Ganassi Shuts Down Franchitti NASCAR Team

[indycool]

No. 40 car is done...........

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYgf0I1bODWitVpgYeQ2n0rZB-7QD91LBAR80

[pits4me]

Sponsorship in NASCAR is unaffordable for many companies. Teams are seeking investors to spread the burden. In a downside economy its hard to justify the expense. Fortunately, the ICS should prove more attractive for some.

[F1boat]

What now for Dario?

[NYHF]

Bansihed to the Nationwide Series..........

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Banished to the Nationwide Series..........

Where Ashley will watch him be a backmarker as well.

Great career choice Dario !!!

IndyCar Series/Indy 500 Champion to nobody. Tony Stewart you ain't.

[Rogelio]

Dario made the right career move, but the 'chips' did not fall his way. Similar to Bourdais, Almendinger, and even Stewart for that matter, the state of AOWR is at a bitter low; little pay, no sponsorship, few fans.

Dario was one of my favorite CART drivers and a great driver at that. I loved it when he and PT were battling it out that year for Team Cool Green. Just like Almendinger, Dario's best career opportunity is in NASCAR, that is, until the ICS can regain some respectability. In my opinion, if Dario returns to the ICS, it would be a step back. Perhaps, with the new engine formula and increased sponsorship and who knows whatelse, the ICS can return to the glory days of CART and the drivers will be clamoring to join the series. For the time being, it is nothing but wishful thinking.

As we all know, the departure of our top drivers year after year needs to stop. This just makes our league (former league) look amatuerish.

[Jag_Warrior]

Sponsorship in NASCAR is unaffordable for many companies. Teams are seeking investors to spread the burden. In a downside economy its hard to justify the expense. Fortunately, the ICS should prove more attractive for some.

Possibly. But sponsors are looking at least as much at the potential return as at what the sponsorship costs. Coors didn't leave Ganassi because the deal was too expensive. Coors left Ganassi because a better NASCAR deal presented itself. Coors will spend as much to make Coors Light the Official Beer of NASCAR as they did just sponsoring a single racing team (with poor performance).

In an up or down economy, the performance metrics are the same: exposure value. For every dollar spent, what is the return? Spending fewer dollars, while getting a lower return, isn't what any sponsor is seeking.

The IRL needs to work very hard over the next season or so to improve media coverage, and probably assist sponsors in activation efforts. Currently, a primary sponsorship in NASCAR Sprint Cup is averaging in the $20 million/season range. A primary associate is in the $10 million range. Yep, that requires a sizeable check to get in. But according to Joyce Julius, the return ratios were averaging in the 3:1 range (2006 data, I believe). Some were substantially higher... 5:1 or above for Budweiser, Home Depot, Dupont and Lowe's. Outside of Target, Motorola and GoDaddy, I'm not sure that the IRL has a team sponsorship that exceeds 2:1. Someone else may have better data for that.

The incredible sponsor returns that NASCAR Sprint Cup provides (don't forget about the Nationwide Series - probably a better comparison for the IRL) doesn't mean all hope is lost for the IRL picking up sponsors. But the IRL can't make the same mistake that CCWS made: thinking that being a cheaper alternative (with lower returns) will attract the sponsors that will be needed to buy new cars and engines in a couple of years.

[The instant classic]

What now for Dario?
dario sholud come back to indycar but again wolud agr take him back?

[F1boat]

Maybe he will focus on Le Mans racing.

[The instant classic]

Maybe he will focus on Le Mans racing.
i heard that on wind tunnel last sunday

[call_me_andrew]

I don't see Dario going back to the IRL with his tail between his legs. Maybe he would go to ALMS or Grand-Am.

If I was a driver, I would use the split as a reason to go into AOWR. Here's how I see it: If everyone is going to NASCAR, and AOWR is strapped for talent, then I can be a big fish in a small pond.

[The instant classic]

I don't see Dario going back to the IRL with his tail between his legs. Maybe he would go to ALMS or Grand-Am.

If I was a driver, I would use the split as a reason to go into AOWR. Here's how I see it: If everyone is going to NASCAR, and AOWR is strapped for talent, then I can be a big fish in a small pond.
agree 100% with that one!

