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Penske buys the #22, Davis a minority owner UPDATE more: Bill Davis is now a minority owner in Penske Racing. Penske has acquired Davis' #22 and will keep the number for further consideration to align with the #2 and #12. But for now, the #77 Mobil 1 Dodge driven by Sam Hornish Jr. will take the 22's owner points and start the 2009 season 31st, which guarantees it a position in the Daytona 500. "As a business person, you have to look at what your options are," Penske said by phone. "I think the key thing right now is it's too bad that anyone who has run a full season whether they're in the top 35 or not — and I don't mean the ones that run a half season — but if you run the full season last year, every car in every race, you hope you would be given some kind of priority."(FoxSports)(2-3-2009)
UPDATE: #09-Phoenix Racing’s Brad Keselowski will get the points from the #41 or #01 left over from the Chip Ganassi Racing-Dale Earnhardt Inc. merger, according to sources. That leaves one set of points remaining, and those possibly could go to Richard Childress Racing’s Clint Bowyer, who moved to the new RCR #33 car this year while Casey Mears, the new driver of the #07 car, has Bowyer’s points from last season. RCR officials would not confirm whether the team is working a deal for top-35 points. While having the points is good news for Hornish (who will still drive the #77), it is not good news for Richard Petty Motorsports’ #44-AJ Allmendinger, who now will have to qualify on speed or race his way in the Daytona 500. His car was 37th in owners points last year. Marcos Ambrose, driver of the #47 JTG Daugherty Racing car, is on the bubble at 36th from last season. If RCR gets points for Bowyer as expected, then Ambrose also will have to qualify on speed or race his way in the Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip, whose Michael Waltrip Racing builds cars for Ambrose, said Tuesday that he was unsure whether Ambrose would end up being locked in for the Daytona 500.(SceneDaily), see my 2009 Owners Points - 1st five races page(2-4-2009)

EGR close to naming driver for 4th car UPDATE 3 using #34?: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will field a fourth entry -- the #41 Chevy -- in the Daytona 500 and expects to decide on a driver Monday, team president Steve Lauletta said Saturday before the start of the Rolex 24 Grand-Am race at Daytona. Lauletta said the choice had been narrowed to two drivers but declined to name them, though he did indicate that veteran Sterling Marlin was not among the finalists. "We're hoping by Monday," Lauletta said of the decision process. "We came close to making a final decision [Friday]. We need to work over the weekend and Monday, but it'll be pretty quick. Same thing with one of the sponsor deals we have done for Aric -- next week."(NASCAR.com / Sporting News)(1-25-2008)
UPDATE: John Andretti is expected to drive the fourth Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevy at Daytona. A technical alliance is in the works that would partner Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and Andretti with EGR for Daytona and beyond, The car's number and sponsor should be announced later this week. Andretti, 45, who won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in 1997 driving for Cale Yarborough, has raced for Jenkins the last two seasons but would not comment on the current negotiations. Andretti admitted that after four seasons, Jenkins has wanted to expand his involvement in racing but wasn't entirely sure to what extent. "We're good friends and we work together on a lot of things," Andretti said of Jenkins. "(The future of the team) all depends on what Bob can do because sponsorship right now is limited." In 2009, Andrett's plans will not be limited to NASCAR. "The Indy 500 is not going to go off my radar screen," Andretti said. "I can't imagine not doing the Indy 500. I've had so much fun at Indy the last two years."(FOXSports)(1-27-2009)
UPDATE 2: hearing that the 4th team will use the #15 and the owners points from the #15 DEI team and be affiliated with Front Row Motorsports and supposedly the #34 Front Row Motorsports team will run with Tony Raines driving.(1-28-2009)
UPDATE 3: John Andretti will drive the #34 Window World Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevy in the Daytona 500 on February 15th. Andretti will have a technical alliance that partners Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and Andretti with EGR for Daytona and beyond, Ganassi sources confirmed on Friday. Window World [which was also announced as Terry Labonte's sponsor on the #66 Toyota], based in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is a residential replacement window company with more than 200 distributors nationwide. "The Daytona 500 is always exciting but to go down there with the bullet I have to drive and be surrounded by so many friends, that's really exciting," Andretti said. "I know what to expect from the engines having worked with Richie Gilmore (COO of Earnhardt Childress Racing Technology) at DEI and (engine builder) Rick Mann at Petty Enterprises. I know it's last minute, but it's not so bad. They've been preparing for this for a long time."(FoxSports), no word which of EGR's owners points will used for the #34 team, #15 or #41. No word if Front Row Motorsports will run a 2nd car for Raines as rumored or not.(1-30-2009)

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)

