1on1: Chip Ganassi (cont'd)

Q: Felix Sabates is pretty outspoken about NASCAR franchising. Where do you stand on that issue?

Ganassi: I'm sure that in due time NASCAR will do what is best for everybody or what they think is best for everybody. I used to get caught up in all that stuff and I'm happy to do what I do and take care of the team and leave the politics to everyone else. That's why I have a partner that's good at that.

Q: Do you think there should be some equity for someone that has been around for a certain number of years?

Ganassi: I think you should be able to grow $100 bills in your garden, but I don't know what that means. I don't know what everybody else thinks of that, but that's what I think.

Fast Facts

What	UAW-Dodge 400
When	3:30 p.m. ET Sunday
TV	FOX
Radio	PRN / Sirius Ch. 128

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Q: To what degree were you consulted on the re-unification of open-wheel racing?

Ganassi: There can't be five people on the planet that [didn't] want it to happen. The only consultation I had was I got a phone call one day that said if we get this thing back together we might need a car. I said, 'no problem.'

It's probably like the 1994 baseball strike. The work really begins once you get all of the problems behind you. It would be nice to get all of the issues in one place. Get all of the rules-makers in one place. Get all of the promoters in one place. Get everybody at one table instead of two. It would certainly end a lot of confusion in the marketplace.

Q: What are your thoughts on all the talk about Hendrick and Gibbs being the dominant teams?

Ganassi: You know, I was pretty happy in the [Gatorade Duel] 150s when it was Hendrick, Gibbs, Hendrick, Hendrick and us. I can't speak for other teams in where they are in their program.

I just think that we made some moves over the winter and our team has stepped it up a little bit. Whether it's our drivers, our engine program [or] our COT program -- I think everything can come up a step and I'd like to think that we've moved up a notch on the ladder. What that means for other teams I have no idea.

Every winter every team works in the offseason. Every team wants to work better. For our team, where we are in the pecking order, we need to work harder. I'm thinking that we've made a step or two up the rung. In terms of the other guys, I can't say where they're at. I wish them well and here we go.

It's just like that Super Bowl. Everybody thought that the Patriots were going to win and wanted the Giants to win, right? That's why they play the game. You just can't hand the trophy out. They have to have a race first.

You still have to execute. You still have to do pit stops. You still have to have luck on your side. Your engine still has to get to the finish. You can't get caught up in a crash. There are a lot of things that can happen. Look at all the talk about the Patriots -- they still had to play the game.