John Andretti gets Daytona ride; Front Row aligns with Earnhardt Ganassi
Front Row Motorsports and driver John Andretti have formed a partnership with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing that will put Andretti behind the wheel of the No. 34 Sprint Cup car in the Daytona 500, Front Row Motorsports announced today.
The team will be guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500 because it will have top-35 owners points from last year, although it was unclear whose points it will have. The Dale Earnhardt Inc.-Chip Ganassi Racing merger had resulted in six full-time teams being folded into three full-time teams.
“Anytime you get the opportunity to race in the Daytona 500, it’s a privilege," said Andretti, who has 358 career Sprint Cup starts. "I am honored to be able to do that this year through a relationship with Earnhardt Ganassi and Front Row Motorsports."
The team will have sponsorship from Window World. Steve Lane, who was crew chief for Dario Franchitti until Ganassi parked the Franchitti car for financial reasons midway through last season, will be Andretti’s crew chief for the Daytona 500.
Whether the alliance will continue beyond the Daytona 500 is still to be determined.
"We believe this is the beginning of a long-term partnership that will provide a technical platform for our team," Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins said. "After being in last year’s Daytona 500 with John Andretti, I realized that with the right alliance and adequate resources, we could put ourselves in a position to have a front-running car."
Front Row Motorsports also announced that it plans to run the entire Nationwide Series with driver Tony Raines.
