Scouting Reports

Penske Racing
LAST YEAR Penske boasted two of the most accomplished drivers in 2004 champion Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman , but was at a disadvantage against outfits that ran three or more cars and therefore had more testing data to mine for setup information. While Busch had moments of brilliance and made the Chase, Newman , though as impressive as ever in qualifying, struggled on Sundays and closed out '07 on an 81-race winless streak. So it was no surprise that owner Roger Penske increased the size of his operation. He brought in three-time IndyCar Series champ Sam Hornish Jr. , one of four open-wheel stars who will compete for rookie honors.

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]

ENEMY LINES: AN INSIDER ON AN OPPOSING TEAM SIZES UP PENSKE

"IT SEEMS like Roger Penske doesn't have the open checkbook he once had. The team doesn't have the resources of some of the others.... Kurt Busch (right) is Penske racing. He's a rare talent.... Penske has put good people around Ryan Newman , but it's just not happening for him.... I think Sam Hornish Jr. is going to have a hell of a time. He didn't show anything last year; there's no reason to think he will this year."

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DNFs in '07 for Newman , tying him with Earnhardt for the most of any driver in the top 35 of the points standings.

Chip Ganassi Racing
In his first Cup season Juan Pablo Montoya won a race, was 2007 Rookie of the Year and, with his aggressive driving, made enemies in the garage and in the stands. How overzealous was he? Montoya spun out teammate Scott Pruett to win a Busch Series race and crashed into Kevin Harvick at Watkins Glen . Yet there's no denying that Montoya—the '00 Indy 500 champ and a seven-time winner in Formula One—is a unique talent, and this season he'll challenge to become the first Ganassi driver to qualify for the Chase. The Montoya experiment went so well, in fact, that Chip Ganassi signed another Indy winner, '07 champ Dario Franchitti , to a multiyear contract.

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]

ENEMY LINES: AN INSIDER ON AN OPPOSING TEAM SIZES UP GANASSI

"YOU'VE GOT to love the international flavor of this team, but you've also got to remember that there aren't many Juan Pablo Montoyas in the world. I don't think you can expect Dario Franchitti to have the kind of success that Montoya had last season.... This is a key year for Reed Sorenson (left). He's got to show that he belongs at this level or he's not going to last much longer.... Montoya should be a threat to make the Chase, but he's going to have to knock off one of the top guys to make it in, and that won't be easy."

11
HIGHEST points finish by a Ganassi driver ( Jamie McMurray , in '04) since Sterling Marlin took third in '01.