Wheldon to NASCAR?

UPDATE #2 This rumor will eventually go to 'fact.' Wheldon's former team owner Michael Andretti told the Express-Times of Easton, Pennsylvania that Ganassi is planning to put Wheldon in their NASCAR squad. Andretti said: "That was part of the deal. That was one of the reasons he went there."

Speaking after the confirmation of Wheldon's Ganassi deal, Wheldon's manager Julian Jakobi told Autosport: "NASCAR in 2007 is quite possible. Ultimately he has to play on a bigger stage than the IRL and that means F1 or NASCAR, which are the two biggest series in the world. The Chip deal includes a progression to NASCAR if Dan wants it."

03/06/06 This rumor is upgraded to 'strong' today. If Dan Wheldon has plans to head to NASCAR, he's keeping them private.
Wheldon, the defending Indy Racing League champion who lives in St. Petersburg, has moved to Target Chip Ganassi Racing for 2006. He comes off a sensational 2005 season in which he won six races, including the 89th Indianapolis 500 and Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for Andretti Green Racing.

While it's widely believed Wheldon got a huge raise at Ganassi, there might have been another inducement. Michael Andretti told the Express-Times of Easton, Pa., that Chip Ganassi has promised Wheldon a ride in Nextel Cup as soon as next season.

Asked whether that's true Saturday after a photo shoot at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Wheldon wouldn't answer directly.

"Like anything in my contract, I'm not allowed to discuss it," he said. "That's between me and Chip."

Wheldon expressed interest in NASCAR last year while he was considering his options for 2006.

"I certainly looked at it," he said. "But my focus this year is in the IndyCar series. It's going to be a tough season." More at TBO.com

12/02/05 In this SPEEDTV article, Robin Miller speculates that Dan Wheldon moved from Andretti Green Racing to Ganassi because Ganassi could offer him a chance to switch to NASCAR in 2007. While certainly that is a plausible scenario, it won't help the IRL in the fact that it will lose one of its biggest names…..again.