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Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - Team Pages - #42
- Contract: sponsors - 2009+; driver - 2011+
- EGR to Toyota? Once #1-Martin Truex Jr. announces that he's driving for Michael Waltrip Racing next month, where does that leave Earnhardt Ganassi Racing? With #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. But after GM dramatically reduced its assistance to EGR last week, is now the time that Chip Ganassi bolts to Toyota? One hot rumor swirling around the garage was a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing to run Montoya in a fourth car similar to the situation that Marcos Ambrose has with MWR. On Sunday, JGR president J.D. Gibbs said, "No, no, no...," but the guess is his bottom line could say "yes".(FoxSports)(6-23-2009) Comment here
- Danica Patrick to sign with Ganassi? But Chip Ganassi is supposedly working on a deal at the moment that would not only keep open wheel racing's biggest name away from the clutches of NASCAR, it would likely advance her ascention in Indy cars. Ganassi is considering signing Danica Patrick for a third car on the Target team for 2010, joining Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. Ganassi didn't return phone calls Wednesday but his veteran lieutenant acknowledged adding a car for Patrick could be possible. "We've always entertained having a third driver if we could get the comparable funding that Target provides us," said Mike Hull, managing director of Target/Ganassi. "If Danica has something and wants to talk to us, that would be great because I think she's ready to take that next step. But I can tell you we haven't spoken to her." Patrick's three-year contract with Andretti-Green Racing, which was sponsored by Motorola to the tune of $21 million, expires at the end of this season. And, if she wanted to test the waters in NASCAR down the road, Ganassi could slide her right into one of his seats on the team he shares with Teresa Earnhardt.(Robin Miller/SPEEDtv)(6-11-2009) Comment here
- Montoya to Sport Helmet Design in Support of Target House: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver #42-Juan Pablo Montoya through the Target partnership will sport a new helmet design this weekend at Darlington Raceway in support of Target House’s 10th Anniversary. Funded by Target and its vendor and celebrity partners, Target House is a unique long-term housing facility, a home away from home, for families with children receiving lifesaving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Montoya had the opportunity to select a helmet designed by St. Jude patients who reside at Target House. Montoya: “I couldn’t be more honored to have a paint scheme that represents both Target House and St. Jude. This will definitely add to the race this weekend because it pushes you that much harder when you’re driving for these children, and a special cause such as this.”(EGR PR)(5-9-2009) Comment here
- Montoya signed for a few more years: from a GM Racing Transcript, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya was asked: "How long is your contract for that you're currently under? Do you miss Formula One at all?", Montoya said: "My contract is still a couple years, two, three, four, five, I don't know. I'm not going to tell you actually how long is my contract (laughter). But I don't miss Formula One at all."(GM Racing Transcript)(4-22-2009) Comment here
- #42 to car Tum's scheme at 'Dega: TUMS Dual Action will be the primary sponsor on Juan Pablo Montoya’s #42 Chevy from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the Aaron’s 499 at Talldega Superspeedway on April 26. The #42 TUMS Dual Action Chevy will feature a white and blue fading paint scheme with energy bolts on both sides of the car. In addition to the #42 TUMS Dual Action Chevy sponsorship at Talladega, TUMS serves as a tier-one sponsor for the #42 Target Chevrolet.(Tums Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #42 Team Schemes page.(4-20-2009) Comment here
- Dale Earnhardt Inc. appoints two new executives: Dale Earnhardt Inc. President and CEO Teresa Earnhardt announced the appointments of two executive leaders for the company on Thursday. Jeff Steiner was named Executive Vice President and General Manager responsible for the oversight and management of DEI, the Dale Earnhardt Foundation and special initiatives relating to Earnhardt properties. Steiner began his role at the company on April 1. Chad Warpula was appointed as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for DEI. Warpula will oversee the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates NASCAR Sprint Cup team and handle all legal matters for DEI, EGR and Earnhardt-Childress Racing. Both executives will report to Teresa Earnhardt.(Scene Daily)(4-10-2009) Comment here
