from a Q&A at USA Today:
Q.) Will Chip Ganassi’s team let Jamie McMurray out of his contract for next season?
A:) No. Team co-owner Felix Sabates said Thursday that the team would pick up its option on McMurray’s contract for next season and expected him to honor it. “There never was any question on our part,” Sabates said. Sabates said McMurray would remain in the No. 42 car with sponsorship from Havoline next year. Ganassi hasn’t announced its full driver lineup for next season; Casey Mears’ fate is still up in the air, and the team might expand to four cars in an attempt to keep up with the Roush and Hendrick superteams. “We’ve talked about it, but right now we don’t have anything in concrete,” Sabates said.(USA Today)(7-22-2005)
UPDATE: It looks more and more like Mark Martin will be back in the #6-car next season. When car owner Felix Sabatas told USA Today the team would pick up its option on Jamie McMurray’s contract for 2006 Mark Martin’s reaction was “That’s what I would do if I was them. You know Jamie is probably the most sought after driver in the cup garage…we’re fortunate enough to have him signed up for ’07…that’s where we’re at…we’ll see what happens and if it’s ’07 then it’s ’07 and I’ll drive the car” in ’06.(PRN’s Garage Pass Radio Show)(7-22-2005)
