Ganassi needs to keep Clauson in the No. 40 car

Amidst all the misfortune surrounding his organization this season, development driver Bryan Clauson is trying to find a silver lining in the proverbial cloud looming over Chip Ganassi Racing.

The Noblesville, Ind., teenager is heading to Daytona International Speedway this weekend with high expectations, despite perceivably low morale resulting from a string of hardships handed to the Ganassi stable this season.

Poor performances across all three Sprint Cup teams, crew chief changes, an injured driver and lack of sponsorship all culminated Tuesday when team owner Chip Ganassi announced Dario Franchitti and his No. 40 Cup team would "cease operation immediately."

Nevertheless, Clauson said if the team is to turn things around, on the Nationwide and Sprint Cup side, Daytona is the place to make it happen.

Why is Daytona different?

In the Nationwide Series, Clauson made his first start at Daytona in February and finished sixth, the highest finishing series-only regular and his career-best finish until Clauson's recent fifth-place finish at Kentucky Speedway.

His team has returned with the same car, the No. 40 Dodge, for Friday's race and hopes to garner the same attention the team did in February.

"We feel like we can win with this car," Clauson said. "We took it back to the body shop and made some improvements that will help us come race time. And hopefully we earned some friends and get some help getting to the front."

He won't have much drafting help from the Dodge boys as there will only be four Dodge entries in the race, and the No. 9 of Kasey Kahne is the only contender I see running up front.

"But I'm not the rookie this time," Clauson said. "Hopefully I can take on the role of pusher this time around instead of pushee."

After the Daytona race, Clauson's next three races resulted in DNFs due to accidents. But in seven of his last eight races, he's shown marked improvement and he contends his finishes aren't reflective of how the team runs.

But with the uncertainty facing Chip Ganassi Racing, Clauson's future in the Nationwide Series is equally uncertain.

Since the No. 40 Cup car is no longer an option for Franchitti, a former open-wheel star and Indianapolis 500 champion, Ganassi officials said the plan may be to allow Franchitti to run the remainder of the Nationwide season, which would sideline 19-year-old Clauson and put him further behind in his learning process.

In a statement from the Ganassi camp, Chip Ganassi said the team is "committed to Franchitti's continued stock-car development and are currently in discussions with him on his racing options with the team which could include running the balance of the 2008 Nationwide season in the No. 40 Fastenal Dodge."

Not to be harsh, but what's the point?

During Clauson's run at Daytona, he notched a driver rating of 91.0, an average running position of 13; three fastest laps run and spent 80 percent of the race in the top 15.

If Clauson wants to repeat that success, sure, he has his work cut out for him and will have to contend with a number of double-duty drivers known to be strong in the draft. But if he does, Clauson deserves to finish out the Nationwide season in the No. 40 car and no longer take a back seat to the 35-year-old Franchitti.

Chip Ganassi Racing shouldn't be in the business of developing open-wheel talent but young talent such as Clauson with a successful Midget and Sprint Car background.

Ganassi's plan for Clauson was for the 19-year-old to split time in the Nationwide car with Franchitti so that Franchitti could get experience at first-time tracks and help his transition to the Cup side. The Cup side is no longer an option.

Looking to the future, Clauson's crew chief Brad Parrott said he sees championship potential in his driver.

"Contend for a Nationwide championship next season, that's our goal," Parrott said. "[Clauson's] very talented and has the ability and he's got to have the track experience."

With 23 years of experience in the sport, I trust Parrott's judgment.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.