Smack: More changes in store at Ganassi Racing?

1. What's going on over at Chip Ganassi Racing, where they just announced a swap of crew chiefs? And does swapping crew chiefs at mid-season ever really accomplish much, or is it a Band-Aid attempt at covering up bigger problems?

David Caraviello: It worked wonders for Dale Earnhardt. RCR was one of the first to try it, and swapping Larry McReynolds and Kevin Hamlin seemed to rejuvenate the Intimidator's career.

Joe Menzer: Well, I do have to say that sometimes a crew-chief change makes a difference. I certainly think it did last season when Pat Tryson jumped in at Penske Racing for driver Kurt Busch.

Mark Aumann: Well, it seems to work every once in a while -- and usually only is a short-term fix -- which is why teams try it. But to me, it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I think it's a precursor to making a major move. And Chip's never been shy about pulling the trigger.

Joe Menzer: In this case, you have to wonder what the problems are with those teams at Ganassi. Montoya is hanging in there -- 17th in points, I think -- but not making the big leap forward I thought he might.

David Caraviello: I think the swap is the first, logical thing to try. Maybe all they need is a fresh outlook on things. But of course, if it doesn't work ... then more drastic measures come into play.

Mark Aumann: Certainly Ganassi has to believe that he'd get more bang for his buck this season, with Sorenson getting another year of experience and Montoya now having run all the tracks.

Joe Menzer: And Sorenson has been terrible, except for in the Daytona 500. Franchitti has struggled about like I thought he would.

Mark Aumann: I'm guessing he thought Franchitti would perhaps equal Montoya's success last season, but we haven't seen it so far. He just looks lost right now.

David Caraviello: Montoya hasn't been terrible, but those other two cars have been severe disappointments. Sorenson is a head-scratcher. He seemed like a can't-miss kid coming up out of the lower ranks.

Autostock

Chip Ganassi

Crew chief swap

Trying to turn Reed Sorenson's season around, Chip Ganassi has moved Juan Montoya's crew chief, Donnie Wingo, to the No. 41 team and sent Sorenson's crew chief Jimmy Elledge to the No. 42.

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Mark Aumann: Wonder if it makes him pine for the days of Sterling Marlin, Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears?

Joe Menzer: No one should have expected Franchitti, as talented a driver as he may be, to be able to drop everything and make a competitive jump as quickly and cleanly as Ganassi obviously thought he could. At least Montoya had a little bit of time in the car before jumping in full-time, and let's face it, more experience in other forms of racing prior to making the leap, too.

David Caraviello: But no one expected Dario to be utterly uncompetitive, either. He's in the back every week, Joe. JPM didn't struggle this mightily. And Dario has much more oval track experience, and Montoya to lean on. You've got to wonder, now that the U.S. open wheel series have been unified, how much some of these former Indy-car guys are thinking of going back.

Joe Menzer: Dario might be thinking of it more and more every week these days!

Mark Aumann: Rumors have swirled around Sam Hornish Jr., especially since Penske has a No. 77 entered at Indy. But I just can't see that happening if he's still in the top 35 by then.

David Caraviello: Either way, I think it's clear that the craze of hiring former open-wheel drivers has run its course. These guys need to do more scouting and find some of these short-track drivers looking for a break.

Mark Aumann: I don't see Dario going back because of Ashley's safety concerns. He did a Michael McDowell impersonation last season.

Joe Menzer: So getting back to the meat of this question, why the heck can't Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates get over the hump and win races consistently in this series? Is it because Chip keeps looking for shortcuts, like hiring all these open-wheel guys, when maybe he should have stayed the course with some others?

Mark Aumann: I think it's because they have three drivers without the depth of experience in this type of racing. There's no veteran leader -- Jeff Burton -- who can pull things together. And to be honest, the Dodges are way behind right now on intermediate tracks. There's no way Kurt Busch is this mediocre.

Joe Menzer: Do they have all the other resources together that they need -- meaning back at the shop? Visiting that place on the media tour two years ago, it sure looked like it.

David Caraviello: Remember, they would have won a championship had Sterling Marlin not gotten hurt. It's been all downhill from there. (Continued)