[Anubis]

I can't see Dario returning to Indycar...I think those backflip crashes saw to that.

[NickFalzone]

No way Dario will ever be back, except for maybe an Indy 500 one-off (also not likely). He accomplished his goals in the IndyCar series and was ready to move on to something else, hopefully something a bit safer. After Michigan, then Kentucky last year, the look on his face said it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnslpiaEAVA

[Madmonk]

Never say never, because Dario has got to drive something... I could see Wheldon leaving Ganassi at the end of the season, thus creating a spot for Dario in the #10... In fact, I'm officially starting the Wheldon to Penske rumor... Then again, Dario is a kept man and could easily retire as Mr. Ashley Judd...

But in the meantime, I'm guessing ALMS with his brother Marino and some Nationwide series racing...

[NickFalzone]

Never say never, because Dario has got to drive something... I could see Wheldon leaving Ganassi at the end of the season, thus creating a spot for Dario in the #10... In fact, I'm officially starting the Wheldon to Penske rumor... Then again, Dario is a kept man and could easily retire as Mr. Ashley Judd...

But in the meantime, I'm guessing ALMS with his brother Marino and some Nationwide series racing...

As of late 2007, Wheldon was planning to go stock car racing starting in 2009. Since the unification and poor showings of Hornish, etc. the rumor is that Wheldon has scrapped this plan and is now very happy to be in the IRL indefinitely. I agree Penske is a possibility. However, I do not see Dario going back to IndyCar with Ganassi. It's not in the press, but a guy as competitive as Dario is NOT happy with Chip right now. Things could change, but the only way I could see Dario going back to Indy is with AGR/Penske, and that would be dependent on total failure in Nationwide. I see Dario moderately improving in NWide, having a good run for a few years in Cup, then going off to ALMS.

As far at TCG, I would take a close look at Dixon's short oval and road/street results this season. The team has had a good run, but it's not a perfect operation. They have tested and optimized for a certain car setup on specific speedways, but they are not as well rounded as they would like other teams to think. I see TK and Helio coming on strong in the 2nd half of the season, and we will likely have another ex-CC surprise on the road courses.

[Jag_Warrior]

If I was a driver, I would use the split as a reason to go into AOWR. Here's how I see it: If everyone is going to NASCAR, and AOWR is strapped for talent, then I can be a big fish in a small pond.

Where would the money come from to pay for your ride?

Unless you're a ride buyer with a rich dad, it's the same rule as with most anything else: follow the money.

[underpowered]

As far at TCG, I would take a close look at Dixon's short oval and road/street results this season. The team has had a good run, but it's not a perfect operation. They have tested and optimized for a certain car setup on specific speedways, but they are not as well rounded as they would like other teams to think. I see TK and Helio coming on strong in the 2nd half of the season, and we will likely have another ex-CC surprise on the road courses.

I think Penske would be the most concerned. Their short track results have been bad.

Dont forget Scott is on of the best road/street course drivers there. You dont win the Glen three times in a row for nothing......and that was with a Toyota boat anchor.

[huxleypiguk]

There seems to be no lack of factory support over in ALMS and the driver list for this years Le Mans read like a 'whos who' of ex F1 drivers. Dario is a very good driver and I could see him fitting in well to a good factory team.

[F1boat]

And also winning Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours sounds very, very nice.

[dataman1]

Then again, Dario is a kept man and could easily retire as Mr. Ashley Judd.....

I'm interested if he should not want the position.

[Jag_Warrior]

No way Dario will ever be back, except for maybe an Indy 500 one-off (also not likely). He accomplished his goals in the IndyCar series and was ready to move on to something else, hopefully something a bit safer. After Michigan, then Kentucky last year, the look on his face said it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnslpiaEAVA

You seem to have captured his sentiments perfectly.

AP

"Let's see what the future holds. I really just need to sit with Chip and see where his head is," he said. "But NASCAR is where I want to be. I want to be successful here and I certainly don't want it to end like this."

"I made a big commitment coming over here and I'd like to get in an opportunity to be successful. When I made the decision to come here, I wasn't going to do the IndyCar thing anymore so this isn't a case of missing out on what could have been in Indy cars," Franchitti said. "That just wasn't a direction I wanted to go in. Never say never, but it's unlikely I'll go back."