Danica Negotiating To Drive For Ganassi?
Chip Ganassi loves to shock the racing world, as he did by snatching Juan Montoya out of Formula One and bringing him to NASCAR three years ago.
But Ganassi is supposedly working on a deal at the moment that would not only keep open wheel racing's biggest name away from the clutches of NASCAR, it would likely advance her ascention in Indy cars.
And the 'ol Chipster would be a hero in the IndyCar marketing, public relations and promotions departments.
SPEEDTV.com has learned that Ganassi is considering signing Danica Patrick for a third car on the Target team for 2010, joining Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti.
International Management Group, which now represents Patrick in addition to Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning, is known for brokering major deals and supposedly has a Fortune 500 company lined up to partner with the only woman to ever win an Indy car race and Target/Ganassi Racing.
Ganassi didn't return phone calls Wednesday but his veteran lieutenant acknowledged adding a car for Patrick could be possible.
"We've always entertained having a third driver if we could get the comparable funding that Target provides us," said Mike Hull, managing director of Target/Ganassi. "If Danica has something and wants to talk to us, that would be great because I think she's ready to take that next step.
"But I can tell you we haven't spoken to her."
Hull is no doubt telling the truth since IMG agent Alan Zucker would be doing the talking and negotiating for the 27-year-old dynamo who currently represents Go Daddy.com, Peak, Boost Mobile and Secret in national television commercials.
Zucker, who also makes deals for clients Eli and Peyton Manning, could not be reached for comment via email on Wednesday.
Patrick's three-year contract with Andretti-Green Racing, which was sponsored by Motorola to the tune of $21 million, expires at the end of this season.
IndyCar lost three-time champ Sam Hornish Jr. to NASCAR in 2008, while open wheel stars Jacques Villenueve, Paul Tracy, Patrick Carpentier, Scott Speed, A.J. Allmendinger and Franchitti have all tried stock cars during the past couple years. Hornish and Allmendinger are having the most success.
Recently, Patrick expressed her renewed desire to win the Indy 500 (she ran third last month), which she led in 2005, and a championship (she's currently fifth in the point standings). Based on the past two years, her best chances for either or both of those goals would be driving for Roger Penske or Ganassi.
And, if she wanted to test the waters in NASCAR down the road, Ganassi could slide her right into one of his seats on the team he shares with Teresa Earnhardt.
It was rumored earlier that Dixon could be heading for a new team in 2010 (Gil de Ferran) but the two-time IRL champion still has two years on his deal with Ganassi. Franchitti is also believed to be ready for a new contract that would see him return to TCGR in 2010.
Former Indy Lights champ Alex Lloyd, who was signed by Ganassi in 2008, announced Wednesday he was leaving the team to pursue other opportunities. Lloyd's only two drives the past two years have come at the Indy 500 in a satellite team funded by Ganassi.
Duno and Viso just got caught up in it.
