Ganassi shuts down the #40 team

[Jag_Warrior]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYgf0I1bODWitVpgYeQ2n0rZB-7QD91L93H81

So where does this leave Dario?

[Sparky1329]

Unemployed would be my guess.

[Jonesi]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYgf0I1bODWitVpgYeQ2n0rZB-7QD91L93H81
So where does this leave Dario?

Spending all day Saturday in bed with Ashley. ;-)

[Lee Roy]

I imagine that the Indy Car fans won't have to worry about their champions being picked up by NASCAR teams in the future.

[Sparky1329]

Spending all day Saturday in bed with Ashley. ;-)


Such smartazzes we are. :D

[Jag_Warrior]

I imagine that the Indy Car fans won't have to worry about their champions being picked up by NASCAR teams in the future.

I'd say all the big pups have already been taken. Not much more than runts left now. There's still a little one named Danica that barks a lot. I don't think she can hunt, but people sure do like to watch her run around the yard.

[Jag_Warrior]

Spending all day Saturday in bed with Ashley. ;-)

Even back in the day, I just never saw what the big deal was about her. But a friend of mine spotted Kim Alexis at the DC ALMS race and told me to say hello and stand beside her while he took a picture. I instantly turned into Gomer Pyle and couldn't speak (which is unusual for me :D ). But Ashley? Eh. :dozey: Personal preference, I guess.

But back to Dario. Does he have a Nationwide ride he's been part of?

[Simmi]

I feel for Dario in as much that the team from what I can tell couldnt give him a competitive car and the Ganassi team has hardly been a study basis from which to start a Nascar career.

I think he said as much when he said his and Montoya's debut seasons couldnt be compared due to the differences at the organisation this season.

A number of experienced drivers couldn't do anything with the 40 while Dario was injured, and it is just unfortunate that his performances (Infineon aside) looked to be picking up, just without the results to show for it.

[RaceFanStan]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYgf0I1bODWitVpgYeQ2n0rZB-7QD91L93H81

So where does this leave Dario?
According to that'sracin'.com :
Dario Franchitti may land in a Ganassi owned Nationwide Series car ... :rolleyes:
at least for the rest of this year ... :s
That is NOT the way to treat an IndyCar Champion !!! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif

http://www.thatsracin.com/247/story/16161.html

I imagine that Dario Franchitti is a very dissappointed driver right about now. :s
Dario can probably join Villenue at his Sunday bbq partys now & WATCH the Cup race on tv ... ;)

[BobbyC]

Actually he might take this "down" move to be a good thing. He had been contracted to do selected Nationwide races with Fastenal sponsorship with Bryan Clauson doing the other races in the NNS #40. Chip, Dario, and Bryan will probably work things out so that the NNS #40 will be Franchitti's for the rest of the season and Clauson will be in the NNS #41 for the rest of the year -- the Fastenal Dodge is exempt. As David Stremme learned, moving down to get back up can be a good thing.

Too bad for Dario that it took place after both Nashville races had been run -- it's his "home" track. But maybe the right thing is to run the majority of the Nationwide races and wait for sponsorship to come back up the Cup level. Might be a better thing with races at Gateway, Memphis (another home state race for the Williamson County resident), Montréal, and probably selected Cup races will be added should sponsorship be available (probably Watkins Glen).

The NNS experience has been better for him, so it could be a blessing in disguise.

[tstran17_88]

I've always been a huge Sam Hornish fan when he ran IRL, but I made comments to family and friends that it will be a toss up who will end up back in the IRL first between Dario and Sam and it killed me to say that about Sam. But it does make me feel better that Dario is the first to head back with his tail between his legs. I'm still holding out hope that Sam will do well in NASCAR, but it's been an uphill climb even with the point swap with Kurt Busch.

As far as the other open wheel drivers go, I'm surprised that AJ Almendinger isn't already gone and my guess was that Scott Speed wouldn't have lasted a month or two. But even though Scott is a dork, he has me impressed with his driving and I figure he'll be better than JPM in NASCAR in the future.

JPM was good on the 1 1/2 and 2 mile tracks last year with the old car and kicked butt on road courses, which was expected. But he is terrible with the COT this year on just about every track except the road courses.

[harvick#1]

maybe Ganassi should just make a 3rd car for the IRL and stick him there.

[gm99]

maybe Ganassi should just make a 3rd car for the IRL and stick him there.

I don't think it would make much sense for Dario:

The biggest race of the year is run already and joining now, he has no chance of challenging for the title. He might even have to support Dixon and Wheldon in their title quest. Having left the IRL as both reigning Indy 500 winner and series champion, that would be several steps backwards for Dario.

