[BiscuitMan]

Chip Ganassi said two weeks ago he was going to make changes if the No. 41 didn’t improve. So, Chip Ganassi announced today that crew chiefs Donnie Wingo and Jimmy Elledge will change roles, with Wingo assuming duties on the No. 41 driven by Reed Sorenson and Elledge moving to the No. 42 with Juan Montoya.

I wonder how many more changes Chip will make in the next few weeks?

[WestCoast]

Sometimes change is good, just for the sake of change alone.
The next race at Dega won't be a good indicator of any improvement or otherwise though.

[Fireball]

Originally Posted by BiscuitMan

Chip Ganassi said two weeks ago he was going to make changes if the No. 41 didn’t improve. So, Chip Ganassi announced today that crew chiefs Donnie Wingo and Jimmy Elledge will change roles, with Wingo assuming duties on the No. 41 driven by Reed Sorenson and Elledge moving to the No. 42 with Juan Montoya.

I wonder how many more changes Chip will make in the next few weeks?

Who do you think is getting the better of the deal: Montoya or Sorenson? Montoya is getting a crew chief from the car that is 31st in the NASCAR point standings. He's already at 17th in points right now. This move should be helping Montoya first, not Sorenson.

Chip needs to get all his marbles lined up. I hope he know what he is doing.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Fireball

Who do you think is getting the better of the deal: Montoya or Sorenson? Montoya is getting a crew chief from the car that is 31st in the NASCAR point standings. He's already at 17th in points right now. This move should be helping Montoya first, not Sorenson.

Chip needs to get all his marbles lined up. I hope he know what he is doing.

I cant really understand it either...... if Sorensons crew chief is the problem then the wise move would be to get rid of him. However I guess he must think its more of a driver/CC gelling situation ? and maybe 5 or so races he can reassess the team-up

[NASCAR Gnome]

This was the year Reed Sorenson was supposed to "step up" and compete. JPM was expected to charge ahead and have a top-12 season (meaning he makes the Chase) and the teams were supposed to provide support to Dario and the #40 team but only Montoya seems to be doing anything decent considering what he's doing isn't that great, when you compare it to others.

I recall listening to JPM's in-car at a late race last season - the second Talladega race if memory serves - and he said some things that I found telling and disturbing... he complained that all week long the Ganassi teammates were all talking about how they would work together in the race but when it was time to "go" they went their own way instead of working together! JPM was clearly upset when he was talking to Wingo and his spotter and pretty much said that all the talk of teamwork was nothing more than bull crap. I thought nothing of this until last week when Chip went off and mentioned that word "team" once again. It appears that the Ganassi group just don't know how to share and as a result, a major shake-up was necessary.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

This was the year Reed Sorenson was supposed to "step up" and compete. JPM was expected to charge ahead and have a top-12 season (meaning he makes the Chase) and the teams were supposed to provide support to Dario and the #40 team but only Montoya seems to be doing anything decent considering what he's doing isn't that great, when you compare it to others.

I recall listening to JPM's in-car at a late race last season - the second Talladega race if memory serves - and he said some things that I found telling and disturbing... he complained that all week long the Ganassi teammates were all talking about how they would work together in the race but when it was time to "go" they went their own way instead of working together! JPM was clearly upset when he was talking to Wingo and his spotter and pretty much said that all the talk of teamwork was nothing more than bull crap. I thought nothing of this until last week when Chip went off and mentioned that word "team" once again. It appears that the Ganassi group just don't know how to share and as a result, a major shake-up was necessary.

Exactly! That's what jumped off the page to me: the teams aren't working together. So, how do you fix that? Well, the best way is to break up the teams, force them to work with those they aren't comfortable with. Some won't be able to do that and will leave, or be let go. And the organization will get better and become a team instead of a group of teams.

Chip is doing what is right for his organization, not what is right for just the #42 team.

[NASCAR Gnome]

I heard Jimmy Elledge on Sirius today with Moody and I came away impressed with this fellow because of his candor and honesty.

