Chip Ganassi Racing

**Chip Ganassi Racing, LLC** (doing business as **Chip Ganassi Racing**) is an American auto racing organization. The team currently fields two Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 teams: the no.40 full-time for Noah Gragson, and the no.42 for Matt Dibenedetto.

The team began as **SABCO Racing**, formed after Felix 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, only to switch back to Chevrolet beginning in 2013.

## Car no.30 History

### 2005: Part-Time

In 2005, Chip Ganassi Racing announced they would field an R&D car that would be used for Reed Sorenson in order to prepare for Sorenson's upcoming rookie year in the following season.

### 2006: Full-Time with Casey Mears

In 2006, the no.30 went full time with Casey Mears moving from the team's no.41 car to the no.30. Mears had a breakout season of his career, scoring two top fives, and eight top tens, finishing 14th in points. After 2006, Mears decided to leave Ganassi, moving to Team Red Bull for 2007.

After Mears' departure , offers to several driver were made, but all failed. After that, Ganassi sold the owner's points to Haas CNC Racing.

### 2007-2008: Back to R&D

Beginning in 2007, the no.30 went back to being an R&D team, only being used once in 2007 by Dario Franchitti.

Bryan Clauson wold later do three races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Atlanta, and Texas in 2008.

### 2009: Dario Franchitti

In 2009, the no.30 was ressurected as full-time entry, replacing the no.41 after CGR relinquished the 41 to used for Mayfield Motorsports. Dario Franchitti was announced as the driver, replacing Reed Sorenson after he left for Petty Enterprises. Franchitti went on to have his best season, scoring two fives, and five top tens, finishing 22nd in points. However Franchitti would depart to go back go to IndyCar beginning in 2010. After his departure the no.30 team was shut down.

## Car no.39 History

### Ashton Lewis (2007-2009)

After McMurray left for Penske Racing South, Ashton Lewis would take over the no.39 on a contract that would go through the 2009 season.

## Car no.40 History

### 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 was released from SABCO at the end of the season.

### Bobby Hamilton (1994)

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 with only one top ten at Bristol.

### Multiple Drivers (1995)

Greg Sacks took over the no.40 beginning in 1995.

### Part-Time (1996)

After Brooks closed up shop following '95, and sold the team back to Sabates, the team came back in the following season with First Union sponsoring the car and Greg Sacks, Jay Sauter, and Robby Gordon in select events.

### Robby Gordon and Multiple Drivers (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. Sabates later said in a 2007 interview that hiring Robby Gordon was "a mistake", while Gordon said that his departure stemmed from Sabates focusing more on making money than improving the team. Sacks, Joe Nemechek, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Steve Park, and Elliott Sadler finished out the year.

### Sterling Marlin (1998-2006)

For the 1998 season, Sabates chose a more experienced driver in 2-time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin.

### David Stremme (2007)

Rookie David Stremme replaced Marlin in the 2007 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 only got three top tens and placed 24th in points. Stremme was released due to Coors Light's departure to become the "Official Beer of NASCAR".

### Dario Franchitti (2008)

On October 3, 2007, reigning Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Champion Dario Franchitti was announced as the new driver of the No. 40 car for the 2008 season.

## Car no.41 History

### The Beginning as the 01 (2000)

At Pocono Raceway, SABCO entered a third car: the no.01 driven by Ted Musgrave, along with the announcement the 01 would run for rest of the season. Musgrave, P.J. Jones, and Bobby Hamilton Jr. drove the car.

### Jason Leffler (2001)

For 2001, Chip Ganassi purchased a majority stake in SABCO, and the BellSouth brand Cingular Wireless became the sponsor. Busch Series driver and former USAC standout Jason Leffler was hired to drive the car, which was now a Dodge. Leffler's rookie season was a struggle, despite winning a pole at the inaugural race at Kansas Speedway. Leffler was released at the end of the season.

### Jimmy Spencer (2002)

With Cingular moving to Richard Childress Racing to sponsor the No. 31 car, long time Ganassi backer Target became the sponsor, the number was changed to No. 41, and veteran Jimmy Spencer was tabbed to replace Leffler. Spencer did well scoring six top ten and two top fives. The high point of the season was at the Food City 500 at Bristol in the spring, when Spencer and fierce rival Kurt Busch engaged in a heated battle at the end of the race. Busch, on worn tires, would go to victory lane while Spencer scored a season-best second-place finish. In 34 races, Spencer finished 27th in points, but was released to make way for Ganassi's Mnt. Dew National Series driver, Casey Mears.

### Casey Mears (2003-2005)

Casey Mears was hired to drive the car, joining fellow rookie teammate Jamie McMurray. Mears struggled in his rookie season but steadily improved over the next two seasons.

