Driver defections and sponsor cutbacks have raised never-ending questions about Chip Ganassi’s organization during his roller-coaster nine seasons in NASCAR.
And he’s never panicked.
That steadiness at the top has given his team its first shot at a Sprint Cup title this season. Juan Pablo Montoya, the fiercely loyal Ganassi driver who left Formula One to reunite in NASCAR with his old boss, earned the team its first berth in the Chase for the championship and is considered by many to have a shot at the title.
“I hope Juan’s spot in the Chase silences some people,” Ganassi said. “I try not to listen to the pundits too much. But our team has taken a lot of shots over the years, and my hope is that this silences some of that. This shows we’re competitive, that our business model is viable and real, and the way we operate our teams can work.”
Plus, he’s in contention for championships this season in NASCAR, IndyCar and the Grand-Am Series.
“That’s a nice feather in our cap,” Ganassi said. “So many people think we’re a two-car NASCAR team, or a two IndyCar team. But the fact is, we operate five cars and ... have (four) shots at the championship. We have a legitimate shot in all three series. It’s a great position to be in.”
He rattles off the list of people who have made the team’s success possible - among them partner Felix Sabates, longtime IndyCar team manager Mike Hull and sponsor Target, which is celebrating its 20th year with Ganassi. And he also has praise for Teresa Earnhardt, who merged with Ganassi and Sabates last November to strengthen the two slumping organizations.
Each side had sponsorship concerns, and Ganassi was trying to flee cash-strapped Dodge before the bottom fell out for the manufacturer.
There’s still pressing issues surrounding his organization, among them naming a replacement for Truex and selling off the portion of races Bass Pro Shops isn’t planning to cover in 2010. But for now, his focus is on winning championships and figuring out which race to attend this weekend.
He won’t make the trip to Japan, and will let weather dictate if he goes to New Hampshire for NASCAR or Utah for Grand-Am.
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