Vasser happy to stay with Ganassi team

Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1998 | 10:47 a.m.

The glamour and prestige of Formula One racing was not enough to entice Las Vegas resident Jimmy Vasser to leave one of the most dominant teams in the CART FedEx Championship Series.

Vasser, 32, on Tuesday signed a three-year contract to remain with the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing team, ending months of speculation that the 1996 PPG Cup champion would leave America for an F1 ride in Europe.

Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed but the deal is rumored to pay Vasser $10 million over three years.

"I have been associated with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing for four years now ... and the partnership that (team owner) Chip has created with our sponsor, with our engine supplier, Honda, the tire manufacturer, Firestone, and the team, the people he has been able to assemble, made my decision (to stay) pretty easy when I decided what it was that was important to me," Vasser said.

"I couldn't really justify making a move to any other team."

It had been speculated for several months that Vasser would leave CART for the British American Racing team in the more lucrative Formula One World Championship. Vasser acknowledged he had talks with BAR, but said he never formally was offered a contract.

"There were some talks (with BAR) and they were realistic but it was a process for me to determine what I felt was best for Jimmy Vasser and what was most important for me," Vasser said. "I decided that I'm perfectly happy with my life, with my career path in the world of CART.

"It's Formula One and you can't take that lightly. I gave it all the consideration and all the thought I could and I decided it wasn't the best for me to pursue. What I wanted was to stay with my racing team and to carry on a tradition that has been started at Target/Chip Ganassi."

Vasser started that winning tradition when he won four races and the series championship for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing in 1996. In four seasons with the team, Vasser has posted seven wins, including two this season, and 19 podium finishes.

Vasser and teammate Alex Zanardi have teamed to win the last three PPG Cups for team owner Ganassi, tying the series record set by Penske Racing from 1981-83. The duo has won 21 of the past 49 races in the series.

With Zanardi rumored to be heading to Formula One when his contract expires at the end of this season, Ganassi obviously was pleased to be able to re-sign Vasser.

"We're thrilled to have Jimmy back on board for another three years," Ganassi said. "I feel that Jimmy Vasser is one of the most underrated drivers on the circuit. His consistency record speaks for itself, his win record speaks for itself and his on-track as well as off-track skills speak for themselves."

Vasser also had talked with CART owner/driver Bobby Rahal about replacing Rahal in the No. 7 Miller Lite Reynard/Ford when he retires from driving at the end of this season. But Vasser said his goal next year is to win another PPG Cup -- something he said he didn't think he could do if he switched teams.

"For me to have an opportunity to win another championship next year, there is no (other) team I would really have an opportunity to do that with," Vasser said. "I think we have a real good chance of doing that next year and in the future."