the sport reportedly appeared a lot more chummy than usual. Sunday at Dover, Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing Communications, said he had read the rumors but scoffed at them. "Absolutely preposterous," Accavitti said. "That would be like putting the Hatfields and McCoys together."(Sporting News)(6-2-2008)
- Franchitti to return to Cup racing at Pocono: #40-Dario Franchitti is making his return here [Dover], but it's not in the Sprint Cup race. Franchitti, who suffered a broken ankle in a Talladega Nationwide Series race, is returning in today's race [Nationwide at Dover] here, the Heluva Good 200. Franchitti's Cup return will be next week at Pocono. Since the Nationwide race is half the distance of Sunday's Best Buy 400, he said it's "a smart decision." He said the injury has been more frustrating than painful. "It was painful for about two days and that was it," he said. "Then it was just a pain in the butt.".(NASCAR This Week), Jeremy Mayfield qualifed the #40 Dodge 10th at Dover.(5-31-2008)
- Mayfield to drive #40 at Dover: Dario Franchitti, full-time driver of the #40 CGRFS Dodge, will sit out this weekend’s Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway, but will return to the action in the #40 Fastenal Dodge on Saturday in the Nationwide Series race. Jeremy Mayfield will be the substitute driver of the #40 Target Dodge this weekend at Dover International Speedway. Mayfield has 25 starts at the Monster Mile, where he still holds the track qualifying record (161.522 mph, 22.288 seconds) which he earned in June 2004. In addition to that pole position he holds two more, one coming in September 2000 and then again in September 2004. Franchitti and the #40 CGRFS Cup team tested at Pocono Raceway this week along with the majority of the NSCS teams. It marked Franchitti’s first time back in the #40 NSCS car since he was injured in the NNS race at Talladega Superspeedway in late April.(CGRFS PR)(5-28-2008)
- Mayfield goes on 12-day tour of Iraq; ride at Dover?: Jeremy Mayfield left May 6 for 12 days where even if he got offered another NASCAR ride, he wouldn’t be able to accept it until he returned. Mayfield took a 12-day tour of Iraq where he, along with a few drag racers, visited three to seven bases a day to talk to troops stationed over there. Mayfield said he was impressed with what the soldiers are currently doing in Iraq in trying to rebuild the country. “I thought it would be a depressing deal, but it really wasn’t,” Mayfield said in a phone interview Tuesday. “All the soldiers, everybody from the guy on the front line through the commanding general, was just really upbeat, in a great mood. Everything was positive. … What got me was how many people re-enlisted to come back over.” A two-time Chase participant, Mayfield drove for Haas CNC Racing for the first seven events this year before parting ways with the team. He has had a few talks with other teams, but when the idea was presented to him, he opted to go on the goodwill trip to Iraq. “It’s something I am proud to say I did,” Mayfield said. “It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I met a lot of great people there. As far as my career, I’ll go from here and see what happens. The timing was perfect on it. I was sitting here not having a ride, and I went and did it. I think I made a difference. I think it was more important than waiting around hoping somebody calls me. It’s hard for me to sit here and tell you what it means to the guys over there.” Many of the soldiers wanted to talk about racing with him, but Mayfield couldn’t stay awake to watch the races with the troops, which were televised in the early morning at bases that had television capability. I couldn’t believe there were that many Mayfield fans over there to start with, and on top that there were so many huge NASCAR fans,” Mayfield said. “It definitely was a humbling experience.” The driver admitted he was a little nervous about making the trip. He would see troops going to and from combat. The group of racers would take Blackhawk helicopters to each base, going from Baghdad to remote outposts in northern Iraq. “There were things that go on like we all expect,” Mayfield said. “Every day, there’s some kind of maneuvers with some of the insurgents where they will cover up a bomb here or there, and once in a while one of those would go off. About every night or so, outside in the desert, three or four guys would launch a rocket over into a base, and 99.9 percent of those either don’t make it or get blown away. … Overall I felt secure, but you still wonder because it’s busy there 24 hours a day nonstop, so you never know when you lay down to go to sleep at night. I got pretty used to it.” Now back home, Mayfield seems willing to wait for the right opportunity to get back in a race car. A 15-year veteran of the sport with five wins, Mayfield feels as if he has something to offer to a team. “I was part of the reason why I don’t have one – I’d rather not have one than run like I was running every week,” he said. “I’ve come to realize that. I don’t want any pity. When you go to Iraq, you really understand the true meaning of feeling sorry for something when you go into one of the hospitals. There’s a lot of people have got it worse off than we do. Going over there was very humbling. It makes you look at life a little bit different.”(SceneDaily), supposedly Mayfield will run the #40 Dodge at Dover on June 1st.(5-21-2008)
