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 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, Juan Pablo Montoya and 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. “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.
Aric Almirola says he doesn’t know if or how often he’ll be driving the No. 8 Chevrolets for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2009. “It’s confusing, it’s exciting, it’s everything all at once,” Almirola said.
“It has been a basket case of emotions, that’s for sure. ...As far as I know, we’re still planning on running four cars. I think that they’ll look at their financial situation and see whatever they have to do to make that all work out for them.”
“Sorry I can’t answer your question, but the honest answer is I don’t know.”
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