- EGR looks to have a 'common chassis' soon: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing [#1-Truex Jr., #8-Almirola, #42-Montoya] is planning on a common chassis constructed using the best ideas from both elements of EGR. It might appear as early as in two weeks when the season resumes at Phoenix after next weekend's Easter break. EGR competition director Steve Hmiel said Truex and Montoya might be in "common cars" as early as in two weeks on the 1-mile Phoenix oval, or as late as the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. "There's one done now that could go to Phoenix if they desire," Hmiel said. "We finished one Thursday morning before we came out [to Texas] and we finished another one [Friday]."(NASCAR.com)(4-5-2009) Comment here
- Jamie McMurray rebuffs Montoya apology: #42- Juan Pablo Montoya attempted to apologize Friday morning to Roush Fenway Racing's #26-Jamie McMurray about an incident last week, but McMurray apparently wasn't interested in what he had to say. Montoya, who got into the back of McMurray last Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, approached McMurary on Friday morning at Martinsville Speedway, and things apparently got a little heated, according to witnesses in the garage. "I wanted to clarify what happened last weekend because I didn't want to have any trouble with anybody, but he didn't want to listen, and at this point it doesn't really matter," Montoya said. "He didn't act the way I thought he should have, and I'm above that." "I'm not really sure what he was trying to say," McMurray said. "It's not that I'm not interested in talking to him, it's just that I don't know what there is to talk about."(Scene Daily)(3-28-2009) Comment here
- “Lysol Clean” women’s bathrooms at some races: Lysol announced that it will educate families at NASCAR races around the country about the importance of disinfection to help protect themselves from germs and the illnesses they cause. Lysol will activate its sponsorship through comprehensive marketing programs on several levels throughout the year, including customer hospitality, product promotions and at-track marketing. Fans will have the opportunity to visit five “Lysol Clean” women’s bathrooms on-site at nine race events in 2009, each cleaned and maintained by Lysol Brand ambassadors: Bristol (2 races), Charlotte (2 races, All-Star and Oct), Atlanta (Sept), New Hampshire (Sept), Infineon, Texas (2 races). Other elements of the sponsorship include exit samplers at the bathrooms, the distribution of Lysol coupons, Sprint Vision ads, bathroom signage and the Lysol logo on fan guide track maps to help identify “Lysol Clean” bathrooms. Lysol is in its eighth year as part of the racing program of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as an associate sponsor. The partnership includes deck lid logo placement all season long on Juan Pablo Montoya’s #42 Target Chevy and a Lysol primary paint scheme for the October 17 race in Charlotte at Lowes Motor Speedway.(PR)(3-20-2009)
- Bobby Ginn says DEI owes Hendrick: Former team owner Bobby Ginn contends that he owes only 20% of the $1.5 million that Hendrick Motorsports is seeking from Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. because of the termination of Ginn’s engine contract with Hendrick in 2007, according to court documents. Hendrick Motorsports is suing DEI and Ginn in North Carolina Superior Court over the termination fee resulting from the merger of DEI and Ginn in July 2007. DEI claims Ginn Racing and Ginn are responsible for a $1.5 million fee that was due Nov. 15, 2008. Ginn states in a recent filing that because a new entity was created that was 80% owned by DEI and 20% owned by Ginn, that DEI is responsible for 80% of the fee due Hendrick. In filing his response to Hendrick’s and DEI’s claims, Ginn states that it had been agreed that the $1.5 million fee would be paid from operating revenues of the new entity, which was named “DEI/Ginn – Team #01.” If there were not sufficient revenues to pay the fee, then the responsibility for payment would be split 80/20, Ginn contends.
