Ganassi applauds team's debut pole

Martin Truex Jr claimed pole position in qualifying for this year's Daytona 500, while Juan Pablo Montoya was fourth-quickest and Aric Almirola seventh in the other full-time entry of EGR.

This weekend was the team's first-ever competitive outing since the two teams announced they were joining forces for the 2009 season, not only to stay in business but to be more competitive.

"As you know it was an interesting winter for most of us in the community and it's just rewarding to come here with a lot of hard work put in by a lot of good people," Ganassi said.

"Bringing two companies together is a difficult task and was a painful thing for a lot of people on all sides. My hats off to these guys because there's a core group of people that never lost focus on what they want to do and today putting three cars in the top seven spots is quite a reward for that."

Ganassi says making the two organisations work together in time for the start of the season has been a tall order and believes the merger is still in process. However he thinks they have achieved a great deal in a bit more than two months since they first announced their partnership.

"If you merge two fifty-million dollar companies it might easily take six or eight months," Ganassi added. "So I'm really proud of the people and it's still a work in progress putting the two together.

"But the important thing is everyone has the right frame of mind of keeping an open book, and open mind and listening a little more than talking. So far it's going better than anyone could've imagined. Things like today will make it that much more easier."

Minority owner Felix Sabates was equally proud of his team's achievement and says the merger has only made the two organisations stronger.

"A quitter never wins and a winner never quits," said Sabates. "I think that's a motto for our team. We never give up. We had a tough year last year and when we got together with DEI it was a blessing for everybody because the core group of people that came from DEI, they're racers too."

Martin Truex's crew chief Kevin Manion said they took a lot of pride frombeating Richard Childress Racing, one of the top teams in the Sprint Cup and one that shares the same engine programme with EGR. The best-placed RCR car in qualifying was Clint Bowyer's in twenty-second.

"I don't know what the other Childress department is doing," said Manion. "If you look back at past history when we've all had the same motors on equal ground we've always kind of out-qualified them.

"So there's a lot that goes in and the motor is a big part of it but also the preparation of the car, the driveline, the wax used on it, the simple things in the finish of the car is the other half of it and it makes you proud knowing that the Childress guys have the same power or maybe more than you've got."

The three EGR cars are all guaranteed to start in the Daytona 500. While Truex's pole is locked, Montoya and Almirola will have to go through the Gatorade Duels to set their starting spots for the season-opener.

EGR are also fielding a fourth car in a joint effort with Front Row Motorsports for John Andretti, who is also guaranteed to start in the event.