sanguin
8th September 2007, 17:47
Chip Ganassi Racing is expected to announce next week that Dario Franchitti will drive the No. 40 Energizer Dodge in 2008, sources told FOXSports.com.
Franchitti, 34, who won the 2007 Indianapolis 500 with Andretti-Green, currently leads CGR driver Scott Dixon by three points in the Indy Racing League Series with the season finale scheduled for this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.
Franchitti will participate in a training program similar to the one Juan Pablo Montoya (who beat Franchitti for the 1999 CART title) used to prepare for his rookie season. Franchitti will drive in a variety of series, including NASCAR's Busch Series in Ganassi's No. 42 Dodge.
David Stremme currently drives the No. 40 CGR car and is 23rd in the NASCAR point standings. Stremme showed concern as early as May that the option year on his contract would not be picked up. After Stremme's sponsor Coors did not renew its contract, the writing was on the wall for the 30-year-old South Bend, Ind. native.
"The thing that sucks is that it's really late to be looking — because it's the end of September," Stremme said. "But as of last Friday, I'm a free agent. So, I don't have nothing right now.
"I won't be back in the 40 car, but obviously (Ganassi Racing) wants to put together a fourth team."
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/7202934?MSNHPHMA
Franchitti, 34, who won the 2007 Indianapolis 500 with Andretti-Green, currently leads CGR driver Scott Dixon by three points in the Indy Racing League Series with the season finale scheduled for this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.
Franchitti will participate in a training program similar to the one Juan Pablo Montoya (who beat Franchitti for the 1999 CART title) used to prepare for his rookie season. Franchitti will drive in a variety of series, including NASCAR's Busch Series in Ganassi's No. 42 Dodge.
David Stremme currently drives the No. 40 CGR car and is 23rd in the NASCAR point standings. Stremme showed concern as early as May that the option year on his contract would not be picked up. After Stremme's sponsor Coors did not renew its contract, the writing was on the wall for the 30-year-old South Bend, Ind. native.
"The thing that sucks is that it's really late to be looking — because it's the end of September," Stremme said. "But as of last Friday, I'm a free agent. So, I don't have nothing right now.
"I won't be back in the 40 car, but obviously (Ganassi Racing) wants to put together a fourth team."
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/7202934?MSNHPHMA