Although not broken down in the suit, 80% of $1.5 million would be $1.2 million, with $300,000 left for Ginn to pay. The $1.5 million fee was the second of two termination fees. The first payment of $1.754 million was paid by Ginn, with a portion of the proceeds received “as part of the merger and acquisition transaction,” according to Ginn’s filing.(SceneDaily)(3-17-2009)
- Johnson, Montoya could be called as witnesses in Castroneves trial: Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya and Roger Penske are among the potential witnesses that could be called in the tax evasion trial of open-wheel racing driver Helio Castroneves, his sister, Katiucia, and his attorney Alan Miller. The trial is scheduled to begin Monday in U.S. District Court in Miami. If convicted on all counts, all three defendants could face 78 months in prison, according to pretrial briefs. Miller, a noted sports attorney, has Johnson among his clients and has put Johnson and team owner Penske on his witness list. Montoya and other open-wheel drivers will also appear on the witness list for Castroneves, who has driven for Penske in the Indy Racing League. The scope of their potential testimony is not listed, and their inclusion on the witness list is no guarantee they will actually be called to testify.(more at SceneDaily)(2-28-2009) Comment here
- Energizer on the #42 at Las Vegas: The #42 Chevy of Juan Pablo Montoya will sport the Energizer paint scheme this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Crew Chief Brian Pattie and the #42 team will bring chassis #805 to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(EGR PR)(2-26-2009)
- Montoya, Speed not interested in F1: A new Formula One team based in the United States will announce its plans Tuesday, but no Sprint Cup drivers with connections to the series expect to be involved. #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, who has seven career Formula One victories, seemed surprised when asked about the pending announcement Friday at Auto Club Speedway in California. "I didn't even know there was supposed to be a team here," Montoya said. #82-Scott Speed, who competed in Formula One in 2006 and 2007, laughed when asked if he was going back to that circuit. "No, I don't think so," the Red Bull Racing driver said. "I've been there, done that."(Scene Daily)(2-22-2009) Comment here
- #8-#42 Owner Points Swap: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, whose largely sponsorless #8 Chevy was 14th in 2008 owner points, has swapped positions with new teammate #42-Juan Montoya, who was 25th last year while driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. The assumption is that if the #8 was shut down within the first five races, Montoya would have a nine-position advantage if qualifying was rained out. In conjunction with the point swaps, Chip Ganassi now owns the #8 and Teresa Earnhardt took ownership of the #42 from Ganassi's father, Floyd.(NASCAR.com)(2-7-2009) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- Montoya to run Daytona 24 for Ganassi: Defending Grand-Am Rolex 24 At Daytona winners Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today a two-car effort for the Rolex Sports Car Series’ 47th running of the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona, featuring six drivers representing some of the best talent the motor racing world has to offer. Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas will unite to form the driver lineup in the #01 TELMEX/Target Daytona Prototype, while Team Target IndyCar pilots Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti join Alex Lloyd in the #02 Target/TELMEX Daytona Prototype. Last year, the team became the first in history to win three consecutive overall titles in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The CGRFS roster will look to add to the record book this year with an impressive group of international racing champions representing three Indianapolis 500 titles (Montoya-2000, Franchitti-2007 and Dixon-2008), five open wheel championships (Montoya-1999, Dixon-2003/2008, Lloyd-2007 and Franchitti-2007), three Daytona Prototype championships (Pruett-2004/2006 and Pruett/Rojas-2007) and five former Rolex 24 winners.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(1-5-2009)
- 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)
- Bud Shootout Changes: With Earnhardt Ganassi Racing going to Chevy and Robby Gordon Motorsports going to Toyota, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya [from Dodge to Chevy] will fall out of the 2009 Budweiser Shootout and the #10-Gillette Evernham Motorsports Dodge will move in. See what the lineup looks like now on my 2009 Budweiser Shootout page.(12-16-2008)
- 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) Comment here
- Montoya out of Bud Shootout if in a Chevy: Chip Ganassi Racing’s #42-Juan Pablo Montoya will not be allowed to use one of Dodge’s spots in the 2009 Budweiser Shooutout if the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team switches to Chevrolet. According to the new rules, the top six teams from each manufacturer from the previous year qualify for the Shootout. When the new rules were announced in August, NASCAR officials said the issue of teams switching manufacturers in the offseason still needed to be worked out.
