Franchitti's No. 40 NNS car to be funded by Fastenal

CONCORD, N.C. -- Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced on Tuesday that Fastenal Company, a leading global industrial and construction supply distributor, has signed a multi-year deal with the team to sponsor driver Dario Franchitti and the No. 40 Dodge Charger in the 2008 Nationwide Series. The program will feature Franchitti as the car's primary driver and also include select races with his Ganassi Sprint Cup Series teammate Reed Sorenson behind the wheel.

"I'm very pleased to bring Fastenal into the Nationwide Series as a primary sponsor and look forward to working together with them in introducing Dario to NASCAR fans and also introducing NASCAR fans to Dario wherever in the world they may be," said team owner Chip Ganassi. "We have an exciting Nationwide Series program beginning next season with the No. 40 team that will help acclimate Dario to stock-car racing much like we did with Juan Montoya last season."

Fastenal will kick off its association with Ganassi at its annual employee expo in Orlando (Dec. 6-7) by introducing Franchitti to more than 2,000 employees. The company is stepping up to Ganassi and the Nationwide Series following two seasons in the Craftsman Truck Series as the primary sponsor of Bobby Hamilton Racing's No. 18 Dodge truck.

"We had a great experience with Bobby Hamilton Racing, and we'll always be honored to be a part of Bobby Hamilton's racing legacy," said Fastenal Company president and CEO Will Oberton. "At the same time, we're excited to move up to the Nationwide Series and thrilled to join the Ganassi Dodge racing team. I think I speak for a lot of our employees, suppliers and customers when I say that I can't wait for Dario to get behind the wheel of the No. 40 Fastenal Dodge in 2008."

Earlier this season Franchitti, the reigning Indy 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion, signed a multi-year deal with Ganassi to compete in Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series beginning in 2008. Franchitti will be the first European driver in the 59-year history of NASCAR to join the series full time when he assumes driving duties for the No. 40 Fastenal Dodge at Daytona.