Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will run Chevrolets in 2009

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

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The new Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team will run Chevrolets and work out of the Chip Ganassi Racing shop, a team spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

The team still has not named a driver nor a crew chief for the No. 41 car, and it needs a a half-season sponsorship for Juan Pablo Montoya.

The new organization resulted from a merger of Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing, which was announced in mid-November.

Doug Randolph will serve as crew chief for Aric Almirola's No. 8 team, a spokesman said.

Neither the shop location nor the engine package is a surprise. The Ganassi team has been a Dodge organization since 2001, the first full season after Chip Ganassi bought a majority interest in Sabco Racing from Felix Sabates.

Dodge had a contract with Ganassi at least through 2009, but Dodge officials had indicated that they would let Ganassi out of its commitment if it was in the best interest of the team.

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Comments

18 responses to "Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will run Chevrolets in 2009". Post a Comment.

1

David Annand said:
Dec 16, 2008 at 3:42 PM
It's shame about the switch to Chevy's but if you didn't see it coming you might have been watching Indy cars. I think Dodge has wanted to cut back and this made it easy but it's a pity as they were finally getting them to run well. There really aren't any strong Dodge teams out there. Ganassi was getting good and Penske aand Gillete/Everham were good but none of them were really consistently strong.
2

ace racer said:
Dec 16, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Yah YA
3

Ryden Caparelli said:
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Who cares. Neither of the teams seprate were any good last year. Other then Truex, its going to be a poor 2009 no matter if they decided they wanted to run MG's.
4

terry liner said:
Dec 16, 2008 at 7:48 PM
I really hope bobby labonte gets the 41 car
they need a champion like bobby on that team.bobby is a great driver he just needs a good ride.If he gets that ride he will win
very quickly.go bobby

Terry in Texas
5

J Smith said:
Dec 16, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Bobby would be pretty cool to see at EGR...Hope it happens...

New fan site over at earnhardtganassiracing.com
6

beth emerson said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Who cares what they run. That company is going under. I give it at best 2 years. i hope Bobby is not stupid enough to go with them. The ship is slowly sinking. Cant happen fast enough for me. @009 they are going to loose Martin Truex then they are in big trouble. Oh well.
7

Howard Englishman said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 2:48 PM
This is the end for DODGE in NASCAR. with the pullout from Chip and the future pullout at Gillette the DODGE name will be gone. So much for all the work on the new engine. As far as JP, hell do better in a Chevy as long as Chevy continues backing them as a factory team. As far as DEI, well it will be a lonely road again as it was in the early 90s. back to farmland.
8

Robert Airheart said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Wow, Beth, what are you so bitter about? Must be a Jr. fan. I hope Bobby does join DEI, wins some races and you can place your foot very nicely in your mouth! I do enjoy all you experts and your know it all comments.....
9

Howard Englishman said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 3:07 PM
If Bobby ran as good as Mark Martin for DEI, then I think the move for Bobby would be a good idea with the right crew. There are not too many places for Bobby in his senior years. Nobody wants him in an R&D kind of deal. That is not what he is lookin for. As far as Truex, look for him at SHR in 2010 with sponsorship in tack. that is no surprise.
10

Johnny Come Lately said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 3:20 PM
I dont think you need to be an industry insider to look at the big picture and see Dodges re-entry in to NASCAR was a 10 year trial run if you will. Theyre coming up on the end of the deal and everyone is moving on. Look.... I dont read pie and graph charts, but it is out there for public knowledge to see that in the last half-decade of Dodge involvement there is no coralation whatsoever that Dodge automobile sales increased as a result of on-track performance. None. The 300, not even a staple of NASCAR, came out and was a hit for a very specific demographic. The grocery getters and the basic sedans which is what the "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday' adage replies to does not exist.

Dodge got their feet wet for 10 years and now theyre moving on, bad economy or not. The final phase-out should be 2010. Remember....you heard it here first....
11

DAVID CARLETON said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Dale Earnhardt is undoubtedly turning over in his grave. It would have been better if the teams decided to run Dodges. What will they do at the magnificent shop Earnhardt ultimately died for? I know, sell it one piece at a time the way Teresa is destroying DEI. He was just named the greatest driver in history and yet his legacy is falling faster than the stock market.
12

Pat Draper said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Number 11 you got it right. Dale Sr. would never have wanted DEI to turn out the way it has, its a crying shame. None of this would have happened if Theresa could have worked out something with Jr. You know that old saying what goes around comes around.
13

Howard Englishman said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 4:58 PM
DEI as doomed when the only Earnhardt that drove a Cup car walked out the door for the last time. Without Dale Jr. the name means nothing, its just another building out in the middle of farmland.Teresa was the key to that company when it started in 1998 and Sr. was the name that brought big sponsorship in but without Sr. and now Dale Jr. its just another race shop.
14

anonymous said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 5:49 PM
I heard one half of the Garage Mahal is going to be used for the Dale Earnhardt Entertainment Division and the other half will be turned into stables for the Dale Earnhardt Equestrian Division. Sad, very sad!
15

DAVID CARLETON said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 6:09 PM
If you have ever been to an equestrian center, then you know what and why it smells a certain way. Indeed, that will be the state of DEI.
16

Colleen Burnette said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Tony Stewart said it when Dale Jr left DEI---"within 5 years DEI will be nothing but a museum" -- Tony was wrong it only took 2 years---I feel bad for Truex --I agree he will go to Stewart-Haas soon and take Bass Pro with him
17

Janice Marler said:
Dec 17, 2008 at 9:45 PM
I've said it other places, but I'll say it here, too. Dale Sr. supposedly started DEI so that his children would have a legacy. Obviously he did not set it up for that to happen. The same thing has happened with Bobby Hamilton Racing. You cannot count on someone else to take care of your business: i.e., carry out your wishes. You have to set up your company legally so that your wishes will be carried out. This applies to everyone no matter how much or how little you have. It particularly applies to those who have children from different marriages. Whether it's $100 legacy or a $100 million legacy, it must be legally set up the way you want it. Now I'll get off my high-horse. HA! HA!
18

Kirk Grosch said:
Dec 18, 2008 at 7:34 AM
Can't say I'm surprised that Chip & Dale Racing (CDR as it should be known henceforth) would run Chevrolets. Face it, Ganassi hasn't been very successful with Dodge and DEI with Dale, Sr. was GM/ Goodwrench. At this point, the future of Chrysler is looking more than a little shaky & a move to Ford or the more unlikely Toyota seems completely out of the question.
Regardless, I don't see this team having much of an impact regardless of their manafacturer's choice for 2009. They'll be lucky to stay afloat and tread water this season.