The NASCAR operation of Chip Ganassi Racing was established in 1989 by Cuban-American businessman Felix Sabates. The team was known as SABCO Racing, formed after Sabates purchased an R&D team from Hendrick Motorsports.[1] The team was renamed Team SABCO in 1996.[2] In 2001, Ganassi bought 80% of the ownership interest in the then-two-car team to form Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates; the same year the team switched from Chevrolet to full-works Dodge and received a same partnership treatment as Penske Racing (from 2003), Evernham Motorsports, Bill Davis Racing, Melling Racing and Petty Enterprises teams.[3] In 2009, Ganassi partnered with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. owner Teresa Earnhardt to merge their NASCAR operations into Ganassi's shop and entered under the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates banner, while returning to Chevrolet equipment. The NASCAR team dropped the Earnhardt name in 2014, and Ganassi revealed that Teresa was never truly involved with the team.[4] Rob Kauffman, chairman of the Race Team Alliance, purchased a stake in the team in 2015.[5] The NASCAR program has fielded full-time entries for notable drivers including Kyle Petty, Joe Nemechek, Sterling Marlin, Jimmy Spencer, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch, and Ross Chastain. After already having his name removed from the team previously, at the end of the 2019 season, Sabates announced his retirement as a co-owner from the team, taking effect after the 2020 season.[6]
In June 2021, Ganassi accepted an unsolicited offer from former CGR Xfinity Series driver Justin Marks to sell the entire NASCAR operation to Marks' Trackhouse Racing team, with the deal finalized after that season.[7]
- ^ Hastings, Danny (September 27, 2013). "Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: The Legend". youtube.com. NASCAR. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Press Release (1999). "A Brief History of Team Owner Felix S. Sabates Jr". bellsouth.com. Mooresville, North Carolina: BellSouth. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ nascar.com (August 4, 2000). "Ganassi, SABCO go to Dodge in 2001". motorsport.com. Indianapolis: motorsport.com, NASCAR. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 21, 2014). "Chip Ganassi explains why 'Earnhardt' is no longer part of team name". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Ganassi confirms Rob Kauffman has bought stake of NASCAR team". Autoweek. July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Fryer, Jenna (December 12, 2019). "Felix Sabates to retire from NASCAR ownership". APNews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ "Chip Ganassi Racing notifies NC Department of Commerce of 55 layoffs following Phoenix race". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.