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Ganassi wants Franchitti in ARCA race

Chip Ganassi has hinted at Dario Franchitti's switch to NASCAR with his team, saying he is trying to enter the current IRL champion in an ARCA race at Talladega next month with the aim of training him for his likely move to the Sprint Cup in 2008

Although no official announcement has been made regarding Franchitti driving the No. 40 car in place of David Stremme next year, Chip Ganassi said on Sunday at Dover International Speedway that he wants the Scot to make his stock car debut in an ARCA event in two weeks'.

"We're trying to get him in," Ganassi said. "We have a few little hurdles left to get done before we can announce something. We're feverishly working at it, and we're confident that we're going to be able to put something together with him.

"Much like with Juan last year, if and when we get to that point, it's going to be a work in progress and you're going to have to constantly adjust and readjust."

Ganassi confirmed Franchitti wants to switch to NASCAR and that he wouldn't mind taking on the taxing 36-race schedule, relative to the short and tight IRL season calendar. He also stated that the IRL, where he has his own team as well, would not suffer from losing one of its stars to NASCAR.

"He definitely wants to do it. I don't think there's a question. Some people that [schedule], it would intimidate. Some people it doesn't," Ganassi said. "This is where the action is right now. The fact of the matter is the IRL is going to be fine. Drivers come and go in all series, and the series is what endures."

Ganassi also denied that Franchitti was bringing any sponsors with him to his team, amid reports that Canadian Club, one of his sponsors in the IRL, would follow him to NASCAR.

An official announcement about Franchitti competing for Ganassi could be made shortly, as ARCA teams entered for the race at Talladega on October 5 have a test session scheduled for this Tuesday at the 2.66-mile Superspeedway.

Nearly a year ago, Juan Pablo Montoya drove a stock car for the first time at Talledega before being entered in an ARCA race at the same track by Ganassi.

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