Yates and HOF partner up, new sponsor UPDATE2 Labonte to drive: Hall of Fame Racing [#96] and Yates Racing [#28, #38, #98], are forging a relationship that is expected to include sponsorship from Ask.com, one of the few companies with new money to spend in the sport.(Sports Business Journal), no other details mentioned.(1-12-2009)
UPDATE: Yates Racing and Hall of Fame Racing (HOF) announced an alignment of their two teams. Under the agreement, Yates Racing will operate the #96 Sprint Cup entry of Hall of Fame Racing for the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule. Doug Yates and Max Jones will continue as co-owners of Yates Racing, while Tom Garfinkel and Jeff Moorad will continue as co-owners of Hall of Fame Racing. With the recent expansion of the Yates Racing facilities, the #96 Ford Fusion will operate out of the Yates Racing complex, located in Concord, N.C. “This partnership with Hall of Fame is a great stepping stone for the Yates organization,” said Max Jones, co-owner and General Manager of Yates Racing. “Through this partnership, we are able to continue the expansion of our shop and field another Sprint Cup entry. We, along with Ford Racing, welcome Hall of Fame Racing and look forward to a very successful season.”
“Jeff Moorad and I knew it would take time to construct the right model to improve our competitive position in the sport and we think we’ve come a long way to achieving that through our association with Yates Racing,” said Tom Garfinkel, co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing. “We’re proud to be associated with Doug and Max and Ford Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.” The Hall of Fame Racing entry will make its competitive debut at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, February 12 during the Gatorade 150 qualifying races.(Yates Racing PR)(1-13-2009)
UPDATE 2: sources tell me that Labonte could drive for Yates Racing, which may be the #96 Ford which makes sense since the #96 is out of the top 35 in owners points and Labonte is a past Cup champ, so he would have a past champions provisional to use [since Labonte was the Champ in 2000, he would get the spot before #21-Bill Elliott, who was the 1988 champ, but after #14-Stewart, who was a champ in 2005], also hearing the #98 Yates Racing Ford will use the #38 Yates Racing owners points for the 1st five races, guaranteeing Paul Menard and sponsor Menards of making the 1st five races of 2009.
AND Labonte will drive the #96 car for Yates Racing, multiple sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday. Hall of Fame Racing announced earlier in the day that it has aligned itself with Yates Racing to run the 96 for the entire Sprint Cup season. Team officials said a driver announcement would come on Wednesday. Sources said Labonte, who had been in discussions with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing for the #8 car, will be that driver as part of a three-car operation. Sources said the car will be sponsored by Ask.com. Labonte and Yates officials could not be reached for comment regarding Labonte.(ESPN)(1-13-2009)
AND II:NASCAR.com is reporting: Bobby Labonte will drive the #96 Ford in 2009, three sources on Tuesday evening. A formal announcement is to be made Wednesday, according to the sources, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity.(NASCAR.com)(1-13-2009)

Labonte to #8? Target to #42? UPDATE: There have been numerous Bobby Labonte sightings at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, but the latest twist places the 2000 Cup champion in the #8 Chevy where he would be reunited with his former Petty crew chief Doug Randolph. Randolph moved to DEI last year to become crew chief for Paul Menard. Labonte worked with Jeff Meendering on the #43 Petty Dodge in 2007. Meendering has since left to be the car chief for Tony Stewart. It's also been rumored that the Target sponsorship will move to the #42 Dodge and Juan Pablo Montoya.(Fox Sports)
BUT: Announced in mid-November, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing agreed to merge creating a Chevy-powered, four-car stable with Almirola in the #8 car, Martin Truex Jr. in the #1 car, and Montoya in the #42 car. The fourth driver in the #41 car could be Bobby Labonte with Target's support but then again team leaders told Almirola he may slide into the car as well. "It is something they have kicked around and talked about," Almirola said. "But really and truly we want to run four cars. That is the goal because everybody knows to be competitive you have to have a multi-car team. They have said if we have to run three cars it may be a possibility but it is not our goal."(NASCAR.com)(1-11-2009)
UPDATE: Bobby Labonte in the #8, Juan Pablo Montoya in the #41, Martin Truex Jr. in the #1 and Aric Almirola in a part-time role. That is the scenario officials at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing are discussing, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com. Almirola was slated to drive the #8 vacated by Mark Martin this season, but the company was having trouble finding sponsorship for the untested driver. Labonte ... according to sources, has drawn interest from several sponsors. Montoya drove the #42 during his first two years with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. But with that car only half sponsored by Wrigley's and the #41 fully funded by Target, officials are looking to make the switch for what had become the top driver at Ganassi. Almirola would drive the fourth car in next month's opener at Daytona and a select number of other races unless officials find a way to fully sponsor that car for the season.(ESPN.com)(1-12-2009)

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)

Sadler replaced by Allmendinger? UPDATE 2: AJ Allmendinger is set to replace Elliott Sadler in the #19 Dodge in 2009, multiple Gillett Evernham Motorsports team sources told ESPN.com on Saturday. GEM CEO Tom Reddin told team employees and sponsors the news just before Christmas, causing some sponsors to consider leaving, according to team sources. Reached for comment Saturday, GEM spokesman Drew Brown chose not to comment. Sources also said Ray Evernham, who founded the team and sold majority ownership to George Gillett, cleared out all personal possessions from the team's shop, including the 2002 Brickyard 400 trophy he won as owner of Bill Elliott's #9 Dodge. Calls placed to Evernham and Sadler's representation were not immediately returned.(ESPN.com)(12-27-2008)
UPDATE: Allmendinger will join Kasey Kahne in the flagship #9 GEM Dodge and newcomer Reed Sorenson, who will pilot the #43 Dodge following the imminent announcement of the merger between owner George Gillett and Richard Petty.
AND Sadler? Sadler's possibilities are rumored to include the #41 Chevy at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing or the #77 Dodge at Penske Racing should Sam Hornish Jr. replace Helio Castroneves in the IRL IndyCar Series [who faces a trial and possible jail over IRS charges].(FoxSports), no word on who would drive the #10 Dodge of GEM in 2009.(12-28-2008)
UPDATE 2: Sadler signed a two-year contract extension with GEM in May, and sources say team owner George Gillett will now be forced to buy out those additional two years. Sadler has already begun making calls to try and find a ride for next season. Sources tell Sirius Speedway that Gillett is heavily leveraged from the original Evernham buyout, as well as from a number of automobile dealerships he purchased earlier this year. He reportedly faces a major payment on his Liverpool Football Club, which plays in the English Premier League, as well. A deal that would have merged GEM with Bill Davis Racing fell by the wayside a few weeks ago, reportedly after Gillett was unable to obtain financing to complete the transaction. Gillett has recently been involved in negotiations to merge GEM with Petty Enterprises. Sirius Speedway reported two weeks ago that the merger had stalled, and while that report was immediately denied by a GEM spokesman, Sadler’s release appears to indicate that the deal is indeed in jeopardy. A combined GEM/Petty operation was expected to field four cars in 2009; enough to retain Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson, Sadler and Allmendinger. (Sirius Speedway)(12-29-2008)

