Well, there is this.......(what is he talking about?? Elledge going to the #40.) To me, unless contracts are hindering decisions this mean Mears is probably staying. Otherwise, I would think Elledge would go with Casey to DEI. But, I want to know why they are taking Elledge away from Casey?? What's up Mr. Ganassi?
From Jayski:
Ganassi Announcement on Friday: Chip Ganassi will be on hand for a special announcement at Watkins Glen International regarding sponsor activities and plans for the 2006 season on Friday, August 12, 2005 at the Watkins Glen International Victory Lane.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)
Hopefully this will help clear up some of the Silly Season rumors, such as does Casey Mears stay in the #41 Target Dodge? move to a 4th team, #39? go back to Busch so Reed Sorenson can move up to the #41? does Jamie McMurray get out of his contract? if so, then who goes in the #42 Texaco Dodge? Mears? Sorenson? someone else? So far the only thing we know for sire is David Stremme in the #40 Lonestar/Coor Light Dodge in 2006...supposedly #41 crew chief, Jimmy Elledge will be his crew chief.(8-10-2005)
All this sounds like "Days of Our Lives"...
DEI's short list gets shorter
By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
Published August 9, 2005
SPEEDWAY, Ind. - Dale Earnhardt Inc. director of motorsports Richie Gilmore would put Matt Kenseth in one of his team's Nextel Cup cars tomorrow. That isn't going to happen, tomorrow or next year, despite recent speculation. The 2003 series champion has one year left on his contract - though Roush signed Jamie McMurray away from Chip Ganassi before his deal is done next season - and Kenseth, a good friend of DEI's Dale Earnhardt Jr. , has let it be known he has unfinished business with Roush Racing.
"(Kenseth's) deal is, he looked at his teammates and saw there are teams that are running good and wants to see if he can get back and win championships," Gilmore said. "He has always been on DEI's short list. He was one of Big E's favorite drivers, and if we could ever get Matt, he would probably be our first choice for a teammate for Junior."
Kenseth finished fifth Sunday in the Allstate 400 - he has five top 10s in the past seven races - but is 15th in points, virtually eliminated from a second Chase for the Championship berth. Teammates Greg Biffle (third in points), defending series champion Kurt Busch (fifth), Mark Martin (sixth) and Carl Edwards (10th) currently qualify for the Chase. All but Martin have won races.
With Kenseth unavailable, Gilmore has trolled the garage in search of a young, marketable driver to replace Michael Waltrip in the No. 15 Chevrolet next season. Gilmore holds out hope Kenseth could drive a fourth DEI entry in 2007, but for now his choices are few. Gilmore said he hoped to have a driver secured within the next few weeks, but another option was eliminated when Casey Mears said he was "99.9 percent sure" he would return to Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates next year.
Mears, 27, in the final guaranteed year of his contract - Ganassi can invoke an option for 2006 - appeared to be a likely candidate. His crew chief, Jimmy Elledge , is married to Earnhardt's sister, Kelley , and DEI seems to value personal relationships in staffing matters. Mears' representative, Cary Agajanian , said Sunday the Ganassi deal was "done."
If Gilmore cannot replace Waltrip, DEI would field the No. 8 Chevrolet for Earnhardt and the No. 1 for defending Busch series champion Martin Truex Jr. Gilmore prefers to fill the No. 15 because NAPA would like to return for a 10th season.