Felix Sabates talks about closure of #40 team: Felix Sabates spoke with Claire B. Lang on "Dialed In" on XMSN (XM Channel 144) Tuesday evening about Dario Franchitti's future with the team CBL: You didn't have a sponsor - people forget this team was unsponsored: Sabates: "What happened to us - we kind of got hung out to dry by Coors. Coors was with me for almost ten years and they had a management change and the new people come over and told us don't worry about it - 'Don't look for a sponsor; we're going to be back with you in 2008, 2009.' So, we never looked for any sponsors and come October they come and tell us well Coors is going to do something else. They're going to sponsor the NASCAR Coors pole and this and that so then it was too late (for the 2008 season)...so we have been running all year long without a sponsor." CBL: Talk about the options for Dario Franchitti: Sabates: "Dario had a hard time with it. He made a change from the Indy Racing League to come here. But truth of the matter is that he needs more seat time. We gave him an option to go in the Nationwide car because we do have a sponsor for the #40 Nationwide car. He's going to decide what he's going to do in the next few days and maybe he'll be racing in Chicago (Nationwide race July 11).....I hope he does get in the Nationwide car. He's a very talented driver and if he gets a few more months under his belt maybe we can get a sponsor for next year and we can go racing next year. Sabates told CBL on the cost of running the team and how much he's paid to keep it running: - "It cost you $20 to $21, $22 million dollars to run a competitive team and if you run 15 races and you don't have any money coming in you have already lost $10 or $11 million dollars." Sabates on Dario's choices: "Chip pretty much told him if he wanted to go to back to Indy that, because it doesn't cost near as much money there as it does here, and over there Chip is the Rick Hendrick of over here - so he can get a sponsor for an IRL car very easily. So he's got his choice - if he wants to drive the Nationwide Car - get some more experience, maybe we'll get a sponsor for next year or go back to the IRL -- it's up to Dario - he has a contract and we intend to honor it." Sabates on what he thinks Dario will do: "At the end of the day - I think he will get in the Nationwide car- he needs more seat time anyway."(XM Radio PR)
Sorry BeaverNut, I was going to leave a comment on your blog, but the personal attacks on Tony Stewart, instead of attacking his driving abilities (which you cannot), motivated me to post on my own blog.
Dario would be better off going back to the IRL. No use wasting his talents in NASCAR. Yes in a couple years he might be NASCAR Championship capable but not with CGR NASCAR equipment.
It is surprising that the drivers that came over from the open wheel series have not been able to make an impact like Tony Stewart did. Perhaps they are not as multi talented in different series.
Good to hear that Chip will honor his contract with Franchitti. Will be interesting to see which route he goes.
For now though, he has nothing to lose by getting NW seat time this year. Maybe then he'll be able to make the call whether to stay in NASCAR or go back home to IRL.
Dario should have a year in Nationwide. To get use to the heavy cars in shorter races. Its not fair to a driver to dump them in a Cup car and want them to win out the box. It wont happen. They need time to jell. With the team, the tracks, and the car. A few aces and done. Sponsors. The guy has them if they want them. He ia a Indy 500 champion, you cant tell me they are not there.