Labonte done deal at Earnhardt Ganassi? UPDATE on hold?: Bobby Labonte has talked to Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing about their #41 opening, but said Tuesday a deal with the Sprint Cup team isn't imminent. "There are a lot of things that have to develop to make it happen," Labonte said in his first comments since leaving Petty Enterprises on Dec. 11. "Talks are happening, but that's not happened yet," Labonte said in a telephone interview. "I feel like they've got a great program, it's just a matter of they have to put their deal together before I come into the picture."(USA Today)
BUT: Bobby Labonte will drive the #41 Target Chevrolet for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing in 2009, joining Martin Truex, Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya and Aric Almirola as part of a newly merged, four-car team. Labonte has not commented since announcing his split from Petty Enterprises last week, and the new Earnhardt-Ganassi operation remains in a virtual media lockdown. However, multiple sources close to the situation tell Sirius Speedway that a deal to put Labonte in the #41 is signed, sealed and delivered, after receiving the approval of sponsor Target. Work has already begun on the necessary promotional infrastructure -- photo shoots, marketing campaigns, ancillary programs, etc. -- for the coming season.(Sirius Speedway/Motorsports Soapbox)(12-17-2008)
UPDATE: been told Labonte has talked to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing about the #41 ride, but is not close to signing and is still entertaining other offers and rides.(12-18-2008)
UPDATE 2: Sirius Speedway reported earlier this week that veteran Bobby Labonte will drive the #41 next season, and he remains the leading candidate for the ride. However, a sponsor Labonte hopes to bring to the team has not yet come through, putting the partnership – at least temporarily -- on hold.(Sirius Speedway/Motorsports Soapbox)(12-21-2008)

Gaughan to Nationwide, possibly Cup? UPDATE: Hearing that Brendan Gaughan most likely will be driving for Rusty Wallace Inc. in the Nationwide Series for 2009. Also hearing that the deal is not completely finalized as yet, and Gaughan is also looking at possible opportunities available in the Cup Series.(12-19-2008)
UPDATE: Brendan Gaughan is in serious negotiation to drive a NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevy for Rusty Wallace Inc. next season. The deal has not yet been finalized, however, because Gaughan is waiting for a final decision to be made on Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing’s #41 Sprint Cup Dodge. A source close to the situation called Gaughan’s deal with RWR “99 percent done,” with an announcement expected after the holidays.(Sirius Speedway)(12-19-2008)

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)

Labonte and Petty part ways: Bobby Labonte and Petty Enterprises have reached a mutual agreement to separate, the team confirmed on Thursday. The 2000 Sprint Cup champion signed a four-year extension with partial ownership to remain in the famed #43 car that Richard Petty drove to seven titles earlier this season when Boston Ventures purchased majority interest in NASCAR's most storied organization. But with the car unsponsored -- General Mills is moving to [#33 Clint Bowyer] Richard Childress Racing in 2009 -- and the future of the organization in doubt he has opted to seek employment elsewhere. A possible scenario for Labonte could be the new Earnhardt-Ganassi team that has an open spot in the #41 Target car. Sources said the organization has had informal discussions with Labonte and would be interested if he were available, although his car number may not be the #41. Labonte, in a prepared statement, said only that he did not have a contract for 2009 and that he was ready to explore all options.
The Pettys have been in negotiations with Gillett Evernham regarding a possible merger into a four-car team. Under that scenario, the #43 would become the fourth car with the #9 [Kasey Kahne], #19 [Elliott Sadler] and #10 [Reed Sorenson] of GEM. "We can confirm Gillett Evernham Motorsports is in exclusive negotiations with Petty Holdings," Tom Reddin, CEO of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, said "GEM has a very solid foundation and this is an exciting opportunity to build on that foundation with one of the greatest names in the history of motorsports. We will work diligently over the next several weeks and make further comment at the appropriate time."
Petty officials were not immediately available for comment, but it obvious they are in a state of flux. Approximately 65 employees have been released since the season ended. Thirty-nine were let go on Monday.(ESPN)(12-11-2008)
UPDATE: Bobby Labonte has been released from his contract with Petty Enterprises, which is trying to negotiate a deal with Gillett Evernham Motorsports that would solidify the future of its famed #43 Dodge. Petty Enterprises has been unable to find sponsorship for Labonte, a former NASCAR champion, and is in danger of eventually closing its storied organization if it can't work out a merger with GEM. David Zucker, who took over as CEO of Petty Enterprises when Boston Ventures purchased majority interest of the organization in June, said Petty would run the #43 as a single-car team in 2009 if a merger with GEM is not completed. "Gillett Evernham Motorsports is a first class team with great drivers, sponsors and management," Zucker said in a statement Thursday. "We look forward to improved performance and maintaining the Richard Petty legacy, with the King front and center."
Labonte, also believing Boston Ventures could bring the organization back to prominence, signed a four-year contract extension to remain behind the wheel of Richard Petty's legendary car. Only nothing has materialized in the six months since the sale, and Petty Enterprises has had two rounds of layoffs, letting go at least 70 employees since last month's season finale. After "serious and sincere discussions" with Petty Enterprises, Labonte said he reached the difficult decision to leave the team. Labonte said he does not have a job lined up for next season, and Chip Ganassi's #41 is the only open ride with full-time sponsorship already secured. Ganassi recently partnered with Dale Earnhardt Inc., and has taken his time filling his vacant seat. "Bobby is a true champion who never failed to give everything he had when he was behind the wheel of one of our race cars," Petty said.(Associated Press)
UPDATE 2: Effective immediately, Bobby Labonte has been released from all contractual obligations with Petty Enterprises. The terms were mutually agreed by both parties. Labonte will now fully concentrate on preparing for the 2009 season. Comments from 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Bobby Labonte: "In over 15 years of racing in the Sprint Cup Series, I can't remember a time when the sport's landscape looks as it does today. Saying that, Petty Enterprises and I had serious and very sincere discussions about what was best for myself and everyone involved at Petty Enterprises moving forward. These discussions culminated with us agreeing that moving in a separate direction will be the greatest way to reach our end goals. It was by no means an easy decision. I am, and will always be, very appreciative of what Richard Petty and the Petty family, every employee of Petty Enterprises and members of Boston Ventures did to invest in bettering my career the past three seasons. Moving forward, I'm very anxious to prepare for the 2009 season. I do not currently have a contract with any other team for 2009, but I am ready to explore all opportunities and form the next partnership in my career. I'll continue to keep these matters private and will make the appropriate announcement and comments when my future plans are confirmed. I appreciate everyone's continued support."(BobbyLabonte.com)(12-11-2008)