While Earnhardt-Ganassi officials say they have not finalized a manufacturer, NASCAR Vice President of Operations Steve O’Donnell said Saturday morning that the teams will use their points from the previous year but their manufacturer of the current year to determine berths in the preseason event that comes eight days prior to the Daytona 500. “It will be the top six Dodges starting for the ’09 season,” O’Donnell said. “Juan Pablo would be a Chevrolet. Let’s say Juan Pablo fell in #5 at Chevrolet, then Chevrolet [could use him].”
Montoya wouldn't fall in the top six in Chevrolet, but what would happen with the final Dodge spot? The #42 Ganassi team is the sixth-ranked Dodge team, while the #41 Ganassi team is seventh. Next in line? Robby Gordon. As long as he remains a Dodge. If not him, then Penske Racing's Sam Hornish would get the spot. “We’ll have six teams with Dodge on the jersey,” Dodge Motorsports’ Mike Delahanty said.
If all teams keep their current manufacturers, the Chevrolet drivers in the Budweiser Shootout will be Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears (as driver of the #07 Richard Childress Racing car), Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The Fords will be Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Jamie McMurray and Travis Kvapil.
The Toyotas will be Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano (driving the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing car), Brian Vickers, and David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip leads Dave Blaney by 55 points for the final Toyota spot.
The Dodge teams will be Kasey Kahne, David Stremme (in the #12 Penske Racing car), Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Elliott Sadler and then Montoya if he remains a Dodge.(SceneDaily), see more and the chart on my 2009 Budweiser Shootout page.(11-15-2008) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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)
- Juicy Fruit on the #42 for Homestead: The bright yellow color of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Slim Pack will adorn the hood of the #42 Dodge Charger of Juan Pablo Montoya for the 2008 NSCS season finale this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(CGRFS PR), see images of the scheme on my #42 Team Schemes page.(11-14-2008)
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- Montoya turns down F1: Team boss Franz Tost sounded out whether Juan Pablo Montoya, a winner of seven Grand Prix, might be interested in returning to F1 with Toro Rosso in 2009. Montoya, 33, was a frontrunner with Williams and McLaren until a drop in form in 2006 led to his switch to NASCAR. But with Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost needing to fill Sebastian Vettel's seat, the Austrian admitted he looked into whether Colombian Montoya might be ready to return to the series. "Unfortunately he no longer wants to be in Formula One," Tost is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport.(F1-Live.com)(11-10-2008) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- Last race for Texaco: Texaco/Havoline will adorn the hood of the #42 Dodge Charger of Juan Pablo Montoya for the last time this season. This will be the final paint scheme for Texaco/Havoline Racing after 22 years in the sport.(CGRFS PR)(11-5-2008) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- No further penalty for Gilliland: #38-David Gilliland swore that he didn’t mean to tag #42-Juan Pablo Montoya on lap 263 of the Dickies 500, but that didn’t mean that NASCAR didn’t penalize him. NASCAR parked Gilliland after the accident, which left Montoya fuming and with a torn-up race car. Gilliland didn’t tear up his race car, but NASCAR sat him for the rest of the race leaving him in 42nd while Montoya was 43rd. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby said there will be no further penalties although both drivers likely will be talked to again prior to practice at Phoenix informing them not to keep the feud going on the race track.(Scene Daily)(11-3-2008) Comment here
- Juicy Fruit scheme for Montoya at LMS: The #42 Dodge of Juan Pablo Montota will sport the colors of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway (LMS). The Juicy Fruit Slim Pack car will be seen once more this season in the Sprint Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(CGRFS PR), see images of the scheme on my #42 Team Scheme page.(10-10-2008)
