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Earnhardt Ganassi president says team is stable; Truex leaving on good terms
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya (left), Martin Truex Jr. (center) and Aric Almirola sign autographs earlier this season.
Sam Cranston
NASCAR Scene
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta says he could understand what Martin Truex Jr. was saying when the driver commented that he is leaving EGR for Michael Waltrip Racing in part because MWR has fewer questions about its future. But Lauletta is looking optimistically at the future of his own organization.
EGR was formed at the end of last season as a merger of Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing. The organization started with three cars this year but suspended operations for Aric Almirola in April. Driver Juan Pablo Montoya is 11th in the standings while Truex is 24th.
“I think we’re very stable,” Lauletta said in a phone interview Tuesday. “We have a car sitting in the top 12. We’ve got really good sponsors. However, there are a couple of things that I know he’s alluding to, one of those being manufacturer. We’ve been working with General Motors. We all know that story. We’re very happy with what we’re doing with [Earnhardt Childress Racing engines] and our relationship with Chevrolet. We all had to make adjustments based on bankruptcy. They’re obviously Toyota and they’re not having the same discussions.
“And the other part of it is with their deal with NAPA being a [reportedly] three-year deal for the entire car, that’s a lot different position than we’re in currently with the [No.] 1. We have an agreement with Bass [Pro Shops] for next year that is more than half the season but it’s not the full season. There certainly are some things I can see where he’s coming from.”
Truex addressed his team members Tuesday about his decision.
“We had really good dialogue,” Lauletta said about the negotiations with Truex. “These decisions are made every day. We make them. There are a lot of things that I am sure Martin considered and there are a lot of things that we did. We wish him the best and he’s leaving us on good terms.”
Truex’s leaving for MWR obviously creates an opening with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Lauletta said he expects Bass Pro Shops to remain with the team and hopes to find the best fit for them as a sponsor and for the team as a driver.
“We owe it to our organization, and we certainly owe it to Bass and the conversations that we’ve been having with them already, to make sure that we can, as quickly as possible, get our ducks in a row on the options that we have,” Lauletta said. “All the considerations and options, we’ll keep those internal. It won’t be a tremendously long list, but we feel like we’ve got some really, really good options.”
As far as Almirola, who is not signed with the organization for 2010, Lauletta said EGR is looking more for the remainder of 2009 for Almirola than 2010 right now.
“Our focus for Aric is to get the [No.] 8 back on the track,” Lauletta said. “That’s the ride he started the year in, and that’s part of what we’ve been talking with companies about since we suspended operations of that car. … Right now, that’s our main focus and we’ll see if that plays where then he does become an option for 2010.”
Lauletta reiterated what Truex had said earlier in the day that Truex will remain in the No. 1 car the rest of this year.
“We wanted to keep the momentum going as an organization,” Lauletta said. “We feel like the partnership with EGR is working. We’re performing better on the track with both cars, particularly the results obviously speak for themselves with Juan.
“We want to keep that going. Martin is fully committed to do that and finish out the year in the 1 car and to help Juan get into the Chase and stay there and to win races. We don’t anticipate any changes the rest of the season on that team and with Martin.”
Mentioned Drivers: Martin Truex Jr.
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6492 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -108 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -169 |
| 4 | Kurt Busch | -211 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -285 |
| 6 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -289 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -321 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | -352 |
| 9 | Ryan Newman | -411 |
| 10 | Kasey Kahne | -476 |
| 11 | Carl Edwards | -520 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -666 |
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Comments
17 responses to "Earnhardt Ganassi president says team is stable; Truex leaving on good terms". Post a Comment.
amalycke said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 7:24 PMHearing that multiple sources are now indicating that Donnie Neuenberger is on the very short list as he has the credentials, meets the prerequisites, and comes with a literal plethera of DC/ Baltimore based backed sponsors. Those companies that could front the money to EGR's Steve Lauretta are: Quaker City Castings, Green Turtle, EZ-Sliders Programming, Bay Area Goodyear - Severna Parks, and planBtech.net. Deal could be done by Indy as ALL the sponsors have stepped up and the stars have aligned for once.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmotorsportsphotography said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 7:32 PM#1, That is pretty funny considering Donnie is 50 and is not very healthy.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportamalycke said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 7:41 PMHe is nowhere near 50, do your homework or check the fax again, or both. Also hearing that Donnie is now a candidate for TBR's 36 car for the 2010 Daytona 500, as well as Carl-Long's 46 for Martinsville this fall, Kirk Shelmerdine's 27 for Lowe's in Oct, Brad Jenkins' 37 for Talladega right after. Green Turtle has the best burgers here in Silver Spring.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhoenix987 said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 8:11 PMDonnie isn't a candidate for anything, and your whacked out fantasies aren't "sources," they're dreams. Neuenberger isn't a candidate for a Cup ride with any team either, and you just listed a bunch of teams that are start-and-park, which don't really matter. For the third time, please stop with your wild wishes and fantasies about Donnie Neuenberger. He's not getting a Cup deal, he's not magically getting signed to NW rides, and unless you can prove any of the stories you 'hear' please stop making them up.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmotorsportsphotography said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 8:17 PM#3, I think you better do your homework, He was born around 1961. He has no chance of a ride in the Cup Series or NW series. He cant even finish a race and has no top 5s or 10s. He isn't even healthy after he was diagnosed with cancer years ago.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportboudruxbone said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 11:38 PMI think Truex is a better driver than to end up at M.W.R. But they have showed horse power and handling improvement this year, so he may be able to put them up front on a consistant level.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportTom405 said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 1:46 AMI will we might see the driver of the the 5th RFR team next year. I would think it would be JMac
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrehortonjr said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 3:00 PMWIkipedia has Neuenberger's birth-date in 1962. I thought that maybe I'd missed some big comeback he'd had, but the best finish I can see attributed to him in a Top 3 series is 9th in the truck series. As to the sponsors listed above, they appear to have been lifted straight off the banner on Donnie Neuenberger's website. I see no chance of this happening, but with that many primary sponsors he'd probably have the weirdest looking paint schemes in the garage :)
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSheilaLovesNASCAR said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 3:17 PMTheresa Earnhardt, take note. You could have had 49% of something great with Jr. having 51% and building the team into something great. Instead, you get half of something that will never amount to anything. I hope you are happy.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 3:35 PMSuppose Jeremy will be considered for the ride Truex had ?? * G * boudruxbone # 6, I think Truex could do better than MWR too ! I would have stayed with this team and gone down with the ship before going there !
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 3:48 PMhey 9 ,like jr said lay off te
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrmdunn3 said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 4:11 PMTheir biggest mistake was getting rid of Regan Smith.
Report as AbuseI hope they do better by Aric.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportctjeepinguy said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 6:48 PMBa Bye DEI. Hey that rymes!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportriccary said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 7:12 PMJuan Pablo Montoya GET OUT OF THAT LOSER TEAM YOU ARE STUCK WITH RIGHT NOW. Go to Toyota where there's a future.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportwarrior said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 9:30 PMThere's an open slot. Reagan Smith in the #1
Report as AbuseJPM has stepped his game up!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbad_medicine2 said:
Jul 9, 2009 at 5:15 AMTheresa IS the ONE reason this race organization is going down the toilet. Dale SR must be rolling in his grave with what has happened to DEI.
Report as AbuseThey are now yesterdays news.
This is proof that money corrupts...What a shame. WAY TO GO THERESA.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjethro3fan said:
Jul 9, 2009 at 1:55 PMI knew it would happen. Theresa has hurt Dale's legacy instead of help it. another few years and we wont even remember where DEI was located.
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