Sorenson knows it's time to step up at Ganassi team (cont'd)

A former national champion in Quarter Midgets, Sorenson won his first ARCA event in just his second start in that series at Michigan in July of 2004. That was when he was pegged for future Cup stardom, which so far he has found to be elusive.

Nonetheless, he doesn't like to think of himself as a developing driver any longer.

"I hope I'm done developing. As far as making rookie mistakes, I don't plan on making any of those any more," Sorenson said. "I think as a team, we're at a critical point right now. We haven't won a whole lot of races over the past five years, and it's time to kind of turn our team around.

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"We have a new car this year that we're running full time. We have three guys in myself, Juan and Dario who plan on being around for awhile. So I think this is the year that we need to turn Chip Ganassi Racing around, and turn it into a winning team."

Asked what makes him think this is the year that it actually will happen, Sorenson hedges the bet just a little.

"Well, I hope it's the year. We all do," he said. "We're all working really hard. There have been a lot of changes at the shop. Steve Hmiel is there now [as manager of competition after coming over from Dale Earnhardt Inc.]. We're really excited about having him there, and his guidance. He's been around the sport a long time. There's just a lot going on at the shop, and I feel like it's going to be a year-long process where we're going to gradually get better as the year goes on.

"I'm pretty determined this year to make whatever I can happen. I think Jimmy Elledge [crew chief on his No. 41 Dodge] is as well. I feel the pressure of winning; he's been on the 41 team longer than I have, so I know he feels the pressure of winning, too. But I think we're ready to take it on."

Then he thought about the pressure he's currently facing, and admitted it's different than when he was even younger.

"When I was 6, I didn't have a bull's eye on me. I wasn't representing Target," he joked. "I think Target is the best sponsor in Sprint Cup right now. You feel the pressure from your sponsor because you want to make them feel good. They're ready to win and so am I. I enjoy running for Chip, and along with Juan and Dario I want to be the one to help get this turned in the right direction and get back to Victory Lane for him."