- Mars Acquires Wrigley: In a move that ends more than a century of family control, shareholders of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. approved the company’s $23 billion sale to Mars Inc., which now becomes the world’s largest candy maker. The deal, which bumps Britain’s Cadbury PLC from the top candy-making slot, will offer gums such as Juicy Fruit and Big Red, M&Ms, Snickers and Skittles under the same corporate banner. Under Mars’ ownership, the firm will be able to grow in new directions, Bill Wrigley Jr. said. Wrigley’s is slated to take over control of Mars’ non-chocolate candy, such as Starburst and Skittles.(csnews.com), no word on how or if it will effect the sponsorship of the #18 M&M's Toyota of Kyle Busch or the #42 Big Red/Juicy Fruit Dodge of Juan Pablo Montoya.(10-2-2008)
- #42 team likly not to be penalized: Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said Sunday that Chip Ganassi Racing and Brian Pattie, crew chief for the #42 Dodge of Juan Pablo Montoya, are not likely to be hit with any further penalties for the technical violation that cost them the Kansas pole. "We'll continue to review it, but this is a lot like when we find a car is a little too high or too low in inspection," Pemberton said. "It's not a major offense and losing the pole is probably enough of a penalty." Montoya beat out #48-Jimmie Johnson for his first Cup pole on Friday, but the postqualifying inspection found the gas pressure in his rear shocks exceeded the allowable maximum. Johnson was moved up to the pole and Montoya had to start 42nd. Montoya did the best he could with a tough situation, moving his way up to 16th in the first 100 laps and finishing 20th. "To get a top-20 from starting dead last is a pretty good day here," Pattie said.(Associated Press/ESPN)(9-29-2008) Comment here
- Montoya on pole at Kansas: UPDATE: Time Disallowed: #42-Juan Montoya won the Coor's Light Pole for the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway with a speed of 172.150mph for his first pole of this NASCAR career. #48-Johnson will start 2nd followed by #8-Martin, #17-Kenseth, #19-Sadler, #1-Truex, Jr., #15-Menard, #21-Elliott, #9-Kahne, and #83-Vickers. #88-Earnhardt Jr. will start 12th, #18-Busch 28th, #99-Edwards 35th, and #20-Stewart 42nd.
The Go-or-go homers [non top 35 in owners pts] to make the race: #21-Elliott, #10-Carpentier, #47-Ambrose, #45-Petty, #77-Hornish, Jr., #70-Raines, #96-Logano, and #78-Nemechek. Missing the race are #00-McDowell and #08-Sauter.
UPDATE: Montoya's time has been disallowed due to the fact that the car's rear shock exceeded the maximum pressure allowed. He will start 42nd.
See starting lineup, qualifying results/order, pole progression and more on my Kansas Starting Lineup/Qualifying Results page.(9-26-2008)
- 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) Comment here
- Big Red scheme for Montoya: The #42 Dodge of Juan Pablo Montoya will carry the bold red scheme of Big Red for this weekend’s 400-lap race in Dover. The #42 Dodge will carry the Big Red Slim Pack colors in one more event after Dover this season at Martinsville Speedway. Montoya will be celebrating his birthday this weekend at Dover. He turns 33 on Saturday.(CGWFS PR), see my #42 Team Schemes page for the image of the car.(9-17-2008)
- 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) Comment here
- Montoya confident in direction of Ganassi team: He's lost both of his teammates and his primary sponsor, yet #42-Juan Pablo Montoya remains staunchly committed to car owner Chip Ganassi. So much so, Montoya insists Ganassi is being unfairly critiqued for his struggling NASCAR program. "I think the NASCAR organization has to go through major changes, and that's the process we are going through right now," said Montoya, a former Formula One driver who won an Indianapolis 500 driving for Ganassi. "In a way, it's good because everyone who is here wants to succeed and wants to be here. Chip is working very hard to get us better. Are we there? No. But things are starting to click and there's a lot of things coming, and when all those things arrive and you put them in place, we'll be in good shape." Montoya, who was openly critical of Ganassi earlier this season after a series of crew changes, said his boss has everything under control. "If I wasn't committed to him, and believed in him, then I wouldn't be here," Montoya said. "It's that simple."(full story and Q&A at Associated Press/ESPN.com)(9-10-2008) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- 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) Comment here
- Big Red Slim Pack on the #42: The #42 Dodge will sport the Wrigley's Big Red Slim Pack paint scheme this weekend for the Brickyard 400 at IMS. Indy will be the fifth time this season Montoya's car will carry the bold red colors of Big Red.(Chip Ganassi Racing)(7-23-2008)
- 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) Comment here
