2008 Preseason No. 21: Reed Sorenson

No. 41 Target Dodge

2008 Spin
Like many drivers in the Cup series, third-year racer Reed Sorenson will be adjusting to many changes in 2008.

He also must be wondering where all the American stock car drivers went.

One year after losing Casey Mears, Sorenson will be adjusting to the loss of teammate and friend David Stremme as Ganassi chose not to pick up the option for Stremme’s contract after 2007. Replacing him is Scotsman Dario Franchitti, one of several drivers making the exodus from open-wheel racing to NASCAR, following the lead of new teammate and ’07 Rookie of the Year Juan Pablo Montoya. The reigning Indy 500 and IndyCar Series Champion, Franchitti brings plenty of open-wheel skill and experience with him to NASCAR, but he has never run a Cup Series race and has only four Busch starts and one Truck Series start under his belt.

That teammate situation may place added pressure on Sorenson, who at age 21 now finds himself the most experienced Cup driver in the Ganassi organization. The youngster will surely benefit from the talent that Montoya and Franchitti bring to the table, but will he get lost amongst a sea of publicity surrounding them?  
 
Sorenson remains optimistic and knows where improvements need to be made. “We’re looking forward to starting over next year,” he says. “We just had a lot of times where we should’ve finished average, and we ended up wrecked. We need to focus on cutting out the weak spots, and we’ll be alright.”   

Well, Sorenson’s Car of Tomorrow starts weren’t just a weak spot in ’07 — they were an eyesore. Only one of his six top-10 finishes came in those 16 events, and Sorenson’s average finish was a paltry 26.2. There’s certainly concern surrounding the program as the series transitions to the CoT full-time in 2008. 

With crew chief Jimmy Elledge and sponsor Target back, there’s at least stability in place — and Sorenson proved Montoya’s equal last season, except in the win column. But you wonder how much time he has left with this organization, especially with Ganassi IRL superstar Dan Wheldon seeking a move to NASCAR in ’09. Unfortunately for Reed, at the ripe old age of 21, it's time to put up or shut up.

Opposing Crew Chiefs’ Take
“Sorenson should’ve done more than he’s done. He’s got the ability, I believe, but I don’t know. Young guys come in here, and if they don’t get their head on straight from the beginning, they lose their way. … Reed has to be considered a disappointment to this point. When they first started, it looked like he was going to be able to win races. People expected him to do better than he has. He hasn’t gotten any better. … People can question the equipment, but Juan Montoya ran awfully well. … Talent he’s got, but that can only take you so far. It takes more than talent to compete at the Cup level.”

Fantasy Stall
Looking at Checkers: Reed has more top 10s at Atlanta than any other track.
Pretty Solid Pick: He has shown promise on wide open tracks like Michigan and Indy.
Good Sleeper Pick: He’s put in some solid runs at Watkins Glen.
Runs on Seven Cylinders: A trouble-magnet on short tracks.
Insider Tip: Other than Indy, all of his top 10s came on intermediate tracks in ’07.

For more in-depth driver news and hard-hitting features, order your 2008 Athlon Sports Racing Annual here.