- Marlin expected to run #40 car in Coke 600: Chip Ganassi didn't enter his #40 Dodge in the All-Star race activities because driver Dario Franchitti is still nursing a broken left foot. The car will be back for next week's Coca-Cola 600 here at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but Ganassi believes Sterling Marlin will be behind the wheel instead of Franchitti. He was injured earlier this month in a wreck at Talladega, and has missed three Cup starts because of it. "It's the same old thing -- drivers think they aren't that hurt when they're hurt," Ganassi said. "They think they'll be back in a week, and so we all kind of said 'OK, great, it's going to be a week or two. I think he's starting to realize that it's not going to be that quick and it looks like Sterling Marlin is going to be driving the car here next week for the 600 and we're kind of taking it one day at a time after that." Ganassi didn't rule out Franchitti participating in the test at Pocono Raceway in two weeks, or the June 1 race in Dover.(Associated Press)(5-18-2008)
- #40 Team skipping Sprint Showdown: Dario Franchitti and the #40 CGRFS Dodge team will sit out this weekend's NSCS All-Star events at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Franchitti, who continues to recover from an ankle injury he received in the NNS event at Talladega Superspeedway last month (April 26) has yet to receive clearance from his doctor to return to racing competition. Franchitti was fitted for a carbon fiber brace earlier this month but will take another weekend off to give his ankle more time to heal. His status behind the wheel of the #40 Dodge will continue to be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(5-15-2008)
- Nintendo's Wii to sponsor #40 in Coca-Cola 600: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams announced it has partnered with Nintendo and its long-time sponsor Target, to have Nintendo's newest video game, Wii Fit, as the sponsor of 1,100 miles of auto racing on Sunday, May 25. Nintendo and Wii Fit become the primary sponsors on Alex Lloyd's #16 Dallara Honda in the Indianapolis 500 and later in the day along with Target on the team's #40 Dodge in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C. By sponsoring the Wii Fit 1,100, Nintendo follows Target as one of the only sponsors that will have cars competing in both races as Target has Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon starting one-two in the Indy 500 and Reed Sorenson competing in his third Coke 600 The 500 mile Indianapolis 500 is the longest race on the IndyCar Series schedule while the 600 mile Coca-Cola 600 is the same in the Sprint Cup Series. Dario Franchitti, who would normally pilot the #40 Target/Wii Fit Dodge, is still recovering from a fractured ankle he suffered three weeks ago in a Talladega Superspeedway racing [Hationwide Series] incident. A final decision on Franchitti's status has not been made nor has a replacement been named in the event Franchitti cannot compete in the Coke 600. Last year over Memorial Day weekend, Franchitti captured the Borg Warner trophy in the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He went on to capture the 2007 IndyCar Series championship before beginning his transition to stock cars at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS). Franchitti is one of three
former Indy 500 winners running in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR), see an image of the scheem on my #40 Team Schemes page.(5-15-2008)
- Franchitti's status still unclear: #40-Dario Franchitti continues to heal from the broken left ankle he sustained during a Nationwide Series race at Talladega last month, with no firm timetable for his return. “There’s not really been any change,” Franchitti said Saturday. “I’m just waiting for the swelling to go down and the pain to go away, and for the fracture to heal. When those things go away, I’ll be able to drive the car again.” Sterling Marlin drove Chip Ganassi Racing’s #40 Dodge at Darlington, and could do so again at Charlotte if Franchitti is not ready. Franchitti has been monitoring the amount of pressure he puts on his ankle. After a couple hours of walking around, Franchitti elevates his leg and uses a boot that circulates cold water through it to alleviate the swelling. He had considered testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but the doctor nixed that idea. Franchitti obliged, remembering how he rushed back from injuries earlier in his career to mixed results. He recently traveled to Indianapolis – not to ponder racing in the Indy 500, where he is the reigning champion, but to get fitted for a carbon fiber brace that supports his ankle. He’ll use the brace when he returns to the car.(SceneDaily)(5-12-2008)