### Reed Sorenson (2006-2008)

For 2006 another young driver, Reed Sorenson was hired to drive the No. 41 car full-time, and Mears replaced McMurray in the No. 42 car. Sorenson had five top-tens and ended the 2006 season 24th in the standings. After finishing 22nd in the standings with three top 5s and 6 top 10s in 2007, the No. 41 team dropped to 32nd in the final standings in 2008 with only one top-five and two top tens. Sorenson left the team to drive for Petty Enterprises.

## Car no.42 History

### Kyle Larson (2016-2020)

Beginning in 2016, Kyle Larson became Irwin's successor in the no.42. Larson was an immediate success in his first full season, taking his first career victory at the 2016 Pure Michigan 400, qualifying him for the Chase for the Pepsi Cup. However, he would be eliminated from championship contention after the Citizen Soldier 400.

In 2017, Larson captured his second career victory at the 2017 Auto Club 400 after securing pole position for the race. Larson would win three more races that year, sweeping both Michigan races and winning the last race before the playoffs at Richmond. Larson looked like a championship contender for most of the year, staying in the top-three in points from races 3 to 31 of the season. However, an engine failure at Kansas resulted in him being eliminated at the Round of 12 of the Playoffs, the first of four straight DNFs for Larson, relegating him to an eighth-place finish in points. Despite the success, Target announced they would leave NASCAR at the end of 2017. Fellow sponsor, Credit One Bank would take over as the primary sponsors begging in 2018.

In 2018, Larson returned. Despite being winless, he made the Playoffs by staying consistent in the regular season with four second-place finishes, eight top-fives, and 14 top-10s. Larson had a dominant car at the Inaugural Charlotte Roval race but was caught in a multi-car pileup in a late restart that also involved Playoff contenders Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. His heavily damaged No. 42 car took advantage of Jeffrey Earnhardt being spun out by Daniel Hemric on the final lap and limped across the finish line in 25th place, securing him in the top 12. Larson experienced further bad luck at the fall Talladega race when he blew a right-front tire and spun out. He finished 11th in the race but was docked 10 driver and 10 owner points after the team violated the damaged vehicle policy by using metal tabs instead of fasteners and/or tape to repair the torn right front fender. Despite finishing third at the fall Kansas race, Larson was eliminated in the Round of 12 of the Playoffs. He finished the season ninth in points.

During the 2019 season, Larson made history by becoming only the third driver to win the Monster Energy Open and the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race. Larson once again made the Playoffs, his 4th straight appearance. Right after advancing past the Round of 16, Larson broke a 75-race winless streak by winning at Dover after qualifying second, immediately advancing to the Round of 8.

Larson Larson began the 2020 season with a tenth-place finish in the Daytona 500. When the season was placed on hold after four races due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Larson was seventh in the point standings with three top-ten finishes

On April 13, 2020, NASCAR and iRacing indefinitely suspended Larson after he used a racial slur during an iRacing event. In a statement posted to Twitter, Chip Ganassi Racing had announced that they had suspended Larson without pay. As a result of his actions, McDonald's, Credit One Bank, Advent Health and Fiserv terminated their sponsorship of Larson. In addition, Chevrolet suspended its relationship with Larson indefinitely. CGR fired Larson the following day.

### Matt Kenseth (2020)

In April 27, 2020, it was announced that Matt Kenseth would fill in for the remainder of the season. In addition, NASCAR granted him a waiver for eligibility in the 2020 playoffs.

Kenseth's 2020 season was a disappointment with only one top five (second at Indianapolis), and two top tens. Kenseth finished 28th in points.

### Ross Chastain (2021)

On September 21, Chip Ganassi Racing announced that Ross Chastain would replace Kenseth in the No. 42 Chevrolet in 2021. After a few great runs including a third place finish in the Southern 500 and a second place at the inaugural Ally 400 at Nashville, the team missed the playoffs and finished 20th in points in Chastain's full-time season as a Pepsi Cup driver.

However Chastain later announced he would be moving over to Team Trackhouse's no.1 Chevorlet beginning in 2022. Additionally this moved caused sponsors Advent Health and Moose Fraternity to move to Trackhouse with Chastain as well.

### Matt DiBenedetto (2022)

On January 6, 2022, it was announced that Matt DiBenedetto will drive the No. 42 full-time for the 2022 season.

Despite the Advent Health and Moose Fraternity sponsorship moving, Clover announced they would sponsor DiBenedetto for 25 races in 2022. Tubi including new parters, Krispy Kreme and Gander RV announced they would sponsor the remaining 11 races with Tubi and Krispy Kreme doing four races, while Gander RV will do three.

He started the season with a 10th place finish at Daytona. DiBenedetto scored several top-10 finishes during the regular season, but was unable to make the playoffs.

On July 23, CGR announced that DiBenedetto would return to the No. 42 for the 2023 season.