Labonte to the #41 ride? UPDATE 4 PE & Labonte to split?: A possible scenario that could play out if this deal [Petty-GEM merger] goes through would place Reed Sorensen, who signed with GEM in August, in the #43. AJ Allmendinger, who parted ways with Red Bull Racing after the Kansas Speedway race in September and drove the #10 GEM Dodge for the final five races of the season, would remain in that ride according to sources. Bobby Labonte, who signed a four-year extension with the new BV regime and was given ownership as part of his benefit package. Now, it appears that Labonte could drive the #41 Target car for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing.(FoxSports)(12-6-2008)
UPDATE: Adding another layer of intrigue to the [Ganassi-DEI merger] story are unconfirmed reports that Bobby Labonte may be negotiating to jump to DEI-Ganassi Racing, driving the #41 Target car. The deal would be contingent on Labonte's ability to negotiate an exit from Petty Enterprises, where he is signed through the 2012 season. A spokesman for DEI-Ganassi Racing said today that while he has heard Labonte’s name as one of many rumored to be in the running for the #41 car, he has no knowledge of any ongoing negotiations. A number of cards obviously remain to be dealt at this point. But at present, the most likely scenario appears to be for Labonte to negotiate his departure from Petty Enterprises, allowing him to move to DEI-Ganassi Racing with sponsorship from Target. That would keep Truex and his Bass Pro Shops sponsorship in-house, opening the door for AJ Allmendinger to drive the #43 Dodge next season for the newly merged Gillett-Evernham/Petty Enterprises tandem.(Sirius Speedway/Motorsports Soapbox)(12-9-2008)
UPDATE Petty Announcement Thursday? The future of Petty Enterprises could be determined as soon as Thursday [Dec 11th] morning. Petty Enterprises will make an announcement -- most likely regarding driver Bobby Labonte and the team's flagship #43 car -- on Thursday. The Petty franchise has reportedly been in negotiations with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports about a possible merger. Representatives for Petty Enterprises did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment. A GEM spokesman said the team "has no plans to make any announcement" on Thursday.(NASCAR.com)(12-10-2008)
UPDATE 3: Petty Enterprises plans to make an announcement regarding its future on Thursday morning, sources told ESPN.com. Bobby Labonte, the driver of the #43 that team owner Richard Petty drove to seven Sprint Cup championships, also is prepared to make an announcement. Details of the announcements were not immediately known, but the Pettys have been in negotiations with Gillett Evernham regarding a possible merger into a four-car team. GEM officials said they had no plans for an announcement. Whether Labonte, who signed an extension [thru 2012] with the Pettys earlier this year when the organization sold majority interest to Boston Ventures, will remain in the #43 or go elsewhere also is not known. Officials at Petty Enterprises and GEM were not immediately available for comment.(ESPN)(12-11-2008)
UPDATE 4: Bobby Labonte and Petty Enterprises have reached a mutual agreement to separate, sources told ESPN.com on Thursday. The 2000 Sprint Cup champion signed a four-year extension with partial ownership to remain in the #43 car earlier this season when Boston Ventures purchased majority interest in NASCAR's most famous organization. But with the car unsponsored -- General Mills is moving to #33 Richard Childress Racing in 2009 -- and the future of the organization in doubt he has opted to seek employment elsewhere. A possible scenario for Labonte could be the new Earnhardt-Ganassi team that has an open spot in the #41 Target car. Sources said the organization has had informal discussions with Labonte and would be interested if he were available, although his car number may not be the #41. The Pettys have been in negotiations with Gillett Evernham regarding a possible merger into a four-car team. Under that scenario, the #43 would become the fourth car with the #9 [Kasey Kahne], #19 [Elliott Sadler] and #10 [Reed Sorenson] of GEM. Officials at Petty Enterprises and GEM were not immediately available for comment.(ESPN)(12-11-2008)

