Sorenson in, Carpentier out at GEM

UPDATE #5 Chip Ganassi, Team Owner of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates: "After much internal discussion over the last few months we agreed that parting ways with Reed was the right decision for all of us. The business side of sports is never easy and this was just a business decision that was made on both our parts. We wish Reed nothing but the best." CGRWFS PR

08/26/08 The part of this rumor that Reed Sorenson is joining GEM is upgraded to 'Fact' today. See the announcement in the Hot News that Sorenson has signed a multiyear contract with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

08/24/08 Reed Sorenson appears headed to Gillett Evernham Motorsports to drive the No. 10 car next year, according to Chip Ganassi Racing co-owner Felix Sabates. Sorenson, in his third year in Sprint Cup with the Ganassi team, said Friday that he did not have anything done yet for 2009, and Chip Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said in a phone interview earlier in the day that they were still in talks with Sorenson. Sorenson was 24th in points in 2006, 22nd in points in 2007 and 30th this year entering the Saturday race at Bristol. He was replaced for the road-racing event in Sonoma, Calif., earlier this year.

“From my point of view, his contract is over," Sabates said. “I think Reed is today as good as he’s ever going to be. If somebody else wants to put him in a car, fine with us. We have a pretty good idea that he’s going to drive the 10 car. I wish him good luck."

A spokesman for Gillett Evernham Motorsports said the team had no comment. Patrick Carpentier currently is the driver of the No. 10 car. Gillett Evernham also fields Cup cars for drivers Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler. Scenedaily.com

08/23/08 Reed Sorenson is apparently moving to Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season, multiple sources at Bristol Motor Speedway said on Friday. But where that leaves rookie Patrick Carpentier is unclear, as the team may release him or add a fourth car. No word yet on Sorenson’s replacement at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, a team that like many in the garage is fighting sponsor woes with Texaco definitely gone and Target rumored to be leaving, too. Ford Racing

07/22/08 Reed Sorenson is in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing, though he could return to the #41 Sprint Cup team next year. Sorenson raced in the Nationwide Series last weekend at Gateway International Raceway and was asked what the status of his contract negotiations with Ganassi is. "We're working on it right now," Sorenson said. "Working on it." Driver David Reutimann, who joined Sorenson at the news conference, interjected: "How's it going?" "Working on it," Sorenson said with a smile. Sorenson didn't disclose any further details. SceneDaily.com

06/29/08 If statistics told the whole story, Reed Sorenson could well be headed to another team and team owner Chip Ganassi looking for another driver for his No. 41 Dodge next season.

Instead, Sorenson is mulling a contract extension offer from Ganassi, one he believes will result in continuation of his NASCAR partnership with Ganassi well into the future.

"I expect everything will be worked out in the next week or two," said the 22-year-old native of Peachtree City, Ga.

On the surface, an extension might seem unlikely. Sorenson entered NASCAR with much fanfare and won two Nationwide Series races in his first full season in that series in 2005.

But since moving to Cup in 2006, he has no wins, five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 89 starts. This season, he has one top 10 – a fifth at the season opener at Daytona – and is 34th in points.

But Sorenson's struggles are not isolated. All three of Ganassi's Cup programs have struggled and two – those of Juan Pablo Montoya and Sorenson – have already changed crew chiefs this season.

All three teams – Montoya, Sorenson and rookie Dario Franchitti – appear to sink or swim together. At Michigan, all three finished 34th or worse. On Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, all three were 10th or better in both practice sessions and have high expectations for Sunday's race.

"The past couple of weeks we've been testing – we tested Milwaukee and Kentucky – and I think we need to be a little bit more aggressive with that," Sorenson said. "I think we've been behind. It seems just when we get caught up we fall behind again.

"Most of the places we go, we run very similar. We always seem to very close together. If the No. 42 is fast, then I believe we will be fast. There isn't a problem with individual teams." ThatsRacin.com