page_title: Chip Ganassi Racing (NASCAR)
section_title: Car No. 40 history
hierarchical_section_title: Chip Ganassi Racing (NASCAR) / NASCAR Cup Series / Car No. 40 history
caption_attribution_description: English: David Stremme practicing for the 2007 Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
context_page_description: The NASCAR operation of Chip Ganassi Racing was established in 1989 by Felix Sabates, a Cuban immigrant who was a self-made millionaire distributing products such as Teddy Ruxpin and Atari video game systems. The team was known as SABCO Racing, formed after Sabates purchased an R&D team from Hendrick Motorsports. The team was renamed Team SABCO in 1996. In 2001, Ganassi bought 80% of the ownership interest in the then-two-car team to form Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates; the same year the team switched from Chevrolet to Dodge, with the latter reentering NASCAR competition that season after a 15-year hiatus. In 2009, Ganassi partnered with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. owner Teresa Earnhardt to merge their NASCAR operations into Ganassi's shop and run independently as Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The NASCAR team dropped the Earnhardt name in 2014, and Ganassi revealed that Teresa was never truly involved with the team. Rob Kauffman, chairman of the Race Team Alliance, purchased a stake in the team in 2015.
context_section_description: Kenny Wallace (1993)
  The No. 40 car debuted in 1993 as the second car in the SABCO stable. It had sponsorship from Dirt Devil and was piloted by rookie driver Kenny Wallace. After Wallace finished 3rd behind Bobby Labonte and Jeff Gordon in the NASCAR Rookie of the Year standings, he left for other opportunities.
  Bobby Hamilton (1994) and Dick Brooks era (1994-1995)
  Bobby Hamilton drove the car the next season with sponsorship from Kendall Motor Oil, during which the No. 40 car was bought by Dick Brooks. Hamilton finished 23rd in points that year.
  The 1995 season saw multiple drivers such as Rich Bickle, Greg Sacks, and Shane Hall pilot the car. But at the end of the season, Brooks closed up shop and sold the team back to Sabates. The team came back in the 1996 season with First Union sponsoring the car and Greg Sacks, Jay Sauter, and Robby Gordon in select events
  Robby Gordon (1997)
  The team returned for 1997 full-time with rookie driver Robby Gordon, Coors Light moving over from the No. 42, and the team switching from Pontiac to Chevrolet. Gordon won the pole at the spring Atlanta race. Unfortunately, open-wheel ace Gordon suffered burns during the Indianapolis 500. By the time he returned, the damage was done and despite picking up a Top 5 finish at Watkins Glen, Gordon was released. Sacks returned to finish out the year.
  Sterling Marlin (1998-2005)
  For the 1998 season, Sabates chose a more experienced driver in 2-time Daytona 500 winner Sterling Marlin. Marlin did not qualify at the spring Atlanta race and one year after the team won the pole position there, marking the first time since 1986 that Marlin missed a race. At the end of the year, Marlin had six top-10 finishes and ended up 13th in the points standings. Marlin showed a brief insurgence in the 1999 season when he won the pole at Pocono.
  In 2001, the car got a new silver-red paint scheme, a manufacturer switch to Dodge, a new crew chief in Lee McCall, and a new owner in Ganassi. Marlin won his qualifying race for the Daytona 500. On the last lap of the 500, Marlin was involved in the crash that killed Dale Earnhardt. Many fans sent misguided hate mail and death threats to Marlin and his wife, blaming him for Earnhardt's death. Earnhardt's drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Michael Waltrip came to Marlin's defense, and Marlin was cleared of any responsibility by NASCAR's investigation into the crash.
  Marlin was able to rise above the controversy, and gave Dodge its first win since its return to NASCAR at Michigan, won again at the UAW-GM Quality 500, and finished 3rd in points, well ahead of the factory-backed Dodges from Evernham Motorsports. Marlin led the points standings for most of the 2002 season and won two races, but he suffered a fractured vertebra in a crash at Kansas Speedway, which ended his season. Some say that Marlin's injury signified the beginning of the struggles for the team. Jamie McMurray, who was scheduled to drive the No. 42 car the following season, filled in for Marlin in six races, with Mike Bliss running the car at Martinsville. At Charlotte, McMurray beat out Bobby Labonte to win his 1st race in just his 2nd Winston Cup start. This emotional victory was capped off with a phone call from Marlin through the television network congratulating McMurray on his victory. Marlin would go winless over the next three seasons, with a best finish of 18th in points in 2003 and was released after 2005.
  David Stremme (2006-2007)
  Rookie David Stremme replaced Marlin in the 2006 season. This move outraged some fans, since Coors Light and Ganassi both stated that the decision was partly due to Coors Light attempting to target the younger demographic. A new primary sponsor, Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon, joined the team and split time with Coors. Stremme did not finish higher than 11th, with an average finish of 26th, and had a 33rd-place finish in the points. Before the 2007 season started, Lone Star left the No. 40 team as primary sponsor, leaving only Coors Light. After the beginning of the season, Tums also came on as a sponsor of the No. 40 team. St
caption: David Stremme at Homestead in 2007
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