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)

No one wants to talk about possible mergers: If teams are talking to others in the garage area about merging, the owners and executives weren’t talking about it Sunday in the Sprint Cup Series garage. “I can save you a lot of time here – I can’t talk about any of this,” said Chip Ganassi, co-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing at Phoenix International Raceway. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it, but I can’t talk about all this stuff.” Ganassi’s team reportedly has been in talks with Petty Enterprises and Dale Earnhardt Inc. – two teams that also have reportedly been in discussions with each other.
Petty Enterprises [#43, #45] CEO David Zucker politely declined to talk about any merger possibilities.
DEI [#01, #1, #8, #15] President Max Siegel wasn’t at the race track. “We are having multiple discussions about ways to sustain a strong racing program,” Siegel said via e-mail. “We will make an announcement about our future plans in the next two weeks.”
Hall of Fame Racing [#96] and Wood Brothers Racing [#21] also have been mentioned as potential candidates for mergers. “We’re working hard to make sure that we’re [here and competitive] – that’s what we’re working hard to do,” Hall of Fame Racing co-owner Tom Garfinkel said. “I hesitate to put a timeline on it because it’s not all within my control.”
Bill Davis Racing [#22] said Saturday that he thought he had a potential merger done but it didn’t look like it would happen.
Robby Gordon [#7] said his team is not involved in any of the merger talk.(SceneDaily)(9-10-2008)

Logano out of the #20..before he gets in? Let's start the [ESPN] blog with a bang and throw out the latest rumor going around the Cup garage area. Will plans to have rookie Joey Logano replace Tony Stewart next season in the #20 Toyota change? Speculation is Joe Gibbs Racing officials are trying to work out a deal to get #1- Martin Truex Jr. from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to drive the #20 car next year. If JGR can't get Truex, they might make a run at #2-Kurt Busch, who wants out of his deal with Penske Racing.
A quick warning: Rumors are rampant these days in NASCAR because of the difficult economic times. So here's another rumor: JGR president J.D. Gibbs is expected to arrive at Phoenix today and possibility address this issue to deny all of it. The Logano/Truex gossip started because of DEI's tenuous situation right now on sponsorship, and growing concerns that the 18-year-old Logano might not be ready to race Cup full-time next year. But Home Depot, primary sponsor for the #20 Camry, already has invested tons of money in a marketing campaign for Logano [as well as diecast's with Motorsports Authenics, see an image of the #20 Home Depot/Logano scheme on my 2009 #20 Team Schemes page]. DEI picked up the 2009 option on Truex's contract in August, but another rumor floating through the garage is that Bass Pro Shops, the primary sponsor of Truex's car at DEI, may join Stewart-Haas Racing next year as the second sponsor for #39-Ryan Newman. DEI has discussed merger possibilities with Chip Ganassi Racing and Petty Enterprises. Will any of this actually happen? Probably not, but it shows how crazy things are these days on the speculation about the future for NASCAR teams and drivers.(ESPN blog)
Jayski update in mergers: hearing the possible DEI/Ganassi merger is not off [as I posted yesterday, see #41 Team News page for the rumor] and is actually close to being done with Ganassi being the team 'presence' at the track with the deal waiting on GM's [Chevy] approval. As for the Petty/DEI rumor? the manufacturer differences squashed that deal as Petty Enterprises would not switch to Chevy and DEI would not switch to Dodge.(11-8-2008)

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.
BUT sources at PIR tell me that the deal is 'not' off' and DEI and Ganassi still may be talking.(11-7-2008)

Allmendinger still working on ride for 2009: AJ Allmendinger says that while he knows what he’ll be doing for the remainder of 2008, he still doesn’t have anything finalized for next year. Allmendinger is driving the #00 Michael Waltrip Racing car this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and then will drive the #10 Gillett Evernham Motorsports car for the final five races of the 2008 Sprint Cup season. He has talked with Chip Ganassi Racing about its #41 car opening but he said he hasn’t heard too much the last couple of weeks. "That’s kind of been a little bit quiet, but until the seat is taken, I hope I’m always a candidate," he said. "I’ve got no contracts, no obligations to anybody except for these six races, and that’s kind of the way I’m taking it."(Scene Daily)(10-11-2008)