I guess he'll just be doing some Nationwide races to gain more stock car experience and then take over Sorenson's Cup ride for 2009.

[BobbyC]

I've always been a huge Sam Hornish fan when he ran IRL, but I made comments to family and friends that it will be a toss up who will end up back in the IRL first between Dario and Sam and it killed me to say that about Sam. But it does make me feel better that Dario is the first to head back with his tail between his legs. I'm still holding out hope that Sam will do well in NASCAR, but it's been an uphill climb even with the point swap with Kurt Busch.

As far as the other open wheel drivers go, I'm surprised that AJ Almendinger isn't already gone and my guess was that Scott Speed wouldn't have lasted a month or two. But even though Scott is a dork, he has me impressed with his driving and I figure he'll be better than JPM in NASCAR in the future.

JPM was good on the 1 1/2 and 2 mile tracks last year with the old car and kicked butt on road courses, which was expected. But he is terrible with the COT this year on just about every track except the road courses.

It's not just JPM -- it's the entire Ganassi organisation that has suffered this year. Loudon looked like a turning point. Daytona is a good omen (the team finished second at Talladega) however.

But I do think Franchitti will run the Nationwide Series with Clauson running a second car or Chip working a deal with one of the more "independent" NNS Dodge teams to help that team to give Bryan that time. That NNS team has Fastenal sponsorship for the whole season.

Allmendinger is improving according to sources inside TRB. The entire Red Bull organisation struggled all last year and only now is starting to show its mettle especially with All-Star weekend.

[oldhippie]

another irl driver bites the dust
being out of the top 35 had to contribute

[Mark in Oshawa]

Dario Got SCREWED! First off, Ganassi has not put competitive cars week after week on the track. No Dodge team really has but at least the progress at Evernham proves that a Dodge canrun up front. Two, Dario I am sure came to NASCARon the theory that he would have a ride FULL TIME. No issues...no drama. Instead he has had no one sponsor of note, and I am sure he would have stayed in the IRL if he saw all this coming. Chip has a responsiblity to back up his promises and I am sure Dario didn't sign on the idea that there was a chance of a ride or that things would be up in the air. Add in the genreal dysfunction at Ganassi and you have the makings of a mess.

Chip didn't want to lose money on this team and he didn't want to fund the team but he would have been better off to make the decision Bill Davis did when he canned the Villeneuve effort right from the start of the season. Either you have the money for the year or you don't. Trying to cash in on the populairty of an open wheeled champion in today's economy just was not a good idea. The whole point of these OW guys coming to NASCAR is the theory that they are "names" and would attract sponsors that a David Stremme would not. Well we found that is a fallacy. There is a lot of things that suck about this. 71 people lose their jobs, Chip admits he isn't the genius he thinks he is and Dario is now a spectator. I hope no one thinks he cant do the job. We don't know just how messed up this outfit is, but I can tell you that there is a lot more going on we don't see. Look for JPM to want out if this crap of chaos management holds sway.

[Lee Roy]

Franchitti started off the season with a 5 race head start (a car in the top 35 in points from the prior season). By the time those first 5 races were over, Franchitti had fallen outside the top 35. The #42 and #41 are still in the top 35.

[RaceFanStan]

Dario Got SCREWED!
First off, Ganassi has not put competitive cars week after week on the track.
No Dodge team really has but at least the progress at Evernham proves that a Dodge can run up front.
Two, Dario I am sure came to NASCARon the theory that he would have a ride FULL TIME.
No issues...no drama.
Instead he has had no one sponsor of note, and I am sure he would have stayed in the IRL if he saw all this coming.
Chip has a responsiblity to back up his promises
and I am sure Dario didn't sign on the idea that there was a chance of a ride or that things would be up in the air.
Add in the genreal dysfunction at Ganassi and you have the makings of a mess .....

..... Trying to cash in on the populairty of an open wheeled champion in today's economy just was not a good idea.
The whole point of these OW guys coming to NASCAR is the theory that they are "names" and would attract sponsors
that a David Stremme would not. Well we found that is a fallacy.
There is a lot of things that suck about this.
71 people lose their jobs, Chip admits he isn't the genius he thinks he is and Dario is now a spectator .....
I agree completely Mark.
Dario DID get screwed, it was big & it wasn't lubricated ! :s
I'm sure Dario Franchitti had expectations that were not fulfilled ...
he was thrown into Cup racing without enough preparation but he was learning quickly.
IMO GanASSi has a lot to learn about how to treat his people. :s

[RaceFanStan]

Franchitti started off the season with a 5 race head start (a car in the top 35 in points from the prior season).
By the time those first 5 races were over, Franchitti had fallen outside the top 35.
The #42 and #41 are still in the top 35.
That is very true & cannot be denied.
However a person must realize that JPM & Sorenson had stockcar experience & Dario did NOT.
GanASSi rushed Dario into Cup & when Dario didn't learn fast enough to suit him, he hung Dario out.
A contract means nothing to GanASSi & giving his word means nothing either ! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

[Lee Roy]

I guess he thought he'd get more out of the Indy 500 champ. I guess he also though that the winner of the Indy 500 would help to attract a sponsor.

