CUP: Ganassi Says Team In Good Shape

Sprint Cup

CUP: Ganassi Says Team In Good Shape

Juan Pablo Montoya is poised to become the first of Chip Ganassi’s drivers to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup...

Tom Jensen | Posted July 24, 2009 Indianapolis, IN

Chip Ganassi (Left), co-owner of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, with Juan Pablo Montoya (Right). (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Danica Patrick is now in her last year under contract with Andretti-Green Racing and rumors are that she will move to NASCAR. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Chip Ganassi has a message to his critics: Reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Ganassi, co-owner of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates said Friday that he’s tired of the rumors that his team is in financial trouble or otherwise struggling. In fact, it’s just the opposite Ganassi said at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he and driver Juan Pablo Montoya unveiled a retro Target paint scheme similar to the one the Colombian driver had when he won the 2000 Indy 500. Montoya will be a guest on SPEED’s “Trackside At …” live Friday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.

“We’re where we were last year,” said Ganassi, who fields cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, IndyCar and Grand Am series. “We’re a five-car team and we’ve got four and three-quarters of our cars sponsored (for 2010). I’m not a two-car team, I’m not going out of business. Sorry to disappoint you guys. I’m not all in shambles, I’m not all upside down or whatever I was.”

Montoya currently ranks ninth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings, with an excellent chance to become the first Ganassi driver to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Martin Truex Jr., EGR’s other Cup driver, will be leaving next season to join Michael Waltrip Racing, but Ganassi should have no trouble filing his seat.

While Ganassi confirmed he’s talked with Danica Patrick about her joining his operation, he thinks she is better suited right now remaining in IndyCars than trying to move to NASCAR. But he insisted he’s nowhere close to a deal with Patrick, the hottest free agent driver on the market of any series right now.

“Like a lot of teams, we’ve had discussions and she’s on the market right now,” said Ganassi. “And she’s ready to make the next step in her career, wherever that takes her. I wish I could tell you I’m a lot further down the road on that, but I think the fact of the matter is, like most other teams, we’re in the top of the first inning on that subject. … You might characterize it as we’re on the pace lap with her, you know? It’s way early.”

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Tom Jensen

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