Allmendinger out of #84...to the #41? UPDATE 6: Could AJ Allmendinger be just days away from completing a deal to drive the #41 Target-sponsored car for Chip Ganassi? And did Allmendinger drive his final race in the #84 Toyota? (Yahoo Sports), hearing Allmendinger could well be out of the #84 ride after Dover with Mike Skinner running the car at Kansas and Scott Speed running some races in the car the rest of the season.(9-22-2008)
UPDATE: A.J. Allmendinger got the word Wednesday that he will not be back at Red Bull Racing's NASCAR [#84] team next year. He'll be replaced, no doubt, by Scott Speed.(Toronto Star)(9-22-2008)
UPDATE 2: Mike Skinner reportedly will test A.J. Allmendinger's #84 Toyota Camry in this week's two-day open test at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte, N.C. Officially, Allmendinger is still in the car for this weekend's Kansas City race, but that's very tenuous and likely to change. Skinner drove Allmendinger's car five times last spring as Team Red Bull called on his years of stock car experience to evaluate the #84. If Skinner replaces Allmendinger this weekend--or at Talladega or Charlotte next month--it will open the door for former Formula One driver Scott Speed to run in Sprint Cup. (He can run up to six races this fall and remain eligible for a 2009 Rookie of the Year effort with Team Red Bull). The shuffling is contingent on Team Red Bull working with Ganassi-Sabates Racing to get Allmendinger into the #41 Dodge currently driven by Reed Sorenson. Team Red Bull expects to confirm this weekend's driver lineup later on Monday or Tuesday.(Autoweek)(9-22-2008)
UPDATE 3: Red Bull Racing Team and driver AJ Allmendinger have agreed to part ways for the 2009 Sprint Cup Series season. Allmendinger is in his second Sprint Cup Series season driving the #84 Red Bull Toyota, which currently sits 34th in owners' points. "AJ is a talented driver and we really enjoyed working with him," said RBRT Vice President and General Manager Jay Frye. "He's come a long way in just two years and we wish him nothing but the best." In an effort to continue the development of the #84 team, Red Bull athlete Mike Skinner will drive the #84 Red Bull Toyota during this week's Lowe's Motor Speedway open test. Skinner has been called upon by RBRT on multiple occasions since the team's 2006 NSCS entrance, including a five-race stint in the #84 earlier in the 2008 season, as well as mentor duties for both Allmendinger and Red Bull development driver Scott Speed. Skinner will round off a three-car test for Red Bull Racing Team alongside Red Bull development driver Scott Speed in the #82, and Brian Vickers in the #83. Red Bull Racing Team will make an announcement regarding the 2009 driver lineup at a later date.(Red Bull Racing PR)(9-23-2008)
UPDATE 4: been told that Allmendinger will be in the #84 at Kansas.(9-23-2008)
UPDATE 5: Red Bull officials had hoped to keep Allmendinger at least through next season, but were unwilling to commit beyond that. Sources said Allmendinger has at least one offer of a three-year deal.(ESPN.com)(9-24-2008)
UPDATE 6: On Tuesday, Red Bull Racing vice president and general manager Jay Frye said the team would soon be parting ways with driver A.J. Allmendinger -- no later than at the end of the 2008 season. Sources confirmed Wednesday, however, that as long as testing continued to go well for Speed in the #82 Red Bull car at Lowe's, he likely will replace Allmendinger in the #84 Red Bull entry for at least several races down the home stretch of this Cup season. Allmendinger will drive the #84 at Kansas this Sunday, but nothing has yet been finalized for who will drive the car beyond that.(NASCAR.com)(9-24-2008)

Mayfield in the #41 for Lowe's Test: UPDATE: Jeremy Mayfield will test the #41 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge today and tomorrow at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but Reed Sorenson is still slated to race this weekend at Kansas Speedway, a Ganassi spokesman confirmed. Sorenson is leaving the team at the end of the season to go to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. There will be three Ganassi cars at the test, with Juan Pablo Montoya, Bryan Clauson and Mayfield.(SceneDaily.com)(9-23-2008)
UPDATE: Reed Sorenson said he expects to drive the #41 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge for the rest of the season despite being replaced by Jeremy Mayfield for the Sprint Cup Series test Tuesday and Wednesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Sorenson wasn’t happy about being pulled for the test but understood the team’s decision since he is leaving for Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season. Sorenson said he did not ask if he could test for GEM this weekend because he is still under contract with Ganassi.(SceneDaily.com)(9-23-2008)

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)

Allmendinger talks about his future: from #84-A.J. Allmendinger's column at Yahoo: "As far as my contract situation for next year, there’s no new news. Hopefully I’ll know something next week. But not knowing anything is hard. It’s stressful. You know, I just want an answer. Am I going to be back with Red Bull next year, yes or no? Of course I’d like it to be yes and they’d like me to stay and we have a great rest of the season and prepare for 2009. I love everybody at the shop and it’s hard because they’re asking me questions. They want to know what’s up, and I don’t have an answer for them. I mean, I really don’t have an answer. I’ve had conversations with other teams since August – and there were some good rides available – but I truly believe we have something here with Red Bull, so I don’t want to leave. We’ve been through a lot together as a team and I’ve been through a lot just to learn. I’ve had people tell me, ‘You suck. You shouldn’t be here,’ and I’ve had other people say, ‘Keep working. We know you got the talent.’ And I’ve fought through all that and in my opinion I think I deserve to be in the car. But right now, realistically, I think it’s about 50-50 at best that I’ll be back at Red Bull next year.(Yahoo Sports), hearing that Allmendinger is a candidate for the #41 Ganassi Racing ride.(9-11-2008)

100th NSCS Start for Sorenson: #41-Reed Sorenson will be making his 100th NSCS start this weekend in New Hampshire. His first start came in October 2005 at Sorenson's home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 22-year-old has one pole, five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s premier series.(CGWFS PR)(9-10-2008)

Sorenson to bolt early? Do not be surprised if #41-Reed Sorenson leaves Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates before the year ends. Sources close to the situation say the relationship between the driver and the team owner are, to put it mildly, strained.(Ford Racing), Sorenson recently signed with GEM to run for them in 2009, no word if it would be in the #10 or a 4th car.(9-6-2008)