- Marlin back in the #40; Franchitti update: Former CGRFS driver Sterling Marlin will drive the #40 Dodge Challenger in this Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway, while its full-time driver Dario Franchitti continues to recover from a race injury he received in the NNS event at Talladega Superspeedway last month (April 26). At this time, Marlin is confirmed to drive for CGRFS at Darlington only. He raced full-time for CGRFS when the team started in 2001 and drove for CGRFS from 2001-2005 tallying
172 starts, four wins, three poles, 24 top-fives, 57 top-10s and led a total of 1,444 laps. Marlin also tested the #40 Monday and Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Franchitti Update: Dario Franchitti, full-time driver of the #40 CGRFS Dodge, will sit out this weekend's NSCS race at Darlington Raceway. Franchitti was fitted for a carbon fiber brace last week but will take another weekend off to give his ankle more time to heal. His status behind the wheel of the #40 Dodge will continue to be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
Speical Scheme: The #40 Dodge will feature the new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 on its hood this weekend in Darlington, S.C. Powered by a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engine that produces 425 horsepower, the Challenger SRT8 is true to its historical roots, but with modern features that customers expect like SIRIUS Satellite radio, UConnect hands-free phone and MyGIG infotainment system featuring a 30 gig hard drive. For more information about the new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, go to www.dodge.com.(CGRFS)(5-7-2008)
- Kennametal Back Onboard the #40: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced in late March an expansion of its current partnership with Kennametal to include primary sponsorship for multiple NSCS races this 2008 season. Kennametal made its primary sponsorship debut at Martinsville Speedway earlier this year and is going for its second run this weekend at RIR on the #40, to be driven by Ken Schrader. Kennametal, a longtime CGRFS partner, supplies tooling and machining technology to the team's Charlotte and Indianapolis-based racing shops. In addition, Kennametal provides the team's engineers and machinists with a myriad of opportunities to further refine their skills in order to gain optimum performance through Kennametal's internal university program.(CGRFS) See images of the scheme on my #40 Team Schemes page.(5-2-2008)
- Marlin in the #40 at Darlington: Sterling Marlin will rejoin Chip Ganassi Racing as a temporary replacement for injured #40-Dario Franchitti at the May 10 Sprint Cup race at Darlington. Marlin said he also will be a standby for Franchitti for the May 25 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte [Lowe's Motor Speedway, Coke 600]. Veteran driver Ken Schrader has been signed to replace Franchitti for Saturday’s Cup race [at Richmond]. Marlin already was scheduled to drive for #09 Phoenix Racing at Richmond. Marlin said he will test at Charlotte for Ganassi on Monday and Tuesday. He will not participate in the Sprint Cup All-Star race on May 17 in Charlotte. His daughter — a senior at Columbia Academy — is graduating from high school that weekend.(Tennessean)(5-1-2008)
- Marlin back in the #40 at Darlington? Schrader at Richmond UPDATE 2: Sterling Marlin may drive again for Chip Ganassi Racing as a substitute for the injured Dario Franchitti in the May 10 Sprint Cup race at Darlington. Marlin drove eight seasons for Ganassi in the #40 Dodge before being replaced prior to the 2006 season. Marlin said nothing had been made official. “They’ve mentioned Darlington,” Marlin said. “I told them it’s whatever they want to do.” Marlin is committed to driving for Phoenix Racing in Richmond in Saturday night’s Cup race. He said his remaining schedule with the race team is not set. He signed a 10-race deal with Phoenix Racing prior to the season. Marlin finished 22nd in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 — the first Cup race he qualified for this season. Marlin also is scheduled to compete in six Late Model races at Music City Motorplex beginning on May 10, but he said a Cup ride would take priority. Franchitti broke his left ankle in a crash on the 11th lap of Saturday’s Nationwide race at Talladega. It has not been determined how many races Franchitti will miss.(Tennessean), the #09 is not listed on the Richmond entry list...yet. Other drivers I have heard under consider for the #40 ride at Richmond include Ricky Rudd, Tony Raines, Mike Bliss, Dennis Setzer and Ken Schrader. Hearing Franchitti is having a carbon fiber cast put on Tuesday and the plan is for him to be back at Charlotte [All Star race May 17th].(4-29-2008)
