Ganassi: McMurray will drive for me in '06
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08-12-2005, 06:43 PM
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Ganassi: McMurray will drive for me in '06
ORIGINAL: nascar.com
Jamie McMurray has one career Nextel Cup Series victory. Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Ganassi: McMurray will drive for me in '06
Driver not happy about owner exercising one-year option
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
August 12, 2005
03:05 PM EDT (19:05 GMT)
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Chip Ganassi made one thing clear on Friday at Watkins Glen: Jamie McMurray will drive the full 2006 season for him whether he likes it or not.
And McMurray is not happy about it.
"If they chose to keep me next year, I will have to honor that original contract," McMurray said. "Of course, the question is, why would an owner want to keep a driver that has already committed to another team in 2007?"
McMurray is raring to begin his new job at Roush Racing, where he is set to place the retiring Mark Martin in the No. 6 Ford. But Ganassi has said he will exercise a one-year option on McMurray's contract, which prevents him from joining Roush until 2007.
Such a move will likely bring Martin back for another year unless Roush Racing can find a quality driver willing to accept a one-year deal.
Ganassi announced his 2006 driver lineup on Friday. He is expanding to four teams, and McMurray was clearly hoping he would be allowed to step aside.
That didn't happen.
While his teammates were busy at the press conference discussing their 2006 plans, McMurray turned and headed to the garage without answering questions.
"Obviously I'd rather move on since I've already made my future plans known," McMurray said later Friday, "but I did sign a contract with my current team that included an option for next year."
McMurray signed with Ganassi in Sept. 2002. The deal gave Ganassi the option to keep McMurray for four full Nextel Cup seasons. During that time, he has worked almost exclusively with crew chief Donnie Wingo, but Ganassi hasn't announced his crew chief lineup for 2006.
Part of Ganassi's decision to retain McMurray might lie in the fact that there are simply not many quality drivers available. Keeping McMurray will give Ganassi a full year to find McMurray's replacement.
Ganassi knows the decision is his. He's comfortable with his choice.
"I am not happy about a lot of things, but I don't leave," Ganassi said.
"A lot of people think Major League Baseball has too many teams," said Ganassi. "With the growth of motorsports, I would have to agree there is a dilution of talent."
Jamie McMurray has one career Nextel Cup Series victory. Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Ganassi: McMurray will drive for me in '06
Driver not happy about owner exercising one-year option
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
August 12, 2005
03:05 PM EDT (19:05 GMT)
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Chip Ganassi made one thing clear on Friday at Watkins Glen: Jamie McMurray will drive the full 2006 season for him whether he likes it or not.
And McMurray is not happy about it.
"If they chose to keep me next year, I will have to honor that original contract," McMurray said. "Of course, the question is, why would an owner want to keep a driver that has already committed to another team in 2007?"
McMurray is raring to begin his new job at Roush Racing, where he is set to place the retiring Mark Martin in the No. 6 Ford. But Ganassi has said he will exercise a one-year option on McMurray's contract, which prevents him from joining Roush until 2007.
Such a move will likely bring Martin back for another year unless Roush Racing can find a quality driver willing to accept a one-year deal.
Ganassi announced his 2006 driver lineup on Friday. He is expanding to four teams, and McMurray was clearly hoping he would be allowed to step aside.
That didn't happen.
While his teammates were busy at the press conference discussing their 2006 plans, McMurray turned and headed to the garage without answering questions.
"Obviously I'd rather move on since I've already made my future plans known," McMurray said later Friday, "but I did sign a contract with my current team that included an option for next year."
McMurray signed with Ganassi in Sept. 2002. The deal gave Ganassi the option to keep McMurray for four full Nextel Cup seasons. During that time, he has worked almost exclusively with crew chief Donnie Wingo, but Ganassi hasn't announced his crew chief lineup for 2006.
Part of Ganassi's decision to retain McMurray might lie in the fact that there are simply not many quality drivers available. Keeping McMurray will give Ganassi a full year to find McMurray's replacement.
Ganassi knows the decision is his. He's comfortable with his choice.
"I am not happy about a lot of things, but I don't leave," Ganassi said.
"A lot of people think Major League Baseball has too many teams," said Ganassi. "With the growth of motorsports, I would have to agree there is a dilution of talent."