First of all, I have yet to hear a crew chief interviewed that didn't sound very intelligent and keeping that trend going, Elledge is no exception!

He said that perhaps his relationship with Sorenson wasn't as good as it could have been because he's not the best when it comes to working with the younger drivers.

He made it very clear that the news about the Ganassi teams not sharing information was 100% wrong! He said that they share everything including information with the Nationwide teams!

Frankly, I'm looking forward to seeing how this changes things. I'm convinced that there is no way the two teams remain the same with this change. Either they'll get better or worse but definitely not stay the same. I can't wait to listen to both in-car radios to see how the exchanges go and how the chemistry develops with the four guys. Talladega should be very revealing!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

I heard Jimmy Elledge on Sirius today with Moody and I came away impressed with this fellow because of his candor and honesty.

First of all, I have yet to hear a crew chief interviewed that didn't sound very intelligent and keeping that trend going, Elledge is no exception!

He said that perhaps his relationship with Sorenson wasn't as good as it could have been because he's not the best when it comes to working with the younger drivers.

He made it very clear that the news about the Ganassi teams not sharing information was 100% wrong! He said that they share everything including information with the Nationwide teams!
!

I heard the same interview, Gnome and came away from it exactly as you did. My impression is that Sorenson just isn't mature enough to be in the position he is currently in, without a strong mentor. Eldridge impressed me much more when he was with Evernham than now, with Ganassi. Wingo has handled rookie drivers before and if Reed doesn't come up to par under him then... Well, I always thought they cut the wrong driver loose when they let Stremme slip through their fingers.

Ganassi needs an established and successful driver to match up with Our Favourite Colombian and Franchitti, not some kid who is just barely old enough to vote and has just three BGN wins to hang his hat on.

Reed is a walking proof that not every teenager who has successfully battled acne is NOT another Jeff Gordon!

[NASCAR Gnome]

I am still perplexed as to why Ganassi let Stremme go. I think Stremme would have been the perfect complement to JPM and Dario because of the three, DS would have had the clear experience edge and would have probably been able to help Dario out much more. Montoya, with all his skill and talent, is still learning the ropes and in my personal experience, when I'm busy learning something, it's quite difficult to offer advice to (or teach) someone more of a neophyte than me at the same time! In fact, after seeing how Stremme is doing in the Nationwide series, I wouldn't be surprised if (some of) JPM's success last season could have been attributed to Stremme because all you have to do is look at the younger Wallace (Steve) he's teamed with this season and see how good that goofy kid is doing for RWI!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

I am still perplexed as to why Ganassi let Stremme go. I think Stremme would have been the perfect complement to JPM and Dario because of the three, DS would have had the clear experience edge and would have probably been able to help Dario out much more. Montoya, with all his skill and talent, is still learning the ropes and in my personal experience, when I'm busy learning something, it's quite difficult to offer advice to (or teach) someone more of a neophyte than me at the same time! In fact, after seeing how Stremme is doing in the Nationwide series, I wouldn't be surprised if (some of) JPM's success last season could have been attributed to Stremme because all you have to do is look at the younger Wallace (Steve) he's teamed with this season and see how good that goofy kid is doing for RWI!

We are of a like mind. I think Penske might think much the same way. David is far to valuable a commodity to use as a "test driver." How that one shakes out eventually will prove interesting, I'm sure.

[NASCAR Gnome]

With Stremme, Penske has an "ace in the hole" I believe. Should Hornish decide to be a "one and done" driver this season and return to open-wheel, then the Captain has someone to fill the third seat for next season. There's also an option that, with NASCAR implementing the four-car per team maximum, who's to say that Penske doesn't add a fourth ride to that team?

Stremme has always said that he won't just accept a Cup ride for any team, especially one that is weaker, rebuilding or simply trying to survive. He would rather drive for a good team - with good equipment and management - in the Nationwide series than for a poor team in Cup. For him to accept an offer from Penske to be test driver says a lot because I'm aware that a few Cup teams have sent feelers to him to drive for them but he refused.