Target Donates to Hurricane Relief: Target is donating more than $300,000 in product for relief packages to support Hurricane Gustav relief assistance efforts, in partnership with the Red Cross. Target is donating product for a total of 40,000 relief packages, 40,000 emergency food packs, and an additional 10,000 comfort kits and emergency food packs. Target is also providing additional critical support to this effort by offering The Salvation Army a vacant Target store in Texas to stock relief product and providing the American Red Cross use of the parking lot in the Covington, L.a., Target store for their Central Command Center.(CGWFS PR)(9-4-2008)

Target to return to Ganassi in 2009: Target has agreed to an extension that should afford him [Chip Ganassi] to run two Cup cars next season and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya is committed to him. If he had lost either, as many had speculated would happen, the end indeed would be near. Ganassi president Steve Lauletta made it clear that Ganassi has no plans to merge. He said that the organization without a doubt will field two teams next season and that, if sponsorship comes along, it easily could go to three or four teams. He could sign another open-wheel driver [to fill Sorenson's #41 ride], perhaps Dan Wheldon or Scott Dixon off his own IndyCar Series team. He could bring back Franchitti, which Lauletta said is a possibility based on the way Franchitti has performed in the Nationwide Series car.(in part from ESPN.com)(8-27-2008)

Chip Ganassi comments on Sorenson: Chip Ganassi, Team Owner of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates: "After much internal discussion over the last few months we agreed that parting ways with Reed was the right decision for all of us. The business side of sports is never easy and this was just a business decision that was made on both our parts. We wish Reed nothing but the best."(CGWFS PR)(8-26-2008)

Sorenson to GEM? UPDATE 3 confirmed: during the radio broadcast of qualifying for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, PRN's Doug Rice reported that there are reports that #41-Reed Sorenson could be headed to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. When asked, Sorenson was evasive but didn't deny the rumor. Later in the broadcast it was mentioned Sorenson could be headed to a 4th GEM team or could replace Patrick Carpentier in the #10 GEM Dodge.(8-22-2008)
UPDATE: Reed Sorenson isn’t exactly pleased with how his Chip Ganassi Racing team is running but he said he is still deciding what to do in 2009. Sorenson reportedly is being wooed by Gillett Evernham Motorsports. “Nothing’s happened yet,” Sorenson said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. “I don’t really have anything to talk about right now. I don’t have anything [firm] right now. Stuff is going on but nothing has happened yet.” Sorenson said he expects things to get solidified for 2009 in the next month. “I’ve been here for five years, and obviously we’re not running where we should be – that goes for all of us, whether it be Chip [Ganassi], Juan [Pablo Montoya] or me or the crew chiefs,” said Sorenson, who has competed in Cup the last three seasons with Ganassi. “Everybody is kind of discouraged on how we are running. We’re testing every week just trying to get it better. We seem to be struggling trying to do that. I’ve got a lot of time built into this company. It means a lot to me. Target means a lot to me. I like everything. It’s just we’ve got to figure out how to run better.” If Sorenson went to GEM, he likely wouldn’t be guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500. “I don’t think anybody wants to go to Daytona outside the top 35,” Sorenson said. “That’s not something you want to do. I’ve never been in that position. I don’t think I want to be in that position.”(SceneDaily)
AND Reed Sorenson is apparently moving to Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season, multiple sources at Bristol Motor Speedway said on Friday. But where that leaves rookie Patrick Carpentier is unclear, as the team may release him or add a fourth car. No word yet on Sorenson’s replacement at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, a team that like many in the garage is fighting sponsor woes with Texaco definitely gone and Target rumored to be leaving, too.(Ford Racing)(8-23-2008)
UPDATE 2: Reed Sorenson appears headed to Gillett Evernham Motorsports to drive the #10 car next year, according to Chip Ganassi Racing co-owner Felix Sabates. Sorenson, in his third year in Sprint Cup with the Ganassi team, said Friday that he did not have anything done yet for 2009, and Chip Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said in a phone interview earlier in the day that they were still in talks with Sorenson. “From my point of view, his contract is over,” Sabates said. “I think Reed is today as good as he’s ever going to be. If somebody else wants to put him in a car, fine with us. We have a pretty good idea that he’s going to drive the 10 car. I wish him good luck.” A spokesman for Gillett Evernham Motorsports said the team had no comment. Patrick Carpentier currently is the driver of the #10 Dodge.(SceneDaily)(8-24-2008)
UPDATE 3: Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced today that Reed Sorenson has signed a multi-year contract to join the team for the 2009 Sprint Cup season and beyond. "I'm pretty pumped up about this," said Sorenson who started racing at age six before winning 250 quarter midget races and 84 Legends races. I can't wait to get in their cars, I really believe in what they are doing with their program with all their wins and poles this year. Ray Evernham and the Gilletts are going to give us the equipment we need to go out and be a contender each weekend and eventually race for a championship."
"We will announce Reed's sponsorships and car number in the near future," said Tom Reddin, CEO of GEM. "He is a highly marketable young driver who knows how to win races, and has a long career full of promise ahead of him."(GEM PR)(8-26-2008)

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)

