Long Time Chip Ganassi Racing Sponsor Target Continues Partnership with Multi-year Deal
Target Chip Ganassi Racing announced they will be adding former IndyCar Series and Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti as a teammate of the 2008 Indy 500 winner and current points leader Scott Dixon, as the driver of the No. 10 Target Honda. In addition, Chip Ganassi Racing and Target announced the details of their joint plans to take their partnership into its 20th season and beyond.
Franchitti, the former Indy 500 and IndyCar Series champion will return to open-wheel racing but this time behind the wheel of the No. 10 Target Dallara Honda. The native of Scotland has over 180 starts under his belt between the CART and IndyCar Series resulting in 18 wins, 17 poles, 63 top-five and 95 top-10 finishes (1997-2007). Franchitti is the winningest driver in U.S. open-wheel history from Great Britain. He was part of the winning Rolex 24 At Daytona team this year for Ganassi and also captured the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring in the LMP2 Class in his first ever American Le Mans Series start in 2007. This creates a team that will have the last two Indy 500 winners as they take the green flag next year in St. Petersburg.
“It is going to be very exciting to have Dario in one of our IndyCars next year,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. “I have always admired his competitive spirit when he raced against us and have really grown to see more of what he is about this season while he raced in NASCAR. When there was a possibility of an opening on our IndyCar team, the only person I thought about was Dario. This is going to be a great move for Dario and for our team.
“Part of the reason that I signed with Ganassi last year was because of how many options that Chip has at his disposal for a driver,” stated Franchitti. “You can do almost any form of racing that you want. With unification and the new schedule having more road and street courses it made me think about this more and more. I have really enjoyed this last season in stockcars and have not completely closed that chapter of my professional career but the opportunity that arose was just something I could not pass up. I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of one of those Target cars and be a teammate to Scott Dixon. Target is a tremendous sponsor and they and Chip always give you everything you need to win.”
Also announced was the decision for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Dan Wheldon, current driver of the No. 10 Target Honda, to part
ways.
“Dan Wheldon has done everything this organization has asked of him,” commented Ganassi. “He was competitive from the moment that he stepped into the car for us back in 2006 and has provided Target Chip Ganassi Racing many highlights over his three years with the team. Dan is a class act both on and off the track and we
wish him nothing but the best.”
Hinting at future news Wheldon said, “I have enjoyed these last three seasons with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, but will be moving on to pursue a very exciting opportunity for 2009. I will be announcing my plans for next season in the near future. In the meantime I want
to focus my efforts on winning the last race of the season. I wish the team well for 2009 and beyond.”
John Wiedemann is the owner, editor and developer of the RacingNation.com website.
A motorsports fan from his earliest memories, John started going to local short tracks and the Milwaukee Mile with his parents, brother and sister. John enjoys drivers racing side by side and battling for the same piece of real estate on the racetrack as much as he appreciates the technical aspects of the sport.
IndyCar SeriesJohn Wiedemann