[Sparky1329]

That is very true & cannot be denied.
However a person must realize that JPM & Sorenson had stockcar experience & Dario did NOT.
GanASSi rushed Dario into Cup & when Dario didn't learn fast enough to suit him, he hung Dario out.
A contract means nothing to GanASSi & giving his word means nothing either ! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

Africkenmen!

[Jag_Warrior]

I guess he thought he'd get more out of the Indy 500 champ. I guess he also though that the winner of the Indy 500 would help to attract a sponsor.

Sometimes when I wake up, I think I'm still in 1988. Maybe that's what happened to Chip when he hired "the Indy 500 Champ".

Sorry, Chip. Being the Indy 500 winner is no longer like being in the bar from Cheers, "where everybody knows your name."

[Jag_Warrior]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2008-07-02-3931033033_x.htm


"Let's see what the future holds. I really just need to sit with Chip and see where his head is," he said. "But NASCAR is where I want to be. I want to be successful here and I certainly don't want it to end like this.

"When I made the decision to come here, I wasn't going to do the IndyCar thing anymore so this isn't a case of missing out on what could have been in Indy cars," Franchitti said. "That just wasn't a direction I wanted to go in. Never say never, but it's unlikely I'll go back."

[tstran17_88]

I guess he'll just be doing some Nationwide races to gain more stock car experience and then take over Sorenson's Cup ride for 2009.Talk about a win-win. Reed needs to be in better equipment...he's not as bad as the results have shown. The sooner he gets out from under the Chipster...the better!

[Bobby_Hamlin]

The biggest problem is that Ganassi are struggling and the #40 in particular is junk. They brought in some experience while Franchitti was injured and fared no better - they needed to shut it down, it wasn't worth the expenditure; and hell when you can't run two cars competitively you have no chance running three.

But yeah go ahead and whoop it up on the Indy 500 angle, however it's got very little to do with this story. Sure Franchitti's inexperience in stock cars may have exacerbated the situation a time or two but he's shown some promise in the Nationwide series and it's no surprise that he wants to stick it out.

Tail between his legs? Hardly.

[oldhippie]

note - felix sabates is part owner of the 40 team
felix sabates sold major ownership of all of his team to chip ganassi
felix sabates retained an interest in the 40 team as a part owner
felix sabates had coors locked in as a sponsor but the contract ran out and coors is gone

the 41 and 42 are owned by chip ganassi
a shut down team isnt as valuable as a prospering team
expect ganassi to buy sabates out completely and the 40 car to return next year
nascar has become big business
team ownership can have many twists and turns

goodbye felix sabates

[Old3Fan]

(So where does this leave Dario?)
Spending some quality time with Ashley :)

[Simmi]

The whole operation is messed up and I'm so surprised Montoya isn't trying his best to get the heck out of there (especially with Gibbs quoted as saying they admire him). If he did that would leave somewhere else for Dario to fit back in next year. In reality it could be a blessing in disguise if Dario takes the Nationwide option and comes back to Cup for 09.

[RaceFanStan]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/08/scs.gif

Dario Franchitti is now looking for a Cup Series ride with another team ...
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/07/10/dfranchitti.shocked.disappointed/index.html


http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/n.jpg


The sad thing is that Dario Franchitti doesn't have an attractive Cup stat sheet ...
10 starts, 0 wins, 0 top 5s, 0 top 10s (41st in points) ...

Dario Franchitti's Nationwide Series stats aren't impressive either ...
10 starts, 0 wins, 0 top 5s, 1 top 10 (30th in points) ...

Good Luck Dario :D :up:
(You were done wrong by Ganassi, I hope another Cup team gives you a chance.)

[Lemmy-Boy]

Perhaps Ganassi is spreading himself too thin with all his racing teams (IRL, GrandAm, & NASCAR) especially with the economy on the downturn and sponsorship opportunities becoming a lot more harder with back marker teams. Team Penske is having a hard enough time succeeding in Nascar as well.

Both teams are IRL front runners but we know Nascar is an entirely different beast.

I also hope Monty gets a better ride in the future. It would be great to see him in a top team.