Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart and car owner Chip Ganassi have spoken about teaming up at some point. Ganassi fielded an IRL car for Stewart two years ago in the Indianapolis 500 and said Friday that partnership could eventually lead to a merger. Stewart’s current team, Joe Gibbs Racing, offered him a contract extension, but Stewart says he hasn’t looked at it. His deal expires at the end of the 2004 season and there’s been rampant speculation that Ganassi is trying to land him. “Tony drove for us a couple years ago, and we’ve had an ongoing rapport since then,” Ganassi said. “And we have talked about the possibility of him driving a Winston Cup car for us someday if he ever became available.” Stewart has repeatedly denied having any contact with Ganassi, and the car owner was not specific about when the two last talked. The discussion of Stewart’s future has followed him to Indy, his home track, where is he preparing for the Brickyard 400 on Sunday. Because Gibbs likes to renew contracts before they expire – teammate Bobby Labonte re-signed last month – the talks have started with Stewart. “Any car owner on top of his game would be remiss not to try to talk to him,” Ganassi said. “There’s a big difference between a guy who can win races and a guy who can win championships, and Tony can win championships.” NASCAR does not have rules prohibiting a car owner from pursuing a driver already under contract, although some owners wait out of respect until deals are expiring before talking to a driver. But because contracts can easily be bought out, others are more aggressive. Gibbs is currently negotiating with sponsor Home Depot and crew chief Greg Zipadelli on contract extensions to keep the team together past 2004. Those deals are believed to be close to done. The speculation over Stewart’s future has swirled through the garage area for the past month or so, and is now involving other drivers and teams. Earlier Friday, Dale Jarrett used a news conference honoring former Brickyard winners to tersely deny speculation that he would leave Robert Yates Racing to take Stewart’s seat at Gibbs if it opened up. The natural fit for Stewart would be joining Ganassi, who could enter him in the Indy 500 – the one race Stewart truly covets – every year. Stewart has not run Indy since Ganassi gave him a car in 2001, focusing on his Winston Cup effort the past two years. But Ganassi said the two spoke the past two years about entering the race.( Thatsracin.com/AP )(8-1-2003)
