Franchitti's NASCAR plans on hold

Chip Ganassi has been working on a deal to try to get Franchitti some stock car experience as soon as possible, with the aim of having him well-prepared to drive for his team in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup.

However, negotiations have apparently hit a stumbling block as Franchitti is still under contract with AGR, has further commitments to the team, and an early release from his obligations has not been reached.

He is scheduled to race for AGR in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on October 6, driving an Acura in the LMP2 class, alongside his brother Marino and Bryan Herta. He raced the car earlier this year at Long Beach and Sebring, and has already tested it at Road Atlanta.

Chip Ganassi said last Sunday at Dover that he was trying to get Franchitti in an ARCA race at Talladega on October 5, which is one day before the American Le Mans event. Despite both venues being just 150 miles from each other, there are conflicting schedules that would make it very difficult for the Scot to compete in both.

Autosport.com understands that the bottom-line is that Franchitti, the current IRL and Indy 500 champion, won't be able to race for Ganassi until he is out of his current deal with AGR, the team for which he has raced since 1998, when it was still owned by Barry Green in Champ Car.

ARCA teams expected to compete on October 5 at Talladega had their only scheduled day of testing on Tuesday, and although Ganassi's team was testing at the track with the No. 40 car driven by Bryan Clauson, Franchitti was not in attendance.