UPDATE: hearing that Ken Schrader will driver the #40 Dodge at Richmond, subbing for the injured Dario Franchitti.(4-29-2008)
UPDATE 2: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) driver Dario Franchitti was re-evaluated this week by his doctors and will sit out this weekend's Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader will drive the #40 Kennametal Dodge on Saturday for the 400-lap event. Franchitti was seen by Dr. Terry Trammel and Dr. Kevin Scheid in Indianapolis, Ind. on Monday. The doctors confirmed the slight fracture in Franchitti's left ankle. Franchitti will be fitted for a carbon fiber brace later this week. His status behind the wheel of the #40 Dodge will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. Schrader is confirmed to race for CGRFS in Richmond only. Franchitti will also be in Richmond with the #40 team.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates).(4-29-2008)
- Franchitti injured in Nationwide race, Stremme to run #40 UPDATE: #40-Dario Franchitti has fractured his left ankle in the Nationwide Series race at Talladega on Saturday and will not be able to race in Sunday's Sprint Cup race. David Stremme, former driver of the #40 Dodge for Ganassi Racing, has been asked to sub for Franchitti and got permission from Roger Penske [he is their test driver] and Rusty Wallace [who Stremme drives for in the Nationwide Series] to start and run the race Sunday.(PRN's Garage Pass)(4-26-2008)
UPDATE: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) driver Dario Franchitti will not compete in the Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway after suffering a slight fracture in his left ankle as a result of a collision on lap 11 in Saturday's Nationwide Series (NNS) event. Franchitti will be reevaluated early next week. On lap 11, Franchitti's #40 Fastenal Dodge blew a right-rear tire which caused the on-track incident. Franchitti was treated at the Talladega Superspeedway infield care center and then driven to Physicians Medical Center Carraway in Birmingham, Ala., where he was further evaluated, treated and released.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)(4-27-2008)
UPDATE 2: Stremme will replace the injured Dario Franchitti today in the #40 for Chip Ganassi Racing. Franchitti broke his ankle in a hard wreck Saturday in the Nationwide race. Stremme drove the #40 full time last year but was released to make way for Franchitti. Stremme stressed that it's just a one-race deal and the team has yet to decide what to do for the race at Richmond next week. Ganassi Manager of Competition Steve Hmiel said no plans have been made yet for Richmond or beyond, depending on how quickly Franchitti can return. "Hopefully Dario will be back sooner rather than later, but it's very unclear at this point," he said.(Alabama Live)(4-27-2008)
- Tums scheme for Franchitti at 'dega: This weekend the all-new TUMS QuikPak instant dissolve powder will serve as the primary sponsor of the #40 CGRFS
Dodge Charger at Talladega Superspeedway fro Dario Franchitti. TUMS first became a CGRFS partner in 2007, as an associate sponsor of the #40 and #41 cars. This will be Franchitti's first time representing the TUMS brand. The #40 TUMS QuikPak Dodge team is taking on the identity of its primary sponsor by renaming the pit crew "The TUMS
QuikPak" for this weekend's Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup series race.(CGRFS), see images of the scheme on my #40 Team Schemes page.(4-25-2008)
- Hornish, Franchitti will not run Indy 500: Sprint Cup rookies Dario Franchitti and Sam Hornish Jr., the men who won the last two Indianapolis 500s, will not compete in the race next month. Their NASCAR team owners -- Chip Ganassi for the #40 Dodge Franchitti drives and Roger Penske for the # 77 Dodge Hornish drives -- both said the Indy 500 is not part of the plan this season. The two Cup rookies will concentrate on the Coca-Cola 600 Cup race that day (May 25) at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Penske, who is traveling in Europe this week, called Rusty Wallace on Tuesday from England to tell him Hornish would not race at Indy this year. Penske wanted to end the speculation that David Stremme would replace Hornish in the Coca-Cola 600 so Hornish could race at Indy. The speculation about Hornish also brought rumors about Franchitti possibly returning to the Indy 500 next month to defend his victory from last season. But Ganassi made his feelings clear: "No way we're doing that," Ganassi said. Ganassi also said that Franchitti is totally committed to his move to NASCAR.(ESPN.com)(4-18-2008)
