Chip Ganassi: “I think it has probably stalled a little bit”
Danica Patrick announced her retirement as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver. That announcement was made during the Homestead-Miami Speedway weekend.
However, during the course of that announcement she also said, “But, I’m not totally done. I am going to do the Daytona 500 next year and the Indy 500. I’m really excited about that. I think it’s going to be a great way to cap it off.”
Which was an interesting statement. To essentially demand a ride, without having a ride.
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Rides in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series are hard to come by. Matt Kenseth is full proof of that transition. Kenseth is a 39-time winner and a former champion, yet he can’t find a ride for 2018.
Danica says, “I am going to do the Daytona 500.” However, she has no contract signed. Perhaps, ‘I want to do the Daytona 500’ might have been a more appropriate statement.
Patrick was in talks with Chip Ganassi Racing. However, at the PRI show, Chip Ganassi announced to a crowd of reporters that those talks have stalled.
“You know I think it is a great opportunity for her to do that, to go out of the sport the way she wants to, driving Daytona and Indy,” Ganassi stated. “And, you know, we had some conversations and it was very, very brief conversations at a high level and I think it is a great idea for her. I don’t know that it is going to be with us but I think it is a good idea for her.”
“You know, I think it has probably stalled a little bit,” Ganassi continued. “You know the talks have maybe stalled. It’s not anyone’s fault or any reason, I think it is just we, sort of, have different things in mind. Nobody is right or wrong here but, yeah, probably not going to happen.”
Chip Ganassi fields 4 full time cars in the Verizon Indycar Series. In addition, CGR houses two cars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as well as the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Related: Danica Patrick retirement announcement video
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