Ganassi looking for 'sperience

H

HardScrabble

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According to Andy Graves. The team's focus is to win now and grooming a young driver is not in the program.

With the young drivers we have seen over the last few years, the validity of this philosophy is questionable, but it's their call.

From NOL:

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) -- Don't look for car owner Chip Ganassi to hire an inexperienced driver or one from an open-wheel series for the third team he plans to field next season.


Andy Graves, team manager at Ganassi, said the organization is based on results now and doesn't have the patience to groom a driver. They proved that last year when they let Jason Leffler go after a poor rookie season and hired veteran Jimmy Spencer.

"The bottom line is performance and we're here for only one thing -- to win races,'' Graves said. ``It's something we talk about all the time, how can we groom someone and still win? I don't think our program has the patience for that.''

Ganassi, a huge success in the open-wheel series, is off to a fast start in his second year in NASCAR. Sterling Marlin finished third in the points last year and has been on top of the Winston Cup standings since the second week of this season.

He's now committed to fielding a third team next season, but lost out on his bid to hire Ricky Rudd. So he's now interviewing candidates and the talent pool is slim.


Ken Schrader, Bobby Hamilton and Jerry Nadeau are all looking for rides for next year and John Andretti's deal at Petty Enterprises ends at the end of this season.

The lack of available drivers has led to speculation that Ganassi could reach into the Busch series for a driver or lure someone over from open-wheel.

Graves said he'd like to work with an open-wheel driver, but doesn't think Ganassi will bring one over because of the time it would take the hire to adjust to stock-cars.

"I think we will someday see some open-wheel guys coming over here, but it will probably take a couple of years for them to be competitive,'' Graves said. "In our garage, a year is a long time to wait through adjustments.''
 
Would not surprise me if they go with Kenny Schrader Scrabble.
 
Would please me to no end to see Kenny in the car.

I hear tell, but don't know how true, that John Andretti may be the leading candidate for the ride. Gives John a good shot at running Indy again which he absolutley wants to do. It is reported that John has contracts in hand from PE, but has not yet signed the deal.

Hamilton is allegedly the top candidate for the #44 ride at PE, Kyle btw says there will 3 cars nest season despite some rumblings to the contrary.

Kenny may stay right where he is. Jay Frye claims to have a sponsor near lined up for next season. But we hear that so often and nothing happens that I remain skeptical.

Back to complete the circle, If Andretti leaves PE, Kenny might land a ride there. If Andretti does not leave PE, Maybe Kenny can land the Ganassi ride.

Big wheels keep on turning:D
 
Scrabble,Everone has ask why Wall Marts doesn,t sponser a race car.There is a lot of table talk comming out of St Louis that Kenny is talking to Lowery who owns the St Louis Blues,And his wife is the daughter of Sam Walton.Rumor around I-55 speedway,And I push the fact that these are only rumors,is that Kenny may be locking in a deal to fly the Wall Mart flag with The Blues,and Rams sharing some fender spots.This would not be a total surprise since Kenny is a hero in the St Louis area.He makes a lot of presence on off weekends at two local tracks.Bellclair Speedway,and I-55 Both Dirt tracks.
 
PB, realizing that it is all table talk.

If Kenny can get this sponsorship package put together where does he go with it?

Keep it with the 36, start his own WC team, buy part of the 36 team, shop it to other WC teams, etc, etc.

Any talk about that that ya hear?
 
Well,I have heard Jerry Jones mentioned once or twice,But It seemed that Kenny knows he needs the sponser before he could do the dance.Maybe him and Andy Petree again. I really don't know can only speculate like everyone else.But it would be nice to have a sponser like that when you are promoting yourself.Kenny is like the kid who gets picked last in sandlot baseball,He usually shows up when you least expect him.I don't think there is enough chemistry where he is now.He would benefit a fresh start with strong sponser support for sure.
 
I've read in the past from marketing people with Wal-Mart that racing sponsorship is not in their plans. Dunno why, maybe because they're doing very well without dropping $12-15M on motorsport sponsorship. I do think that they could find a niche in Winston Cup.

I'd think the tennis shoe industry might make a go of it as well. Nike and Reebok certainly could find some coin to throw at Cup.
 
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