- Ganassi promises changes if Cup teams don't improve: Chip Ganassi wasn't pleased with his NASCAR teams long before #40-Dario Franchitti failed to qualify for Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway. Just how unhappy the car owner actually is became clear Saturday when he unleashed a blistering indictment of his team's performance so far this season. "Frankly, there are 46 cars there and if you can't beat three of them, that's pretty pathetic," Ganassi said on Sirius Satellite Radio. "I certainly have all the faith in the world in (Franchitti's) driving abilities. I don't think it's that. The fact of the matter is, we didn't give him a car that was capable of doing it." Although he praised the work Montoya and his # 42 crew has done to rebound from a slow start to the season, Ganassi was particularly upset with the performance of Sorenson's #41 team. The third-year driver has four finishes of 31st or worse."The 41 team, it's the same old things that take them out," he said. "One week its this, the next week it's that, and it's sort of this combination of all of the above. Everybody on the 41 team is going to have to take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are prepared for what's coming down the pike." Ganassi, who was in St. Petersburg, Fla., with his IRL teams, said later Saturday he won't hesitate to make personnel changes if that's what it will take to get his teams turned in the right direction.(Associated Press/CBS Sports)(4-6-2008)
- Tums to sponsor fall Martinsville race and #40, #41 cars: TUMS announced that it is using its newest product, the TUMS QuikPak instant dissolve powder, to bring its fastest relief ever to Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., as the entitlement sponsor of the October 19, 2008 Sprint Cup series race – The TUMS QuikPak 500. The TUMS QuikPak 500 will be the first NASCAR race sponsored by the TUMS brand. The race sponsorship will continue to build on the long-standing relationship between GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare and the .526-mile Virginia short track. The partnership began in 1983 when Goody’s Headache Powder first sponsored the Goody’s 500 at Martinsville Speedway. In addition to the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway, TUMS will serve as an associate sponsor of the #40 and #41 Dodges for Chip Ganassi Racing with
Felix Sabates (CGRFS) throughout the 2008 season. The TUMS logo will appear on the B-post and rear quarter panel. The agreement also includes a primary sponsorship in two races. TUMS QuikPak will serve as the primary sponsor of Sprint Cup series rookie Dario Franchitti’s #40 Dodge Charger for the Aaron’s 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway on
April 27. CGRFS teammate Reed Sorenson will carry the TUMS QuikPak paint scheme under the lights August 23 for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. TUMS will host 18 fan events at race tracks during the season. For each event, TUMS will bring its blue QuikZone display to the fan concourse area along with TUMS Racing simulators, games and the TUMS show car. Fans will have an opportunity to learn more about TUMS fast relief and simple solutions for heartburn and sample the new TUMS QuikPak. The TUMS QuikZone debuted in Daytona for Speedweeks. The TUMS QuikZone also will travel to community events throughout the country. For more information on TUMS Racing, visit www.TUMSracing.com.(Clear!Blue PR) see images of the cars on my #40 Team Schemes page and #41 Team Schemes page.(3-29-2008)
- Kennametal to sponsor Franchitti at Martinesville and Texas: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced an expansion of their current partnership with Kennametal to include primary sponsorship for the next two Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races in Martinsville and Texas on the W40 Dodge Charger driven by NSCS and Nationwide Series (NNS) Raybestos Rookie of the Year points leader Dario Franchitti. A longtime CGRFS partner, Kennametal supplies tooling and machining technology to CGRFS' Charlotte and Indianapolis-based racing shops. In addition they provide the team's engineers and machinists a myriad of opportunities to further refine their skills in order to gain optimum performance through Kennametal's internal university program.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(3-26-2008)
- The Hartford & Ganassi Racing to Launch Partnership at BMS: With its iconic stag logo taking its place on the hood of an 800-horsepower racing machine, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., announced that it will sponsor #40 Dodge Charger on March 16 at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway with driver Dario Franchitti.