Sorenson still working on 2009 plans with Ganassi: part of a #41-Reed Sorenson transcript from Dodge Motorsports about his status with Ganassi Racing and his 2009 plans:
Q: WHAT IS YOUR STATUS FOR 2009? WILL YOU BE COMING BACK TO CGRFS?
A: We're working on it right now. The past month or so I've been testing a lot and going out of town a lot. Just this past week, I was down in Nashville for two days testing and have been out of town. We're working on (a new contract) pretty hard and we'll see what we can come up with pretty soon.
Q: WOULD YOU CONSIDER GOING TO ANOTHER TEAM?
A: I've just been trying to focus on what's going on with our race team from a week-to-week basis. The whole organization has been struggling on these mile-and-a-half tracks. There's been a lot of stuff going on back in the shop with the 40 team (Franchitti) getting shut down and people moving around. That was a pretty big change for everybody. Just trying to get better on the bigger tracks has been our main focus.(Dodge Motorsports)(8-12-2008)

Sorenson 'working on' contract negotiations with Ganassi: Reed Sorenson is in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing, though he could return to the #41 Sprint Cup team next year. Sorenson raced in the Nationwide Series last weekend at Gateway International Raceway and was asked what the status of his contract negotiations with Ganassi is. "We're working on it right now," Sorenson said. "Working on it." Driver David Reutimann, who joined Sorenson at the news conference, interjected: "How's it going?" "Working on it," Sorenson said with a smile. Sorenson didn't disclose any further details.(SceneDaily.com)(7-22-2008)

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)

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)

Polaroid on the #41: Polaroid will be returning to the track on Reed Sorenson's #41 Dodge this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Polaroid is proud to introduce its new POGO printer which prints pictures on the go in 60 seconds. This portable printer and other Polaroid products are available at Target.(Ganassi Racing PR)(7-3-2008)

Wheldon not coming to NASCAR: Dan Wheldon has left the door open for some time regarding a move over to NASCAR. Wheldon said this week that door has closed. "Up until this year, I really did consider NASCAR and the reason I did is I'm a driver," Wheldon said. "I like to be on track and I like the fact they race so much. But with the merging together of both open-wheel series, the series is really fun to drive in right now." Wheldon is in the final year of his contract with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and said he has talked with Ganassi about an extension of his original three-year deal. Wheldon said the deal isn't done yet, but he hopes it will be done soon. "When you have more cars like that, it's definitely fun to drive," Wheldon said. "So I would say with the fact I think they're going to continue to build the schedule and from what I understand they're going to allow more testing during the season . . . that's what I'm looking for. . . . I definitely think I will be in IndyCars for certainly the next three years after this one."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(6-27-2008)

Pruett in for Sorenson at Infineon UPDATE hearing road course specialist Scott Pruett will drive the #41 Target Dodge for Chip Ganassi racing in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, replacing regular driver Reed Sorenson. The #41 team is 32nd in Owners Points, only 29 points from being 36th and out of a guaranteed starting spot.(6-17-2008)
UPDATE: CGRFS announced the team’s road-racing veteran driver Scott Pruett will make the switch from Daytona Prototypes to stock cars to compete in the first Sprint Cup Series road course race of the season at Infineon Raceway this Sunday. Pruett, the California native who currently leads the Rolex Sports Car Series championship for CGRFS with teammate Memo Rojas, will pilot the #41 Target Dodge entry for the Cup race around the 1.99-mile track in Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday.(CGRFS PR)(6-17-2008)

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)

Sorenson a free agent also: #41-Reed Sorenson is in the final season of his Sprint Cup Series contract, but he's not too worried about discussing his future yet. Instead, Sorenson is working on improving his performance in races. Sorenson and his team got off to a slow start to this season, resulting in a crew chief swap with teammate Juan Pablo Montoya in which Jimmy Elledge left Sorenson to partner with Montoya and Sorenson gained Donnie Wingo. Elledge has since left the organization. Sorenson said that he's not focused on his contract talks right now, preferring instead to let his racing speak for itself. "It is a contract year for me," the 22-year-old said. "Trying to do the best I can right now to try to see what we can do the next couple of months to try to get some good finishes." Asked whether he was in talks or not, Sorenson said that he and team owner Chip Ganassi had discussed it "a little bit." As to whether or not he's in discussions with other teams as well, Sorenson simply reiterated that he's focused on his own group's performance right now. If he can get that heading in the right direction, the rest will take care of itself.(SceneDaily). other 'free agent' drivers include: #16-Greg Biffle, #6-David Ragan, #1-Martin Truex Jr. [but DEI says they have an option], #12-Ryan Newman.(5-23-2008)

Target leaving Ganassi at end of 2008? UPDATE 2: There are persistent rumors that Chip Ganassi may be in financial deep water, with his long-time sponsor Target [sponsor of #41-Reed Sorenson and sometime sponsor of #40-Dario Franchitti] likely announcing by the end of the year it will be ending its association with the race team.(Yahoo!Sports)(4-10-2008)
UPDATE: Steve Eastman, Target Vice President: "The 19-year partnership between Target and Chip Ganassi Racing is one of the longest consecutive partnerships in motor sports. Our race program has proven successful and we in fact have a solid base of sponsors in place. We continue to build on the excitement and momentum around the program and look forward to celebrating our 20th anniversary next year... Any rumors regarding an end to the partnership are simply without merit."(Target Communications)(4-10-2008)
UPDATE 2: Target, according to sources, may be reconsidering its NASCAR sponsorship. Target has been sponsoring Dodge owner Chip Ganassi [#41 Reed Sorenson] for several years, though still without a major win.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-8-2008)

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)

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