Elledge starts work as Ganassi crew chief

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Jimmy Elledge, who hopped back and forth between owners Andy Petree and Robert Yates over the last two seasons, started work Monday as the crew chief for Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 41 Target Dodges.

	Jimmy Elledge

Ganassi, who has made several crew moves among his three NASCAR Winston Cup teams, hopes to announce a driver for the No. 41 within the next two weeks.

Elledge, 32, began his full-time crew chief career with Andy Petree Racing in 1999. He worked with Kenny Wallace for two seasons and scored two second place finishes. He worked with Bobby Hamilton at APR in 2001 and engineered Hamilton's Talladega 500 victory.

Elledge opened 2002 as Dale Jarrett's crew chief at Robert Yates Racing, but he returned to APR to work with Hamilton when Yates' team manager Todd Parrott wanted to return to his crew chief's role.

In other moves at Ganassi Racing, Mike Brill, the car chief for Sterling Marlin's No. 40 Coors Light Dodge, has been moved over to serve the same role for 2003 Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Jamie McMurray on the No. 42 Havoline Dodge.

Long-time No. 40 general mechanic Todd Osborne has been promoted to work with crew chief Lee McCall as Marlin's car chief.

Ganassi also expects to announce a veteran crew chief for McMurray's program by early next week.