"For a company like The Hartford, with a nationwide network of independent agents, we know how important it is to be associated with an outstanding team," said Michael Concannon, senior vice president, personal lines. "That's why a partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) is a great fit." Bearing The Hartford's distinctive colors, the maroon and yellow race car will feature The Hartford's branding on the hood, tv and quarter panels. Franchitti will wear a maroon and yellow firesuit featuring The Hartford and the stag logo. In addition to the primary paint scheme in Bristol, The Hartford will continue to be featured on the #40 Dodge as an associate sponsor for the remainder of the 2008 season. Furthermore, Franchitti and Ganassi's IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon will both carry The Hartford's iconic stag logo on their fire suits throughout the Sprint Cup and IRL
IndyCar Series seasons, respectively. More info about The Hartford at thehartford.com..(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(3-11-2008)
IMAGE see an image of the schemne on my #40 Team Schemes page.(3-12-2008)
- Dodge re-ups with Penske and Ganassi: Dodge executives have taken team owners Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi out of the Toyota equation by signing new contracts with the two. That keeps Dodge with a four-team lineup, including Petty Enterprises and Gillett-Evernham. When Toyota first announced its NASCAR plans, there was considerable speculation that both Penske and Ganassi would eventually switch.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-18-2008)
- Dario Franchitti To Be Profiled on HBO: In an HBO REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Mary Carillo profiles #40-Dario Franchitti, Monday Feb. 11 at 10:00pm/et on HBO. It will also re-air six times over the course of the next month.(NASCAR PR)(2-10-2008)
- Franchitti gets sponsor for Daytona UPDATE: The new Dodge vehicle - Dodge Journey - a SUV, station wagon "crossover" will be the primary sponsor for #40-Dario Franchitti in the 50th running of the Daytona 500. The deal is only for Daytona. After that Franchitti's #40 Dodge Charger's paint scheme may change from week-to-week as no set company has forked over the necessary money for the entire season. Is this reason for Franchitti to be alarmed? Not really. Owner Chip Ganassi has said he will run three cars all season.(Tennessean)(2-8-2008)
UPDATE: Dodge announced that Dario Franchitti’s #40 Dodge Charger will carry an “All-New Dodge Journey” paint scheme for the 50th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17. The all-new 2009 Dodge Journey is the mid-size crossover that offers customers an alternative to the traditional car, minivan or SUV. With a U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $19,985, it falls between the compact Dodge Caliber and the Dodge Grand Caravan. The new 2009 Dodge Journey launches later this spring. The partnership has Franchitti’s Charger carrying the “All-New Dodge Journey” paint scheme throughout the 10 days of Speedweeks activities leading up to the season-opening Daytona 500. The 2009 Dodge Journey will be available in three models: Dodge Journey SE equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder World Engine and Dodge Journey SXT and R/T models equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transaxle with Auto Stick. Journey SXT and R/T models also are available with a state-of-the-art all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. Also in 2008, Dodge will introduce its modern muscle car the all-new Dodge Challenger [headed to Nationawide Series in 2009?].(Dodge PR)(2-9-2008) .
- Ganassi expects to line up sponsors for Franchitti UPDATE: Team owner Chip Ganassi says that he expects to put together a "patchwork" of sponsorship for Dario Franchitti and his #40 Sprint Cup team. Franchitti, the 2007 IndyCar Series champion, will debut as a rookie in the NASCAR series this season. The team has not announced sponsorship plans for that car. Ganassi didn't seem too worried about that while speaking with reporters during the annual NASCAR media tour put together by Lowe's Motor Speedway.(SceneDaily.com)(1-22-2008)
UPDATE 2 - Energizer to sponsor Franchitti for 5 races? hearing that #40-Dario Franchitti will be sponsored by Energizer batteries for the first five races of the 2008 season while the team looks for other sponsors and a full primary sponsor. Also hearing that Fastenal, who will sponsor Ganassi teams in the Nationwide Series, could sponsor the #40 Sprint Cup a few races. See images of the #40 Fastenal Nationwide scheme on the Nationwide Paint Schemes page.(1-22-2008)
- Calinoff returns to spot the #40 car: When David Stremme arrived on the Sprint Cup Series scene in 2006, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates hired 15-year veteran spotter Mike Calinoff to provide experience and guidance for the rookie. Now, two years later and faced with a similar scenario, Ganassi has signed Calinoff to once again provide that experience from the spotter¹s tower for his newest Sprint Cup rookie, 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner and IRL Series champion Dario Franchitti. An entrepreneur with an array of successful and growing businesses, Calinoff has a vast amount of experience working with drivers in the developmental stage and is eager to begin working with Franchitti. Calinoff began as a NASCAR spotter in 1992. He spent six years spotting for Matt Kenseth, including his 2003 Sprint Cup championship season. He spent the last two years as David Stremme¹s Sprint Cup spotter.(MCI PR)(1-16-2008)
