Manning: Shocked, but I'll be back.

Ousted Target Chip Ganassi driver Darren Manning has proclaimed his shock and surprise at being released mid-season by his team but has reassured his legions of fans that he will be working towards getting back into the cockpit of a race winning car before long.

The 30 year-old Harrogate born driver saw his 18-month tenure with TCGR come to an abrupt end on Tuesday morning during what he thought was just an ordinary team meeting with Ganassi's team director Mike Hull. Unbeknownst to Manning however was that moments before he stepped into Hull's office, Chip Ganassi had contacted Hull by phone to tell him that Manning would not be with the team this weekend at Michigan and would not have the option on his contract renewed for 2006.

"It was a real shock when I discovered that I was surplus to requirements at TCG," said Manning in a statement released on Wednesday. "It was a dream come true to be chosen as a driver for one of the top teams in American motor racing, and I have enjoyed my time here, and scored some good results in the past eighteen months."

After joining Ganassi's team shortly before the start of the 2004 season in the seat originally earmarked for the late Tony Renna, the former Formula 3, Formula 3000 and Champ Car driver finished just behind defending IRL Champion Scott Dixon in his first year with the team. Although an accident at the California Speedway meant he missed the final round of the Championship and dropped him behind Dixon in the overall standings, Manning secured a trio of fourth place finishes in a year where Ganassi's Dallara-Toyota package wasn't on a par with the Honda engines used by seven of the top nine finishers in that years' standings.

"It's really disappointing, but I've been in a lot worse situations than this," continued the likeable Yorkshireman, who has proved extremely popular with American fans on both side of the Champ Car/IRL divide. "Chip hasn't cut my legs off; he hasn't shot me. I'm still breathing, so everything will be all right. This isn't but a dent in my ambition at all. It might even make things better."

Even though the entire TCGR operation has struggled this year, Manning made a solid start to the 2005 campaign with a quartet of top ten finishes in the opening four races. However in the next six races Manning's best finish was a tenth place at Nashville and his career with one of the most successful teams of the past decade in American open wheel racing came to an undignified end last Sunday in Milwaukee.

"The weekend at Milwaukee started well, and I was a comfortable 4th quickest on Friday," added Manning, who has generally been the most competitive of the three TCGR Dallara-Toyota's this year. "However, after Ryan (Briscoe) crashed heavily on Saturday, both Scott Dixon and myself were under pressure to preserve the team equipment!

"It was difficult in these conditions to push to the limit in qualifying and similarly in the race, with the tricky hot conditions meaning my car was very loose, I just didn't want to risk another shunt for the team."

While Manning now faces an anxious period on the sidelines, he added that he would be working hard to get back in the saddle as soon as possible.

"I've got to move on in my career now and get back to something good. I'll only take a top-level drive. I don't need to take a low-level drive that I'm unable to win in. Maybe this is good for me. It might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't wish anybody any harm or malice over it. I have received fantastic support from the fans and I can guarantee that I'll be back soon... racing to win as always!"